Research thus far on noninvasive, transcranial electric stimulation have produced mixed results from in vivo human experiments. This work tests the hypothesis that applying higher stimulation intensities would induce intracranial electric fields that more closely match the higher magnitudes used in animal and in vitro studies and subsequently yield more robust effects. As done commonly in the literature, we targeted the motor cortex (M1), specifically in the context of neuroplastic changes taking place during motor learning in healthy adult humans. This work also seeks a better understanding of the neural correlates underlying motor skill learning.
Through multiple large-sample studies, this work demonstrates the feasibility of high-intensity tDCS up to 6 mA. Contrary to our hypothesis, even targeted, high-intensity tDCS may not produce consistent modulation effects on motor learning. While the latest outcomes may cast further doubt over the efficacy of tDCS, they are nonetheless specific to this configuration. They provide support for the notion that the neural substrate underlying motor learning is highly complex, suggesting that further refinements may be necessary to optimize stimulation techniques for in vivo applications in humans.
","abstract_html":"<p>Research thus far on noninvasive, transcranial electric stimulation have produced mixed results from <em>in vivo</em> human experiments. This work tests the hypothesis that applying higher stimulation intensities would induce intracranial electric fields that more closely match the higher magnitudes used in animal and <em>in vitro</em> studies and subsequently yield more robust effects. As done commonly in the literature, we targeted the motor cortex (M1), specifically in the context of neuroplastic changes taking place during motor learning in healthy adult humans. This work also seeks a better understanding of the neural correlates underlying motor skill learning.</p> <p>Through multiple large-sample studies, this work demonstrates the feasibility of high-intensity tDCS up to 6 mA. Contrary to our hypothesis, even targeted, high-intensity tDCS may not produce consistent modulation effects on motor learning. While the latest outcomes may cast further doubt over the efficacy of tDCS, they are nonetheless specific to this configuration. They provide support for the notion that the neural substrate underlying motor learning is highly complex, suggesting that further refinements may be necessary to optimize stimulation techniques for in vivo applications in humans.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Hsu, Gavin"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)","degree_level":"Dissertation","degree_discipline":"Biomedical Engineering","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Lucas C. Parra"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2024,"date_issued":"2024-01-01T08:00:00Z","date_published":"2024-01-01T08:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T01:58:13Z","subjects":["Neural Engineering","Neuroscience","Neuromodulation","Brain Stimulation","tDCS","Biomedical Engineering","Bioelectrical and Neuroengineering"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://academicworks.cuny.edu/cc_etds_theses/1296","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Lucas C. Parra"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Hsu, Gavin"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2024-08-19T07:00:00Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Biomedical Engineering"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Dissertation"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Neural Engineering","Neuroscience","Neuromodulation","Brain Stimulation","tDCS","Biomedical Engineering","Bioelectrical and Neuroengineering"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://academicworks.cuny.edu/cc_etds_theses/1296"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["Research thus far on noninvasive, transcranial electric stimulation have produced mixed results from in vivo human experiments. This work tests the hypothesis that applying higher stimulation intensities would induce intracranial electric fields that more closely match the higher magnitudes used in animal and in vitro studies and subsequently yield more robust effects. As done commonly in the literature, we targeted the motor cortex (M1), specifically in the context of neuroplastic changes taking place during motor learning in healthy adult humans. This work also seeks a better understanding of the neural correlates underlying motor skill learning.
Through multiple large-sample studies, this work demonstrates the feasibility of high-intensity tDCS up to 6 mA. Contrary to our hypothesis, even targeted, high-intensity tDCS may not produce consistent modulation effects on motor learning. While the latest outcomes may cast further doubt over the efficacy of tDCS, they are nonetheless specific to this configuration. They provide support for the notion that the neural substrate underlying motor learning is highly complex, suggesting that further refinements may be necessary to optimize stimulation techniques for in vivo applications in humans.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Modulation of motor learning with high-intensity transcranial electric stimulation"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Lucas C. Parra"],"dc:creator":["Hsu, Gavin"],"dc:date.available":["2024-08-19T07:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["Research thus far on noninvasive, transcranial electric stimulation have produced mixed results from in vivo human experiments. This work tests the hypothesis that applying higher stimulation intensities would induce intracranial electric fields that more closely match the higher magnitudes used in animal and in vitro studies and subsequently yield more robust effects. As done commonly in the literature, we targeted the motor cortex (M1), specifically in the context of neuroplastic changes taking place during motor learning in healthy adult humans. This work also seeks a better understanding of the neural correlates underlying motor skill learning.
Through multiple large-sample studies, this work demonstrates the feasibility of high-intensity tDCS up to 6 mA. Contrary to our hypothesis, even targeted, high-intensity tDCS may not produce consistent modulation effects on motor learning. While the latest outcomes may cast further doubt over the efficacy of tDCS, they are nonetheless specific to this configuration. They provide support for the notion that the neural substrate underlying motor learning is highly complex, suggesting that further refinements may be necessary to optimize stimulation techniques for in vivo applications in humans.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://academicworks.cuny.edu/cc_etds_theses/1296"],"dc:subject":["Neural Engineering","Neuroscience","Neuromodulation","Brain Stimulation","tDCS","Biomedical Engineering","Bioelectrical and Neuroengineering"],"dc:title":["Modulation of motor learning with high-intensity transcranial electric stimulation"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Biomedical Engineering"],"thesis:degree_level":["Dissertation"],"thesis:degree_name":["Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T01:58:13Z"}