S. Vishnu Sharma
Scientists from IIT Mandi, National Brain Research Centre and University at Buffalo are performing mathematical simulation studies on non-invasive brain simulation techniques.
Results
The work of the scientists from these organisations have been published as an abstract in the journal ‘Brain Simulation.’ The abstract has been co-authored by Dr Shubhajit Roy Chowdhury from IIT Mandi, Dr Yashika Arora from National Brain Research Centre, India, and Dr Anirban Dutta of University at Buffalo.
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Transcranial Electrical Stimulation (tES)
Transcranial electrical stimulation (tES) is a non-invasive brain stimulation technique that passes an electrical current through sections of the brain to study or alter brain function, say the scientists.
The scientists further say this is not a new concept, and dates back even before the discovery of electricity. In the first century AD, the Roman physician Scribonius Largus applied the black torpedo, an electric shock producing fish, to the head of the emperor to alleviate his headache
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Soon after the discovery of electricity in the 18th century, portable electrostimulation devices were designed to treat various neurological syndromes including headaches, say the scientists.
Modern day
In the modern day, TES multiple electrodes are applied to the scalp of the patient, say the scientists. And, the current is passed between the electrodes through the soft tissue and skull.
Scientists further said part of the current penetrates into the brain and affects the nerves, resulting in altered activity, say scientists from IIT Mandi.
Scientists further say beyond being explored as a curative, tES is considered useful to map the functions of the brain, i.e., to understand the relationship between the brain part and behaviours/actions.
Important nature
Given the important nature of the brain, the use of electricity on it can be dangerous if outcomes are not known. The response of various blood vessels in the cranium and various neurological pathways to tES must be clearly understood to get maximum benefit of the procedure, with minimum damage.
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The multi-institutional research team has developed a mathematical model to understand the physiological effects of non-invasive brain stimulation, say scientists from National Brain Research Centre.
Highlighting
Speaking about the work done by scientists, Dr. Dr. Shubhajit Roy Chowdhury, Associate Professor, School of Computing & Electrical Engineering, IIT Mandi, said they simulated a physiologically detailed mathematical model of the neurovascular unit(NVU) with four compartments: synaptic space, astrocyte space, perivascular space, and arteriole smooth muscle cell space, called NeuroVascular Units or NVU.”
The mathematical model involved the application of perturbations of varying frequencies (0.1 Hz to 10 Hz) to simulate the electrical field, to the four nested NVU compartmental pathways and analysed the changes in blood vessel diameter in response to the frequencies, he said speaking about the work done by scientists.
Non Invasive Brain Stimulation
Three types of non-invasive brain stimulation – transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) and transcranial oscillatory current stimulation (tOCS) – were modelled to investigate their physiological effects, say the scientists.
The initial tES effects on the blood vessels were also found to occur via the perivascular space – a fluid-filled space surrounding the blood vessels in the brain, say the scientists.
The study by scientists
The study taken up by the scientists can help brain- and neuro-specialists plan patient specific restorative neurorehabilitation activities for stroke, post traumatic brain injury, mild cognitive impairment, dementia and other neuropsychiatric disorders, said the lead researcher.
Such a mathematical model based quantitative analysis would help in individualized therapeutic protocols for neuropsychiatric disorders. The team has planned experimental studies that involve blocking of various pathways to validate their modelling results, say the scientists.
About IIT Mandi
IIT Mandi has four Academic Schools and three major Research Centers. The Schools are: School of Computing and Electrical Engineering, School of Basic Sciences, School of Engineering, and School of Humanities and Social Sciences.
The Centers are: Advanced Materials Research Centre (AMRC; set up with an investment of Rs. 60 crores), Centre for Design and Fabrication of Electrical Devices (C4DFED; has Rs. 50 crores worth of fabrication tools), and BioX Centre (has acquired research equipment worth Rs. 15 crores).
The unique, project-oriented B.Tech. curriculum is centred around its 4-year long Design and Innovation stream. From August 2019, IIT Mandi started 3 new and unique B. Tech. programmes in Data Science and Engineering, Engineering Physics, and Dual Degree in Bioengineering.
Since the inception of the Institute, IIT Mandi faculty have been involved in over 275 Research and Development (R&D) projects worth more than Rs. 120 crore.
IIT Mandi set up the IIT Mandi iHub and HCI Foundation (iHub; a section-8 company) on its campus at Kamand with significant funding of INR 110 crores from the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India.
The iHub is planned to fuel research and technology development, skill development, startup and innovation, and collaborations in the HCI and allied AI/ML areas in India.
IIT Mandi is the only second-generation IIT to be featured at rank no. 7 in the Atal Ranking of Institutions on Innovation Achievements of the Innovation Cell, Ministry of Education, Government of India.
