Nicotinergic impact on focal and non-focal neuroplasticity induced by non-invasive brain stimulation in non-smoking humans.

ABSTRACT: Nicotine improves cognitive performance and modulates neuroplasticity in brain networks. The neurophysiological mechanisms underlying nicotine-induced behavioral changes have been sparsely studied, especially in humans. Global cholinergic activation focuses on plasticity in humans. However, the specific contribution of nicotinic receptors to these effects is unclear. Henceforth, we explored the impact of nicotine on non-focal neuroplasticity induced by transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) and focal, synapse-specific plasticity induced by paired associative stimulation (PAS) in healthy non-smoking individuals. Forty-eight subjects participated in the study. Each subject received placebo and nicotine patches combined with one of the stimulation protocols to the primary motor cortex

SUBMITTER: Thirugnanasambandam N 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3055731 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature