Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40216307›Full record

ArticleBrain stimulation

Subthreshold intracortical microstimulation of human somatosensory cortex enhances tactile sensitivity.

Luke E Osborn, Breanne Christie, David P McMullen, Victoria Arriola, Tessy M Thomas, Ambarish S Pawar, Robert W Nickl, Manuel A Anaya, Brock A Wester, Charles M Greenspon and 6 more

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PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Brain stimulation. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

16 authors.

Luke E OsbornResearch & Exploratory Development Department, Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, MD, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA. Electronic address: Luke.Osborn@case.edu.
Breanne ChristieResearch & Exploratory Development Department, Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, MD, USA.
David P McMullenNational Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
Victoria ArriolaDepartment of Organismal Biology and Anatomy, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.
Tessy M ThomasDepartment of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
Ambarish S PawarDepartment of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
Robert W NicklDepartment of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
Manuel A AnayaDepartment of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, Chicago, IL, USA.
Brock A WesterResearch & Exploratory Development Department, Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, MD, USA.
Charles M GreensponDepartment of Organismal Biology and Anatomy, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.
Gabriela L CantareroDepartment of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
Pablo A CelnikDepartment of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, Chicago, IL, USA.
Sliman J BensmaiaDepartment of Organismal Biology and Anatomy, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.
Jeffrey M YauDepartment of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.
Matthew S FiferResearch & Exploratory Development Department, Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, MD, USA.
Francesco V TenoreResearch & Exploratory Development Department, Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, MD, USA. Electronic address: Francesco.Tenore@jhuapl.edu.

Funding

Intramural NIH HHS Z99 MH999999
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundIntracortical microstimulation (ICMS) of the somatosensory cortex activates neurons around the stimulating electrodes and can elicit tactile sensations.

objectiveIt is not clear how the direct activation of cortical neurons influences their ability to process additional tactile inputs originating from the skin.

methodsIn a human implanted with chronic microelectrode arrays in both left and right somatosensory cortices, we presented mechanical vibration to the skin while simultaneously delivering ICMS and quantified the effects of combined mechanical and electrical stimulation on tactile perception.

resultsWe found that subthreshold ICMS enhanced sensitivity to touch on the skin, as evidenced by a reduction in vibrotactile detection thresholds (median: 1.5 dB), but subthreshold vibration did not systematically impact the detectability of ICMS. Suprathreshold vibration led to an increase in ICMS thresholds (median: 2.4 dB) but suprathreshold ICMS had little impact on vibrotactile thresholds. The ICMS-induced enhancement of vibrotactile sensitivity was location dependent with the effect size decreasing as the projected field of the stimulating electrode and the locus of vibratory stimulation became farther apart.

conclusionThese results demonstrate that targeted microstimulation of cortex alone can focally enhance tactile sensitivity, potentially enabling restoration or strengthening of retained tactile sensations after injury.

Indexed as

Sensory ThresholdsSomatosensory CortexTouchTouch PerceptionAdultElectric StimulationElectrodes, ImplantedFemaleHumansMaleMicroelectrodesPhysical StimulationVibration

Identifiers

PMID40216307
PMCPMC12139607

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.