Use of tDCS in traumatic brain injury patients to modulate brain network and cognitive function (360G-Wellcome-207320_Z_17_Z)

Good cognitive control requires efficient brain network activity. The posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) is an important node within the Default Mode Network (DMN). The DMN shows deactivation on functional MRI (fMRI) during tasks requiring externally directed attention. Abnormal activation of this area is observed in TBI patients, and is related to poor cognitive function > . However, this area is not homogenous in its function, with the dorsal PCC thought to be involved in coordinating task-relevant changes in brain network activity > . Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a non-invasive brain stimulation technique. TDCS can modulate cognitive function and has also been seen to modulate brain network activity > . There have been no studies of its effects on brain network activity in TBI patients. This study will test whether tDCS can improve cognitive control in TBI patients and whether it does so by brain network function, specifically whether it differentially modulates activity within the PCC. Key goals - To test the hypothesis that: 1)tDCS in TBI patients can modulate cognitive function 2)tDCS in TBI patients can modulate brain network function 3)The modulations in brain network function are related to any modulates in cognitive function