Spike-Timing-Dependent Plasticity in the Human Dorso-Lateral Prefrontal Cortex

TITLE
Spike-Timing-Dependent Plasticity in the Human Dorso-Lateral Prefrontal Cortex

AUTHORS
Casula EP; Pellicciari MC; Picazio S; Caltagirone C; Koch G.

SOURCE
Neuroimage. 143:204-213, 2016 Dec.

ABSTRACT
Changes in the synaptic strength of neural connections are induced by repeated coupling of activity of interconnected neurons with precise timing, a phenomenon known as spike-timing-dependent plasticity (STDP). It is debated if this mechanism exists in large-scale cortical networks in humans. We combined transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) with concurrent electroencephalography (EEG) to directly investigate the effects of two paired associative stimulation (PAS) protocols (fronto-parietal and parieto-frontal) of pre and post-synaptic inputs within the human fronto-parietal network. We found evidence that the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) has the potential to form robust STDP. Long-term potentiation/depression of TMS-evoked cortical activity is prompted after that DLPFC stimulation is followed/preceded by posterior parietal stimulation. Such bidirectional changes are paralleled by sustained increase/decrease of high-frequency oscillatory activity, likely reflecting STDP responsivity. The current findings could be important to drive plasticity of damaged cortical circuits in patients with cognitive or psychiatric disorders.