Personalized temporal interference targeting right striatum enhances structure–function couplings in cortico-striato-thalamo-cortical network

This study is the first application of personalized temporal interference (TI) (±5 mA，10 mA peak-to-peak, Δf = 20 Hz) targeting the right striatum to systematically investigate neuromodulatory effects on functional-structural plasticity within the cortico-striato-thalamo-cortical (CSTC) network. 26 healthy participants underwent TI and sham sessions, with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) acquired before, during, and after stimulation. TI stimulation modulated the functional connectivity (FC) within the CSTC circuit, particularly showing significant reductions in FC between the right striatum and the precentral gyrus during stimulation. Furthermore, acute increases in axial diffusivity (AD) were observed in the right corticospinal tract (CST) and anterior thalamic radiation (ATR) during stimulation, with delayed elevation in fractional anisotropy (FA) in the right ATR post-stimulation. A notable negative correlation between changes in FC and AD highlights the interplay between functional and microstructural alterations. Importantly, no adverse effects were reported, indicating safety. These findings demonstrate that personalized TI stimulation effectively modulates CSTC connectivity and induces neuroplastic changes, suggesting its potential as a therapeutic strategy for its potential for neuropsychiatric disorders.