Inhibitory Effects of Individualized Transcranial Alternating Current Stimulation on Motor Imagery and Interhemispheric Symmetry: Implications for Stroke Rehabilitation

Inhibitory Effects of Individualized Transcranial Alternating Current Stimulation on Motor Imagery and Interhemispheric Symmetry: Implications for Stroke Rehabilitation

2025 47th Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society (EMBC)

10.1109/EMBC58623.2025.11254631

https://doi.org/10.1109/embc58623.2025.11254631

Jun Xun Ong, Brian Premchand, Rosary Yuting Lim, Effie Chew, Muyun Jiang, Ning Tang, Kai Keng Ang

03 December 2025

Ong, J. X., Premchand, B., Lim, R. Y., Chew, E., Jiang, M., Tang, N., & Ang, K. K. (2025). Inhibitory Effects of Individualized Transcranial Alternating Current Stimulation on Motor Imagery and Interhemispheric Symmetry: Implications for Stroke Rehabilitation. 2025 47th Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society (EMBC), 1–4. https://doi.org/10.1109/embc58623.2025.11254631

Transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) has potential in stroke rehabilitation, but its effects on individual’s peak motor imagery (MI) frequency are not well understood. This study examined the impact of tACS at subject-specific peak MI frequencies on MI performance accuracy and interhemispheric symmetry, measured via brain symmetry index (BSI). We aimed to test whether delivering tACS at a frequency matching an individual’s EEG peak MI frequency would improve or hinder MI performance. Using a brain-computer-brain closed-loop system, the subject’s peak MI performance frequency was first determined in the Pre-stimulation phase, and then tACS was subsequently delivered at the determined frequency. Our findings show that active tACS decreased MI performance and increased BSI, suggesting inhibitory effects on motor-related neural processes.

Publisher Copyright

This research / project is supported by the A*STAR - Research Innovation and Enterprise 2020 Advanced Manufacturing and Engineering Programmatic Fund
Grant Reference no. : A20G8b0102

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2694-0604

Institute for Infocomm Research