A Novel Method For Studying Cerebellar Responses to tDCS Using Mice: an in vitro Approach

Cerebellar ataxias are a group of neurodegenerative disorders associated with impaired cerebellar circuitry leading to loss of motor coordination and balance. Recent studies using animal models have shown that transcranial direct stimulation (tDCS) could be an effective therapy for the treatment of cerebellar ataxia. The sole output of the cerebellar cortex is from the axons of Purkinje cells, which allows the cerebellum to influence motor behavior via the cerebello-thalamo-cortical pathway. However, the influence of tDCS on Purkinje cells remains unknown. In this study, we used a customized whole-cell patch-clamp chamber, which allowed for patch-clamp recordings from Purkinje cells during tDCS. Using this chamber, we were able to record activity of a Purkinje cell prepared from a cerebellar slice of an adult mouse. In order to further investigate the effect of tDCS on cerebellar Purkinje cell activity future experiments will be performed where whole cell patch-clamp recordings are taken from cerebellar Purkinje cells with and without tDCS.