Seminar 27 August

Title: Emerging Applications of Transcranial Alternating Current Stimulation in Psychiatry 

Presenter

Dr Stephanie Gotsis is a Research Fellow in the School of Medicine and Psychology at the ANU and works within the Interventional Psychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience Group led by Professor Paul Fitzgerald. Her research integrates electrophysiology (EEG and MRI) with non-invasive brain stimulation techniques, including transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) and transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), to identify disorder-relevant neural dynamics and develop personalised interventions. She currently leads multiple clinical trials investigating precision neuromodulation for depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and is Principal Investigator of the group's PTSD clinical trial. 

Talk description

Transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) is a non-invasive neuromodulation technology capable of modulating frequency-specific neural oscillations. Recent advances in individualised EEG-guided stimulation and portable stimulation devices have enabled personalised treatment approaches that may improve both clinical outcomes and accessibility. This presentation will discuss recent advances in personalised tACS for mood- and anxiety-related disorders, highlighting the development and evaluation of home-based, EEG-guided stimulation protocols. Findings will be presented from a randomised double-blind trial comparing individualised alpha-frequency tACS, theta-frequency tACS and sham stimulation in youth depression, an open-label personalised theta-frequency tACS study in adults with major depressive disorder, and ongoing work investigating personalised alpha-frequency stimulation for post-traumatic stress disorder. Together, these studies illustrate how precision neuromodulation technologies are moving towards scalable, individualised neuromodulation interventions for psychiatric disorders. 

In person attendance is encouraged.

Zoom: https://anu.zoom.us/j/82644534028?pwd=qob0WiR0kmaCiarayPiPGazaq3AdeQ.1 
Meeting ID: 826 4453 4028
Password: 134364