Toward Reliable Non-Invasive Brain Stimulation: Unraveling Sources of Variability
A special issue of Brain Sciences (ISSN 2076-3425). This special issue belongs to the section "Neurosurgery and Neuroanatomy".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 28 February 2027 | Viewed by 411
Editor
Interests: brain plasticity; transcranial magnetic stimulation; sensorimotor integration; TMS-EEG; non-invasive brain stimulation
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) techniques, such as transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and transcranial electric stimulation (tES), are widely used to probe and modulate cortical functions. Yet, their effects remain highly variable across studies and individuals. This variability arises from multiple sources, including differences in stimulation parameters (e.g., intensity, waveform, frequency, coil/electrode positioning) and state-dependent factors such as ongoing brain activity and individual anatomy. Methodological heterogeneity, combined with inconsistent reporting practices, further complicates the reproducibility and comparability of findings. Increasing evidence suggests that both biological and technical factors interact to shape NIBS outcomes, underscoring the need for standardized protocols, individualized targeting strategies, and multimodal monitoring approaches. Nowadays, addressing these sources of variability is critical to improving the reliability, interpretability, and clinical translation of NIBS protocols and interventions.
The present Special Issue aims to showcase cutting-edge studies investigating variability in NIBS outcomes. As a common feature, the works in this Special Issue should focus on exploring the inter- or intra-subject variability of NIBS protocols (such as TMS, transcranial direct current stimulation, transcranial alternating current stimulation, and focused ultrasound stimulation) to better ground the anatomo-functional underpinnings of these techniques and optimize their administration.
Contributions may adopt a neurophysiological, behavioral, or neurocomputational perspective, focusing on both the healthy and the damaged central nervous system. Research with null results is encouraged, provided they fit the topic and the investigation is methodologically sound. Studies integrating NIBS with neuroimaging (e.g., functional magnetic resonance imaging [fMRI], electroencephalography [EEG], magnetoencephalography [MEG]), behavioral paradigms, or machine learning approaches are welcome. Narrative reviews or meta-analyses that investigate the state of the art of this topic are welcome, too.
Dr. Giacomo Guidali
Guest Editor
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Keywords
- non-invasive brain stimulation
- transcranial electric stimulation (tES)
- transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)
- variability
- reproducibility
- neuroimaging
- machine learning
- precision neuromodulation
- individual differences
- protocol standardization
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