Differential Modulation of Sensorimotor Network by Temporal Interference and High-Definition Direct Current Stimulation: A Network and Graph Theoretical Analysis

Temporal interference stimulation (TIS) has emerged as a promising non-invasive deep brain stimulation technique. This study compared the effects of TIS and high-definition transcranial direct current stimulation (HD-tDCS) targeting the left primary motor cortex (M1) on brain networks in 40 healthy adults. Using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging, we constructed large-scale brain networks by combining the Dosenbach atlas with Yeo seven-network parcellation and employed graph theoretical analysis to evaluate network properties. Both techniques enhanced sensorimotor network (SMN) connectivity and efficiency, with TIS showing superior effects. TIS demonstrated broader impacts by enhancing multiple within-network connections and numerous between-network connections, while HD-tDCS showed limited effects primarily on SMN. These findings suggest TIS as a potentially more effective neuromodulation technique for enhancing brain network connectivity and efficiency, offering important implications for future therapeutic applications in neurological and psychiatric disorders.