Catarina Saiote

Date of birth
15.05.1985

Place of birth
Lisbon, Portugal

EDUCATION

Catarina Saiote

College / University
Instituto Superior Técnico, Technical University of Lisbon

Degree
MSc in Biomedical Engineering (Thesis: Functional Connectivity Analysis of Memory Networks Using Independent Component Analysis)

Major Subjects
Neuroscience
Data analysis

PROJECTS / RESEARCH

Transcranial electrical stimulation can increase and decrease the excitability of the brain on a polarity and frequency dependent manner. According to the present data, anodal stimulation increases cortical excitability whereas cathodal stimulation decreases cortical excitability, in the range from direct current stimulation to the lower kHz range of the alternating current stimulation. With the help of a new stimulation method it is possible to stimulate the brain electrically during functional scanning in the computer tomography.
In my PhD thesis I will use different types of stimulation between DC and 1kHz AC to stimulate diverse cortical areas, documenting the neuroplastic changes assessed with magnetic resonance tomography and electroencephalography. I will develop a paradigm that is intended to suppress the perception of retinal phosphenes in the AC range below 50 Hz, by applying currents in the opposite phase. In addition, I will perform phase-related stimulation over different cortical areas in patients with multiple sclerosis, documenting changes in connectivity during cognitive tasks. Thus, it will be the aim of my study to search for the optimal combination of frequency and brain region to be stimulated in order to reach an increase or decrease in cortical excitability.

SCHOLARSHIPS

Department of Clinical Neurophysiology

SCIENTIFIC INTERESTS AND GOALS

Assessment of brain connectivity changes induced by stimulation methods (e.g. tDCS, TMS) in networks involved in cognitive processes using fMRI and EEG.