Neuromodulation - Shaping Consciousness in the Living Body - SfN - SBNeC - Brain Bee Ideas

Neuromodulation and plasticity – The Art of Tuning the Mind’s Circuits

NIRS fNIRS EEG ERP Neuromodulation and plasticity

Think of the brain as an orchestra: each neuron is a musician, each synapse a note, and consciousness is the full symphony. Neuromodulation is the invisible conductor that changes the tempo, increases the intensity, or shifts the melody. Here, we explore how current science can conduct this symphony — respecting the body, its functional zones, and the subtle laws that sustain life.

Zone 1, Zone 2, and Zone 3 in Neuromodulation

• Zone 1: everyday functioning, with interoceptive and proprioceptive tensions applied to specific tasks and removed afterward.
  
  

• Zone 2: functional reorganization, with mTOR mostly deactivated, favoring network consolidation and metareflection (Fruition, tonic/phasic REM).
  
  

• Zone 3: interoceptive/proprioceptive silencing, captured by chronic ideologies or stimuli, where sustained attention only reinforces the “local optimum” of the ideology.
  
  

Neuromodulation aims either to move networks from Zone 3 to Zone 2, or to refine networks already in Zone 2 for maximum performance.

Molecular and Physiological Mechanisms

• mTOR: critical target — activation promotes growth and differentiation; inhibition (Zone 2) may facilitate consolidation and synaptic pruning.
  
  

• Ca²⁺ ions: regulated by tDCS, influencing long-term plasticity.
  
  

• CO₂ and SpO₂: moderate CO₂ increase (40→45 mmHg) and prefrontal oxygenation between 92–94% modulate autonomic activity and sustained attention networks.
  
  

Neuromodulation Techniques

• tDCS (Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation):
  
  

• Advantages: portable, low cost, modulates Ca²⁺ and cortical excitability.
  
  

• Limitations: effects depend on baseline state (Zone 1, 2, or 3) and electrode montage.
  
  

• TMS (Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation):
  
  

• 1 Hz → reduces energy/anergy in hyperactive areas.
  
  

• 10 Hz → increases energy/anergy in hypoactive areas.
  
  

• EEG: captures predictive microstates for connectome changes.
  
  

• fNIRS: observes HbO/HbR fluctuations in superficial areas such as the prefrontal cortex and insula during neuromodulation.
  
  

Recent Cutting-Edge Studies (described, without links)

1. Nature Neuroscience (2023) — showed that targeted prefrontal cortex modulation with tDCS alters EEG microstate patterns associated with sustained attention.
   
   

2. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience (2024) — reviewed EEG-fNIRS integration for real-time monitoring of TMS effects on prefrontal and temporal networks.
   
   

3. Brain Stimulation (2022) — demonstrated that high-frequency TMS protocols optimize transitions from Zone 3 to Zone 2, measured by autonomic and interoceptive metrics.
   
   

Conclusion

Neuromodulation is more than stimulating the brain — it’s redesigning the relationship between body and mind. Current science shows that combining physiological markers (SpO₂, GSR, HRV) with functional imaging tools (EEG, fNIRS) allows us to guide this orchestra with precision. The future of neuromodulation lies in integrating biology, technology, and consciousness — always respecting the living flow that keeps us human.