Department of Biomedical Engineering
Mentor: Alexander Opitz, Ph.D., Department of Biomedical Engineering
Project: Modulation of motor excitability using phase-specific closed-loop paired-pulse TMS
Da Som Choi's research explores how the timing of brain activity influences motor cortical excitability using a closed-loop paired-pulse transcranial magnetic stimulation (ppTMS) approach. Her study examines how inhibitory and facilitatory intracortical circuits - reflected by short-interval intracortical inhibition (SICI) and intracortical facilitation (ICF) - respond differently depending on the phase of ongoing brain rhythms. By delivering stimulation at precise phases in real time, she investigates how intrinsic cortical states shape motor system responsiveness. Her work provides new insight into how oscillatory brain activity modulates excitability within intracortical networks. The findings contribute to developing individualized and brain-state-informed neuromodulation strategies for conditions such as Parkinson's disease and stroke.
