1
|
Aksu S, Indahlastari A, O'Shea A, Marsiske M, Cohen R, Alexander GE, DeKosky ST, Hishaw GA, Dai Y, Wu SS, Woods AJ. Facilitation of working memory capacity by transcranial direct current stimulation: a secondary analysis from the augmenting cognitive training in older adults (ACT) study. GeroScience 2024; 46:4075-4110. [PMID: 38789832 PMCID: PMC11336148 DOI: 10.1007/s11357-024-01205-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2024] [Accepted: 05/13/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Aging is a public health concern with an ever-increasing magnitude worldwide. An array of neuroscience-based approaches like transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) and cognitive training have garnered attention in the last decades to ameliorate the effects of cognitive aging in older adults. This study evaluated the effects of 3 months of bilateral tDCS over the frontal cortices with multimodal cognitive training on working memory capacity. Two hundred ninety-two older adults without dementia were allocated to active or sham tDCS paired with cognitive training. These participants received repeated sessions of bilateral tDCS over the bilateral frontal cortices, combined with multimodal cognitive training. Working memory capacity was assessed with the digit span forward, backward, and sequencing tests. No baseline differences between active and sham groups were observed. Multiple linear regressions indicated more improvement of the longest digit span backward from baseline to post-intervention (p = 0.021) and a trend towards greater improvement (p = 0.056) of the longest digit span backward from baseline to 1 year in the active tDCS group. No significant between-group changes were observed for digit span forward or digit span sequencing. The present results provide evidence for the potential for tDCS paired with cognitive training to remediate age-related declines in working memory capacity. These findings are sourced from secondary outcomes in a large randomized clinical trial and thus deserve future targeted investigation in older adult populations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Serkan Aksu
- Center for Cognitive Aging and Memory, McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.
- Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, College of Public Health and Health Professions, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Muğla Sıtkı Koçman University, Muğla, Turkey.
| | - Aprinda Indahlastari
- Center for Cognitive Aging and Memory, McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
- Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, College of Public Health and Health Professions, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Andrew O'Shea
- Center for Cognitive Aging and Memory, McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
- Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, College of Public Health and Health Professions, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Michael Marsiske
- Center for Cognitive Aging and Memory, McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
- Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, College of Public Health and Health Professions, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Ronald Cohen
- Center for Cognitive Aging and Memory, McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
- Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, College of Public Health and Health Professions, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Gene E Alexander
- Department of Psychiatry, Neuroscience and Physiological Sciences Graduate Interdisciplinary Programs, and BIO5 Institute, University of Arizona and Arizona Alzheimer's Disease Consortium, Tucson, AZ, USA
- Department of Psychology and Evelyn F. McKnight Brain Institute, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - Steven T DeKosky
- Center for Cognitive Aging and Memory, McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
- Department of Neurology, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Georg A Hishaw
- Department of Psychiatry, Neuroscience and Physiological Sciences Graduate Interdisciplinary Programs, and BIO5 Institute, University of Arizona and Arizona Alzheimer's Disease Consortium, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - Yunfeng Dai
- Department of Biostatistics, College of Public Health and Health Professions, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Samuel S Wu
- Department of Biostatistics, College of Public Health and Health Professions, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Adam J Woods
- Center for Cognitive Aging and Memory, McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
- Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, College of Public Health and Health Professions, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Lv Y, Wu S, Nitsche MA, Yue T, Zschorlich VR, Qi F. A meta-analysis of the effects of transcranial direct current stimulation combined with cognitive training on working memory in healthy older adults. Front Aging Neurosci 2024; 16:1454755. [PMID: 39376507 PMCID: PMC11456488 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2024.1454755] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2024] [Accepted: 09/12/2024] [Indexed: 10/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Working memory (WM) loss, which can lead to a loss of independence, and declines in the quality of life of older adults, is becoming an increasingly prominent issue affecting the ageing population. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), a non-invasive brain stimulation technique, is emerging as a potential alternative to pharmacological treatments that shows promise for enhancing WM capacity and May enhance the effects of cognitive training (CT) interventions. Objective The purpose of this meta-analysis was to explore how different tDCS protocols in combination with CT enhanced WM in healthy older adults. Methods Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) exploring the effects of tDCS combined with CT on WM in healthy older adults were retrieved from the Web of Science, PubMed, Embase, Scopus and the Cochrane Library databases. The search time period ranged from database inception to January 15, 2024. Methodological quality of the trials was assessed using the risk-of-bias criteria for RCTs from the Cochrane Collaboration Network, and RevMan 5.3 (Cochrane, London, United Kingdom) was used for the meta-analysis of the final literature outcomes. Results Six RCTs with a total of 323 participants were ultimately included. The results of the meta-analysis show that tDCS combined with CT statistically significantly improves WM performance compared to the control sham stimulation group in healthy older adults [standard mean difference (SMD) = 0.35, 95% CI: 0.11-0.59, I 2 = 0%, Z = 2.86, p = 0.004]. The first subgroup analysis indicated that, when the stimulus intensity was 2 mA, a statistically significant improvement in WM performance in healthy older adults was achieved (SMD = 0.39, 95% CI: 0.08-0.70, I 2 = 6%, Z = 2.46, p = 0.01). The second subgroup analysis showed that long-term intervention (≥ 10 sessions) with tDCS combined with CT statistically significantly improved WM compared to the control group in healthy older adults (SMD = 0.72, 95% CI: 0.22-1.21, I 2 = 0%, Z = 2.85, p = 0.004). Conclusion tDCS combined with CT statistically significantly improves WM in healthy older adults. For the stimulus parameters, long-term interventions (≥ 10 sessions) with a stimulation intensity of 2 mA are the most effective.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yanxin Lv
- Sports, Exercise, and Brain Sciences Laboratory, Sports Coaching College, Beijing Sport University, Beijing, China
| | - Shuo Wu
- Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
| | - Michael A. Nitsche
- Department of Psychology and Neurosciences, Leibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors, Dortmund, Germany
- University Clinic of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Protestant Hospital of Bethel Foundation, University Hospital OWL, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, Germany
- German Center for Mental Health (DZPG), Bochum, Germany
| | - Tian Yue
- Sports, Exercise, and Brain Sciences Laboratory, Sports Coaching College, Beijing Sport University, Beijing, China
| | - Volker R. Zschorlich
- Faculty of Philosophy, Institute of Sports Science, University of Rostock, Rostock, Germany
- Faculty of Interdisciplinary Research, Department of Ageing of Individuals and Society, University of Rostock, Rostock, Germany
- Department of Sport Science, University of Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Fengxue Qi
- Sports, Exercise, and Brain Sciences Laboratory, Sports Coaching College, Beijing Sport University, Beijing, China
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Chuderski A, Chinta SR. Transcranial alternating current stimulation barely enhances working memory in healthy adults: A meta-analysis. Brain Res 2024; 1839:149022. [PMID: 38801916 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2024.149022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2024] [Revised: 05/20/2024] [Accepted: 05/23/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024]
Abstract
Working memory (WM) is a pivotal neural mechanism for cognitive function and ability. Transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) was used to improve WM by entraining key brain rhythms. We submitted to meta-analysis 143 effects of tACS on WM performance, found in 42 reports published between 2014 and 2023, encompassing a total of 1386 healthy adults stimulated. The overall effect size of 134 interventions intended to improve WM equaled Hedges' g = 0.076 [0.039, 0.113]. However, after correcting for a significant publication bias this effect size dropped to zero. By contrast, 9 interventions distorting the brain synchronization using antiphase tACS reliably decreased WM performance, with Hedges' g = -0.266, [-0.458, -0.074]. Individuating the targeted frequency band was the only reliable moderator. The disparity between our null outcome and moderately positive tACS effects estimated by previous meta-analyses resulted from our inclusion of the most recent studies mostly reporting negligible effects. Our results suggest that current tACS protocols barely enhance WM in healthy adults. More research is needed to develop effective methods for WM stimulation.
Collapse
|
4
|
Kraft JN, Indahlastari A, Boutzoukas EM, Hausman HK, Hardcastle C, Albizu A, O'Shea A, Evangelista ND, Van Etten EJ, Bharadwaj PK, Song H, Smith SG, DeKosky ST, Hishaw GA, Wu S, Marsiske M, Cohen R, Alexander GE, Porges E, Woods AJ. The impact of a tDCS and cognitive training intervention on task-based functional connectivity. GeroScience 2024; 46:3325-3339. [PMID: 38265579 PMCID: PMC11009202 DOI: 10.1007/s11357-024-01077-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2023] [Accepted: 01/15/2024] [Indexed: 01/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Declines in several cognitive domains, most notably processing speed, occur in non-pathological aging. Given the exponential growth of the older adult population, declines in cognition serve as a significant public health issue that must be addressed. Promising studies have shown that cognitive training in older adults, particularly using the useful field of view (UFOV) paradigm, can improve cognition with moderate to large effect sizes. Additionally, meta-analyses have found that transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), a non-invasive form of brain stimulation, can improve cognition in attention/processing speed and working memory. However, only a handful of studies have looked at concomitant tDCS and cognitive training, usually with short interventions and small sample sizes. The current study assessed the effect of a tDCS (active versus sham) and a 3-month cognitive training intervention on task-based functional connectivity during completion of the UFOV task in a large older adult sample (N = 153). We found significant increased functional connectivity between the left and right pars triangularis (the ROIs closest to the electrodes) following active, but not sham tDCS. Additionally, we see trending behavioral improvements associated with these functional connectivity changes in the active tDCS group, but not sham. Collectively, these findings suggest that tDCS and cognitive training can be an effective modulator of task-based functional connectivity above and beyond a cognitive training intervention alone.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jessica N Kraft
- Center for Cognitive Aging and Memory, McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, 1249 Center Drive, Gainesville, FL, 32603, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Aprinda Indahlastari
- Center for Cognitive Aging and Memory, McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, 1249 Center Drive, Gainesville, FL, 32603, USA
- Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, College of Public Health and Health Professions, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Emanuel M Boutzoukas
- Center for Cognitive Aging and Memory, McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, 1249 Center Drive, Gainesville, FL, 32603, USA
- Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, College of Public Health and Health Professions, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Hanna K Hausman
- Center for Cognitive Aging and Memory, McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, 1249 Center Drive, Gainesville, FL, 32603, USA
- Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, College of Public Health and Health Professions, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Cheshire Hardcastle
- Center for Cognitive Aging and Memory, McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, 1249 Center Drive, Gainesville, FL, 32603, USA
- Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, College of Public Health and Health Professions, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Alejandro Albizu
- Center for Cognitive Aging and Memory, McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, 1249 Center Drive, Gainesville, FL, 32603, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Andrew O'Shea
- Center for Cognitive Aging and Memory, McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, 1249 Center Drive, Gainesville, FL, 32603, USA
- Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, College of Public Health and Health Professions, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Nicole D Evangelista
- Center for Cognitive Aging and Memory, McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, 1249 Center Drive, Gainesville, FL, 32603, USA
- Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, College of Public Health and Health Professions, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Emily J Van Etten
- Brain Imaging, Behavior and Aging Laboratory, Department of Psychology and Evelyn F. McKnight Brain Institute, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - Pradyumna K Bharadwaj
- Brain Imaging, Behavior and Aging Laboratory, Department of Psychology and Evelyn F. McKnight Brain Institute, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - Hyun Song
- Brain Imaging, Behavior and Aging Laboratory, Department of Psychology and Evelyn F. McKnight Brain Institute, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - Samantha G Smith
- Brain Imaging, Behavior and Aging Laboratory, Department of Psychology and Evelyn F. McKnight Brain Institute, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - Steven T DeKosky
- Center for Cognitive Aging and Memory, McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, 1249 Center Drive, Gainesville, FL, 32603, USA
- McKnight Brain Institute and Department of Neurology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Georg A Hishaw
- Department of Psychiatry, Neuroscience and Physiological Sciences Graduate Interdisciplinary Programs, and BIO5 Institute, University of Arizona and Arizona Alzheimer's Consortium, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - Samuel Wu
- Department of Biostatistics, College of Public Health and Health Professions, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Michael Marsiske
- Center for Cognitive Aging and Memory, McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, 1249 Center Drive, Gainesville, FL, 32603, USA
- Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, College of Public Health and Health Professions, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Ronald Cohen
- Center for Cognitive Aging and Memory, McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, 1249 Center Drive, Gainesville, FL, 32603, USA
- Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, College of Public Health and Health Professions, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Gene E Alexander
- McKnight Brain Institute and Department of Neurology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Neuroscience and Physiological Sciences Graduate Interdisciplinary Programs, and BIO5 Institute, University of Arizona and Arizona Alzheimer's Consortium, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - Eric Porges
- Center for Cognitive Aging and Memory, McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, 1249 Center Drive, Gainesville, FL, 32603, USA
- Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, College of Public Health and Health Professions, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Adam J Woods
- Center for Cognitive Aging and Memory, McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, 1249 Center Drive, Gainesville, FL, 32603, USA.
- Department of Neuroscience, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.
- Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, College of Public Health and Health Professions, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Šimko P, Pupíková M, Gajdoš M, Klobušiaková P, Vávra V, Šimo A, Rektorová I. Exploring the impact of intensified multiple session tDCS over the left DLPFC on brain function in MCI: a randomized control trial. Sci Rep 2024; 14:1512. [PMID: 38233437 PMCID: PMC10794210 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-51690-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2023] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 01/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Transcranial direct current stimulation combined with cognitive training (tDCS-cog) represents a promising approach to combat cognitive decline among healthy older adults and patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). In this 5-day-long double-blinded randomized trial, we investigated the impact of intensified tDCS-cog protocol involving two trains of stimulation per day on working memory (WM) enhancement in 35 amnestic and multidomain amnestic MCI patients. Specifically, we focused to improve WM tasks relying on top-down attentional control and hypothesized that intensified tDCS would enhance performance of visual object matching task (VOMT) immediately after the stimulation regimen and at a 1-month follow-up. Secondarily, we explored whether the stimulation would augment online visual working memory training. Using fMRI, we aimed to elucidate the neural mechanisms underlying the intervention effects by analyzing BOLD activations during VOMT. Our main finding revealed no superior after-effects of tDCS-cog over the sham on VOMT among individuals with MCI as indicated by insignificant immediate and long-lasting after-effects. Additionally, the tDCS-cog did not enhance online training as predicted. The fMRI analysis revealed brain activity alterations in right insula that may be linked to tDCS-cog intervention. In the study we discuss the insignificant behavioral results in the context of the current evidence in tDCS parameter space and opening the discussion of possible interference between trained cognitive tasks.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- P Šimko
- Applied Neuroscience Research Group, Central European Institute of Technology - CEITEC, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, 625 00, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - M Pupíková
- Applied Neuroscience Research Group, Central European Institute of Technology - CEITEC, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, 625 00, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - M Gajdoš
- Applied Neuroscience Research Group, Central European Institute of Technology - CEITEC, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, 625 00, Brno, Czech Republic
- First Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine and St. Anne's University Hospital, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - P Klobušiaková
- Applied Neuroscience Research Group, Central European Institute of Technology - CEITEC, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, 625 00, Brno, Czech Republic
- Surgeon General Office of the, Slovak Armed Forces, Ružomberok, Slovak Republic
| | - V Vávra
- Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - A Šimo
- Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - I Rektorová
- Applied Neuroscience Research Group, Central European Institute of Technology - CEITEC, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, 625 00, Brno, Czech Republic.
- First Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine and St. Anne's University Hospital, Brno, Czech Republic.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Antonenko D, Fromm AE, Thams F, Kuzmina A, Backhaus M, Knochenhauer E, Li SC, Grittner U, Flöel A. Cognitive training and brain stimulation in patients with cognitive impairment: a randomized controlled trial. Alzheimers Res Ther 2024; 16:6. [PMID: 38212815 PMCID: PMC10782634 DOI: 10.1186/s13195-024-01381-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2023] [Accepted: 01/01/2024] [Indexed: 01/13/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Repeated sessions of training and non-invasive brain stimulation have the potential to enhance cognition in patients with cognitive impairment. We hypothesized that combining cognitive training with anodal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) will lead to performance improvement in the trained task and yield transfer to non-trained tasks. METHODS In our randomized, sham-controlled, double-blind study, 46 patients with cognitive impairment (60-80 years) were randomly assigned to one of two interventional groups. We administered a 9-session cognitive training (consisting of a letter updating and a Markov decision-making task) over 3 weeks with concurrent 1-mA anodal tDCS over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (20 min in tDCS, 30 s in sham group). Primary outcome was trained task performance (letter updating task) immediately after training. Secondary outcomes included performance in tasks testing working memory (N-back task), decision-making (Wiener Matrices test) and verbal memory (verbal learning and memory test), and resting-state functional connectivity (FC). Tasks were administered at baseline, at post-assessment, and at 1- and 7-month follow-ups (FU). MRI was conducted at baseline and 7-month FU. Thirty-nine participants (85%) successfully completed the intervention. Data analyses are reported on the intention-to-treat (ITT) and the per-protocol (PP) sample. RESULTS For the primary outcome, no difference was observed in the ITT (β = 0.1, 95%-CI [- 1.2, 1.3, p = 0.93] or PP sample (β = - 0.2, 95%-CI [- 1.6, 1.2], p = 0.77). However, secondary analyses in the N-back working memory task showed that, only in the PP sample, the tDCS outperformed the sham group (PP: % correct, β = 5.0, 95%-CI [- 0.1, 10.2], p = 0.06, d-prime β = 0.2, 95%-CI [0.0, 0.4], p = 0.02; ITT: % correct, β = 3.0, 95%-CI [- 3.9, 9.9], p = 0.39, d-prime β = 0.1, 95%-CI [- 0.1, 0.3], p = 0.5). Frontoparietal network FC was increased from baseline to 7-month FU in the tDCS compared to the sham group (pFDR < 0.05). Exploratory analyses showed a correlation between individual memory improvements and higher electric field magnitudes induced by tDCS (ρtDCS = 0.59, p = 0.02). Adverse events did not differ between groups, questionnaires indicated successful blinding (incidence rate ratio, 1.1, 95%-CI [0.5, 2.2]). CONCLUSIONS In sum, cognitive training with concurrent brain stimulation, compared to cognitive training with sham stimulation, did not lead to superior performance enhancements in patients with cognitive impairment. However, we observed transferred working memory benefits in patients who underwent the full 3-week intervention. MRI data pointed toward a potential intervention-induced modulation of neural network dynamics. A link between individual performance gains and electric fields suggested dosage-dependent effects of brain stimulation. Together, our findings do not support the immediate benefit of the combined intervention on the trained function, but provide exploratory evidence for transfer effects on working memory in patients with cognitive impairment. Future research needs to explore whether individualized protocols for both training and stimulation parameters might further enhance treatment gains. TRIAL REGISTRATION The study is registered on ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT04265378). Registered on 7 February 2020. Retrospectively registered.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Daria Antonenko
- Department of Neurology, Universitätsmedizin Greifswald, Ferdinand-Sauerbruch-Straße, 17475, Greifswald, Germany.
| | - Anna Elisabeth Fromm
- Department of Neurology, Universitätsmedizin Greifswald, Ferdinand-Sauerbruch-Straße, 17475, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Friederike Thams
- Department of Neurology, Universitätsmedizin Greifswald, Ferdinand-Sauerbruch-Straße, 17475, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Anna Kuzmina
- Department of Neurology, Universitätsmedizin Greifswald, Ferdinand-Sauerbruch-Straße, 17475, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Malte Backhaus
- Department of Neurology, Universitätsmedizin Greifswald, Ferdinand-Sauerbruch-Straße, 17475, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Elena Knochenhauer
- Department of Neurology, Universitätsmedizin Greifswald, Ferdinand-Sauerbruch-Straße, 17475, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Shu-Chen Li
- Chair of Lifespan Developmental Neuroscience, Technische Universität Dresden, 01062, Dresden, Germany
- Centre for Tactile Internet With Human-in-the-Loop, Technische Universität Dresden, 01062, Dresden, Germany
| | - Ulrike Grittner
- Berlin Institute of Health (BIH), 10187, Berlin, Germany
- Institute of Biometry and Clinical Epidemiology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Humboldt-Universität Zu Berlin, Berlin Institute of Health, 10117, Berlin, Germany
| | - Agnes Flöel
- Department of Neurology, Universitätsmedizin Greifswald, Ferdinand-Sauerbruch-Straße, 17475, Greifswald, Germany
- German Centre for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) Standort Greifswald, 17475, Greifswald, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Ke Y, Liu S, Chen L, Wang X, Ming D. Lasting enhancements in neural efficiency by multi-session transcranial direct current stimulation during working memory training. NPJ SCIENCE OF LEARNING 2023; 8:48. [PMID: 37919371 PMCID: PMC10622507 DOI: 10.1038/s41539-023-00200-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2023] [Accepted: 10/20/2023] [Indexed: 11/04/2023]
Abstract
The neural basis for long-term behavioral improvements resulting from multi-session transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) combined with working memory training (WMT) remains unclear. In this study, we used task-related electroencephalography (EEG) measures to investigate the lasting neurophysiological effects of anodal high-definition (HD)-tDCS applied over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) during a challenging WMT. Thirty-four healthy young adults were randomized to sham or active tDCS groups and underwent ten 30-minute training sessions over ten consecutive days, preceded by a pre-test and followed by post-tests performed one day and three weeks after the last session, respectively, by performing high-load WM tasks along with EEG recording. Multi-session HD-tDCS significantly enhanced the behavioral benefits of WMT. Compared to the sham group, the active group showed facilitated increases in theta, alpha, beta, and gamma task-related oscillations at the end of training and significantly increased P300 response 3 weeks post-training. Our findings suggest that applying anodal tDCS over the left dlPFC during multi-session WMT can enhance the behavioral benefits of WMT and facilitate sustained improvements in WM-related neural efficiency.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yufeng Ke
- Academy of Medical Engineering and Translational Medicine, Tianjin International Joint Research Centre for Neural Engineering, and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Brain Science and Neural Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin, PR China.
- Haihe Laboratory of Brain-computer Interaction and Human-machine Integration, Tianjin, PR China.
| | - Shuang Liu
- Academy of Medical Engineering and Translational Medicine, Tianjin International Joint Research Centre for Neural Engineering, and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Brain Science and Neural Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin, PR China.
- Haihe Laboratory of Brain-computer Interaction and Human-machine Integration, Tianjin, PR China.
| | - Long Chen
- Academy of Medical Engineering and Translational Medicine, Tianjin International Joint Research Centre for Neural Engineering, and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Brain Science and Neural Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin, PR China
- Haihe Laboratory of Brain-computer Interaction and Human-machine Integration, Tianjin, PR China
| | - Xiashuang Wang
- The Second Academy of China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation, Beijing, PR China
| | - Dong Ming
- Academy of Medical Engineering and Translational Medicine, Tianjin International Joint Research Centre for Neural Engineering, and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Brain Science and Neural Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin, PR China.
- Haihe Laboratory of Brain-computer Interaction and Human-machine Integration, Tianjin, PR China.
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Vandendoorent B, Nackaerts E, Zoetewei D, Hulzinga F, Gilat M, Orban de Xivry JJ, Nieuwboer A. Effect of transcranial direct current stimulation on learning in older adults with and without Parkinson's disease: A systematic review with meta-analysis. Brain Cogn 2023; 171:106073. [PMID: 37611344 DOI: 10.1016/j.bandc.2023.106073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2023] [Revised: 06/26/2023] [Accepted: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 08/25/2023]
Abstract
Older adults with and without Parkinson's disease show impaired retention after training of motor or cognitive skills. This systematic review with meta-analysis aims to investigate whether adding transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) to motor or cognitive training versus placebo boosts motor sequence and working memory training. The effects of interest were estimated between three time points, i.e. pre-training, post-training and follow-up. This review was conducted according to the PRISMA guidelines (PROSPERO: CRD42022348885). Electronic databases were searched from conception to March 2023. Following initial screening, 24 studies were eligible for inclusion in the qualitative synthesis and 20 could be included in the meta-analysis, of which 5 studies concerned motor sequence learning (total n = 186) and 15 working memory training (total n = 650). Results were pooled using an inverse variance random effects meta-analysis. The findings showed no statistically significant additional effects of tDCS over placebo on motor sequence learning outcomes. However, there was a strong trend showing that tDCS boosted working memory training, although methodological limitations and some heterogeneity were also apparent. In conclusion, the present findings do not support wide implementation of tDCS as an add-on to motor sequence training at the moment, but the promising results on cognitive training warrant further investigations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Britt Vandendoorent
- Neuromotor Rehabilitation Research Group, Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
| | - Evelien Nackaerts
- Neuromotor Rehabilitation Research Group, Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Demi Zoetewei
- Neuromotor Rehabilitation Research Group, Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Femke Hulzinga
- Neuromotor Rehabilitation Research Group, Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Moran Gilat
- Neuromotor Rehabilitation Research Group, Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Jean-Jacques Orban de Xivry
- Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, Department of Movement Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Alice Nieuwboer
- Neuromotor Rehabilitation Research Group, Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Tetsuka M, Sakurada T, Matsumoto M, Nakajima T, Morita M, Fujimoto S, Kawai K. Higher prefrontal activity based on short-term neurofeedback training can prevent working memory decline in acute stroke. Front Syst Neurosci 2023; 17:1130272. [PMID: 37388942 PMCID: PMC10300420 DOI: 10.3389/fnsys.2023.1130272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2022] [Accepted: 05/29/2023] [Indexed: 07/01/2023] Open
Abstract
This study aimed to clarify whether short-term neurofeedback training during the acute stroke phase led to prefrontal activity self-regulation, providing positive efficacy to working memory. A total of 30 patients with acute stroke performed functional near-infrared spectroscopy-based neurofeedback training for a day to increase their prefrontal activity. A randomized, Sham-controlled, double-blind study protocol was used comparing working memory ability before and after neurofeedback training. Working memory was evaluated using a target-searching task requiring spatial information retention. A decline in spatial working memory performance post-intervention was prevented in patients who displayed a higher task-related right prefrontal activity during neurofeedback training compared with the baseline. Neurofeedback training efficacy was not associated with the patient's clinical background such as Fugl-Meyer Assessment score and time since stroke. These findings demonstrated that even short-term neurofeedback training can strengthen prefrontal activity and help maintain cognitive ability in acute stroke patients, at least immediately after training. However, further studies investigating the influence of individual patient clinical background, especially cognitive impairment, on neurofeedback training is needed. Current findings provide an encouraging option for clinicians to design neurorehabilitation programs, including neurofeedback protocols, for acute stroke patients.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Masayuki Tetsuka
- Department of Neurosurgery, Jichi Medical University, Tochigi, Japan
| | - Takeshi Sakurada
- Department of Neurosurgery, Jichi Medical University, Tochigi, Japan
- Faculty of Science and Technology, Seikei University, Tokyo, Japan
- Functional Brain Science Laboratory, Center for Development of Advanced Medical Technology, Jichi Medical University, Tochigi, Japan
| | - Mayuko Matsumoto
- Functional Brain Science Laboratory, Center for Development of Advanced Medical Technology, Jichi Medical University, Tochigi, Japan
- College of Systems Engineering and Science, Shibaura Institute of Technology, Saitama, Japan
| | - Takeshi Nakajima
- Department of Neurosurgery, Jichi Medical University, Tochigi, Japan
- Rehabilitation Center, Jichi Medical University Hospital, Tochigi, Japan
| | - Mitsuya Morita
- Rehabilitation Center, Jichi Medical University Hospital, Tochigi, Japan
- Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine, Jichi Medical University, Tochigi, Japan
| | - Shigeru Fujimoto
- Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine, Jichi Medical University, Tochigi, Japan
| | - Kensuke Kawai
- Department of Neurosurgery, Jichi Medical University, Tochigi, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Antonenko D, Fromm AE, Thams F, Grittner U, Meinzer M, Flöel A. Microstructural and functional plasticity following repeated brain stimulation during cognitive training in older adults. Nat Commun 2023; 14:3184. [PMID: 37268628 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-38910-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2022] [Accepted: 05/18/2023] [Indexed: 06/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The combination of repeated behavioral training with transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) holds promise to exert beneficial effects on brain function beyond the trained task. However, little is known about the underlying mechanisms. We performed a monocenter, single-blind randomized, placebo-controlled trial comparing cognitive training to concurrent anodal tDCS (target intervention) with cognitive training to concurrent sham tDCS (control intervention), registered at ClinicalTrial.gov (Identifier NCT03838211). The primary outcome (performance in trained task) and secondary behavioral outcomes (performance on transfer tasks) were reported elsewhere. Here, underlying mechanisms were addressed by pre-specified analyses of multimodal magnetic resonance imaging before and after a three-week executive function training with prefrontal anodal tDCS in 48 older adults. Results demonstrate that training combined with active tDCS modulated prefrontal white matter microstructure which predicted individual transfer task performance gain. Training-plus-tDCS also resulted in microstructural grey matter alterations at the stimulation site, and increased prefrontal functional connectivity. We provide insight into the mechanisms underlying neuromodulatory interventions, suggesting tDCS-induced changes in fiber organization and myelin formation, glia-related and synaptic processes in the target region, and synchronization within targeted functional networks. These findings advance the mechanistic understanding of neural tDCS effects, thereby contributing to more targeted neural network modulation in future experimental and translation tDCS applications.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Daria Antonenko
- Department of Neurology, Universitätsmedizin Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany.
| | | | - Friederike Thams
- Department of Neurology, Universitätsmedizin Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Ulrike Grittner
- Berlin Institute of Health (BIH), Berlin, Germany
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin Institute of Health, Institute of Biometry and Clinical Epidemiology, Berlin, Germany
| | - Marcus Meinzer
- Department of Neurology, Universitätsmedizin Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Agnes Flöel
- Department of Neurology, Universitätsmedizin Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
- German Centre for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) Standort Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Hausman HK, Alexander GE, Cohen R, Marsiske M, DeKosky ST, Hishaw GA, O'Shea A, Kraft JN, Dai Y, Wu S, Woods AJ. Primary outcome from the augmenting cognitive training in older adults study (ACT): A tDCS and cognitive training randomized clinical trial. Brain Stimul 2023; 16:904-917. [PMID: 37245842 PMCID: PMC10436327 DOI: 10.1016/j.brs.2023.05.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2023] [Revised: 05/08/2023] [Accepted: 05/24/2023] [Indexed: 05/30/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND There is a need for effective interventions to stave off cognitive decline in older adults. Cognitive training has variably produced gains in untrained tasks and daily functioning. Combining cognitive training with transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) may augment cognitive training effects; however, this approach has yet to be tested on a large-scale. OBJECTIVE This paper will present the primary findings of the Augmenting Cognitive Training in Older Adults (ACT) clinical trial. We hypothesize that receiving active stimulation with cognitive training will result in greater improvements on an untrained fluid cognition composite compared to sham following intervention. METHODS 379 older adults were randomized, and 334 were included in intent-to-treat analyses for a 12-week multidomain cognitive training and tDCS intervention. Active or sham tDCS was administered at F3/F4 during cognitive training daily for two weeks then weekly for 10 weeks. To assess the tDCS effect, we fitted regression models for changes in NIH Toolbox Fluid Cognition Composite scores immediately following intervention and one year from baseline controlling for covariates and baseline scores. RESULTS Across the entire sample, there were improvements in NIH Toolbox Fluid Cognition Composite scores immediately post-intervention and one year following baseline; however, there were no significant tDCS group effects at either timepoint. CONCLUSIONS The ACT study models rigorous, safe administration of a combined tDCS and cognitive training intervention in a large sample of older adults. Despite potential evidence of near-transfer effects, we failed to demonstrate an additive benefit of active stimulation. Future analyses will continue to assess the intervention's efficacy by examining additional measures of cognition, functioning, mood, and neural markers.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hanna K Hausman
- Center for Cognitive Aging and Memory, McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA; Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, College of Public Health and Health Professions, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Gene E Alexander
- Department of Psychiatry, Neuroscience and Physiological Sciences Graduate Interdisciplinary Programs, and BIO5 Institute, University of Arizona and Arizona Alzheimer's Disease Consortium, Tucson, AZ, USA; Brain Imaging, Behavior and Aging Laboratory, Department of Psychology and Evelyn F. McKnight Brain Institute, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - Ronald Cohen
- Center for Cognitive Aging and Memory, McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA; Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, College of Public Health and Health Professions, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Michael Marsiske
- Center for Cognitive Aging and Memory, McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA; Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, College of Public Health and Health Professions, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Steven T DeKosky
- Center for Cognitive Aging and Memory, McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA; Department of Neurology, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Georg A Hishaw
- Department of Psychiatry, Neuroscience and Physiological Sciences Graduate Interdisciplinary Programs, and BIO5 Institute, University of Arizona and Arizona Alzheimer's Disease Consortium, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - Andrew O'Shea
- Center for Cognitive Aging and Memory, McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA; Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, College of Public Health and Health Professions, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Jessica N Kraft
- Center for Cognitive Aging and Memory, McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA; Department of Neuroscience, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Yunfeng Dai
- Department of Biostatistics, College of Public Health and Health Professions, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Samuel Wu
- Department of Biostatistics, College of Public Health and Health Professions, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Adam J Woods
- Center for Cognitive Aging and Memory, McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA; Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, College of Public Health and Health Professions, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Figeys M, Loucks TM, Leung AWS, Kim ES. Transcranial direct current stimulation over the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex increases oxyhemoglobin concentration and cognitive performance dependent on cognitive load. Behav Brain Res 2023; 443:114343. [PMID: 36787866 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2023.114343] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2022] [Revised: 01/20/2023] [Accepted: 02/10/2023] [Indexed: 02/16/2023]
Abstract
Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has been explored as a potential method for cognitive enhancement. tDCS may induce a cascade of neurophysiological changes including alterations in cerebral oxygenation. However, the effects of tDCS on the cognitive-cerebral oxygenation interaction remains unclear. Further, oxygenation variability across individuals remains minimally controlled for. The purpose of this sham-controlled study was to test the effects of anodal tDCS over the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) on the interaction between working memory and cerebral oxygenation while controlling for individual oxygenation variability. Thirty-three adults received resting-state functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) recordings over bilateral prefrontal cortices. Following this, working memory was tested using a Toulouse n-back task concurrently paired with fNIRS, with measurements taken before and after 20 min of anodal or sham tDCS at 1.5 mA. With individual oxygenation controlled for, anodal tDCS was found to increase the oxyhemoglobin concentration over the right DLPFC during the 2-back (q = .015) and 3-back (q = .008) conditions. Additionally, anodal tDCS was found to improve accuracy during the 3-back task by 13.4 % (p = .028) and decrease latency by 250 ms (p = .013). The increase in oxyhemoglobin was strongly correlated with increases in accuracy (p = .041) and decreases in latency during the 3-back span (p = .017). Taken together, anodal tDCS over the right DLPFC was found to regionally increase oxyhemoglobin concentrations and improve working memory performance in higher cognitive load conditions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mathieu Figeys
- Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton T6G 2G4, Alberta, Canada.
| | - Torrey M Loucks
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, School of Applied Health Sciences, Brooks Rehabilitation College of Healthcare Sciences, Jacksonville University - Palm Coast Campus, FL, United States
| | - Ada W S Leung
- Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton T6G 2G4, Alberta, Canada; Department of Occupational Therapy, University of Alberta, Edmonton T6G 2G4, Alberta, Canada
| | - Esther S Kim
- Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton T6G 2G4, Alberta, Canada; Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, University of Alberta, Edmonton T6G 2G4, Alberta, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Guo Z, Qiu R, Qiu H, Lu H, Zhu X. Long-term effects of repeated multitarget high-definition transcranial direct current stimulation combined with cognitive training on response inhibition gains. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1107116. [PMID: 36968503 PMCID: PMC10033537 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1107116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2022] [Accepted: 02/24/2023] [Indexed: 03/11/2023] Open
Abstract
BackgroundFew studies have investigated the effects of repeated sessions of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) combined with concurrent cognitive training on improving response inhibition, and the findings have been heterogeneous in the limited research. This study investigated the long-lasting and transfer effects of 10 consecutive sessions of multitarget anodal HD-tDCS combined with concurrent cognitive training on improving response inhibition compared with multitarget stimulation or training alone.MethodsNinety-four healthy university students aged 18–25 were randomly assigned to undergo different interventions, including real stimulation combined with stop-signal task (SST) training, real stimulation, sham stimulation combined with SST training, and sham stimulation. Each intervention lasted 20 min daily for 10 consecutive days, and the stimulation protocol targeted right inferior frontal gyrus (rIFG) and pre-supplementary motor area (pre-SMA) simultaneously with a total current intensity of 2.5 mA. Performance on SST and possible transfer effects to Stroop task, attention network test, and N-back task were measured before and 1 day and 1 month after completing the intervention course.ResultsThe main findings showed that the combined protocol and the stimulation alone significantly reduced stop-signal reaction time (SSRT) in the post-intervention and follow-up tests compared to the pre-intervention test. However, training alone only decreased SSRT in the post-test. The sham control exhibited no changes. Subgroup analysis revealed that the combined protocol and the stimulation alone induced a decrease in the SSRT of the low-performance subgroup at the post-test and follow-up test compared with the pre-test. However, only the combined protocol, but not the stimulation alone, improved the SSRT of the high-performance subgroup. The transfer effects were absent.ConclusionThis study provides supportive evidence for the synergistic effect of the combined protocol, indicating its superiority over the single intervention method. In addition, the long-term after-effects can persist for up to at least 1 month. Our findings also provide insights into the clinical application and strategy for treating response inhibition deficits.
Collapse
|
14
|
Koo GK, Gaur A, Tumati S, Kusumo RW, Bawa KK, Herrmann N, Gallagher D, Lanctôt KL. Identifying factors influencing cognitive outcomes after anodal transcranial direct current stimulation in older adults with and without cognitive impairment: A systematic review. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2023; 146:105047. [PMID: 36646259 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2022] [Revised: 01/10/2023] [Accepted: 01/12/2023] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Anodal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) can improve cognition in healthy older adults, those with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and mild cognitive impairment (MCI), albeit with considerable variability in response. This systematic review identifies interindividual factors that may influence tDCS outcomes in older individuals with or without cognitive impairment. Peer-reviewed articles were included if they assessed whether cognitive outcomes (memory or global cognition) after tDCS were associated with pre-intervention factors in healthy older adults or individuals with AD/MCI. We identified eight factors that may affect cognitive outcomes after tDCS. Improved tDCS outcomes were predicted by lower baseline cognitive function when tDCS was combined with a co-intervention (but not when used alone). Preserved brain structure and better baseline functional connectivity, genetic polymorphisms, and the use of concomitant medications may predict better tDCS outcomes, but further research is warranted. tDCS outcomes were not consistently associated with age, cognitive reserve, sex, and AD risk factors. Accounting for individual differences in baseline cognition, particularly for combined interventions, may thus maximize the therapeutic potential of tDCS.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Grace Ky Koo
- Neuropsychopharmacology Research Group, Sunnybrook Research Institute, 2075 Bayview Avenue, Toronto, ON M4N 3M5, Canada; Hurvitz Brain Sciences Program, Sunnybrook Research Institute, 2075 Bayview Avenue, Toronto, ON M4N 3M5, Canada; Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, University of Toronto, 1 King's College Circle, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - Amish Gaur
- Neuropsychopharmacology Research Group, Sunnybrook Research Institute, 2075 Bayview Avenue, Toronto, ON M4N 3M5, Canada; Hurvitz Brain Sciences Program, Sunnybrook Research Institute, 2075 Bayview Avenue, Toronto, ON M4N 3M5, Canada; Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, University of Toronto, 1 King's College Circle, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - Shankar Tumati
- Neuropsychopharmacology Research Group, Sunnybrook Research Institute, 2075 Bayview Avenue, Toronto, ON M4N 3M5, Canada; Hurvitz Brain Sciences Program, Sunnybrook Research Institute, 2075 Bayview Avenue, Toronto, ON M4N 3M5, Canada
| | - Raphael W Kusumo
- Neuropsychopharmacology Research Group, Sunnybrook Research Institute, 2075 Bayview Avenue, Toronto, ON M4N 3M5, Canada; Hurvitz Brain Sciences Program, Sunnybrook Research Institute, 2075 Bayview Avenue, Toronto, ON M4N 3M5, Canada
| | - Kritleen K Bawa
- Neuropsychopharmacology Research Group, Sunnybrook Research Institute, 2075 Bayview Avenue, Toronto, ON M4N 3M5, Canada; Hurvitz Brain Sciences Program, Sunnybrook Research Institute, 2075 Bayview Avenue, Toronto, ON M4N 3M5, Canada
| | - Nathan Herrmann
- Neuropsychopharmacology Research Group, Sunnybrook Research Institute, 2075 Bayview Avenue, Toronto, ON M4N 3M5, Canada; Hurvitz Brain Sciences Program, Sunnybrook Research Institute, 2075 Bayview Avenue, Toronto, ON M4N 3M5, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, 250 College Street, 8th floor, Toronto, ON M5T 1R8, Canada
| | - Damien Gallagher
- Neuropsychopharmacology Research Group, Sunnybrook Research Institute, 2075 Bayview Avenue, Toronto, ON M4N 3M5, Canada; Hurvitz Brain Sciences Program, Sunnybrook Research Institute, 2075 Bayview Avenue, Toronto, ON M4N 3M5, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, 250 College Street, 8th floor, Toronto, ON M5T 1R8, Canada
| | - Krista L Lanctôt
- Neuropsychopharmacology Research Group, Sunnybrook Research Institute, 2075 Bayview Avenue, Toronto, ON M4N 3M5, Canada; Hurvitz Brain Sciences Program, Sunnybrook Research Institute, 2075 Bayview Avenue, Toronto, ON M4N 3M5, Canada; Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, University of Toronto, 1 King's College Circle, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, 250 College Street, 8th floor, Toronto, ON M5T 1R8, Canada.
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Doherty EJ, Spencer CA, Burnison J, Čeko M, Chin J, Eloy L, Haring K, Kim P, Pittman D, Powers S, Pugh SL, Roumis D, Stephens JA, Yeh T, Hirshfield L. Interdisciplinary views of fNIRS: Current advancements, equity challenges, and an agenda for future needs of a diverse fNIRS research community. Front Integr Neurosci 2023; 17:1059679. [PMID: 36922983 PMCID: PMC10010439 DOI: 10.3389/fnint.2023.1059679] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2022] [Accepted: 02/08/2023] [Indexed: 03/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS) is an innovative and promising neuroimaging modality for studying brain activity in real-world environments. While fNIRS has seen rapid advancements in hardware, software, and research applications since its emergence nearly 30 years ago, limitations still exist regarding all three areas, where existing practices contribute to greater bias within the neuroscience research community. We spotlight fNIRS through the lens of different end-application users, including the unique perspective of a fNIRS manufacturer, and report the challenges of using this technology across several research disciplines and populations. Through the review of different research domains where fNIRS is utilized, we identify and address the presence of bias, specifically due to the restraints of current fNIRS technology, limited diversity among sample populations, and the societal prejudice that infiltrates today's research. Finally, we provide resources for minimizing bias in neuroscience research and an application agenda for the future use of fNIRS that is equitable, diverse, and inclusive.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Emily J. Doherty
- Department of Computer Science, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, United States
- Institute of Cognitive Science, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, United States
| | - Cara A. Spencer
- Department of Computer Science, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, United States
- Institute of Cognitive Science, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, United States
| | | | - Marta Čeko
- Institute of Cognitive Science, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, United States
| | - Jenna Chin
- College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences, Psychology, University of Denver, Denver, CO, United States
| | - Lucca Eloy
- Department of Computer Science, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, United States
- Institute of Cognitive Science, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, United States
| | - Kerstin Haring
- Department of Computer Science, University of Denver, Denver, CO, United States
| | - Pilyoung Kim
- College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences, Psychology, University of Denver, Denver, CO, United States
| | - Daniel Pittman
- Department of Computer Science, University of Denver, Denver, CO, United States
| | - Shannon Powers
- College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences, Psychology, University of Denver, Denver, CO, United States
| | - Samuel L. Pugh
- Department of Computer Science, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, United States
- Institute of Cognitive Science, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, United States
| | | | - Jaclyn A. Stephens
- Department of Occupational Therapy, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States
| | - Tom Yeh
- Department of Computer Science, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, United States
| | - Leanne Hirshfield
- Department of Computer Science, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, United States
- Institute of Cognitive Science, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, United States
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Aksu S, Hasırcı Bayır BR, Sayman C, Soyata AZ, Boz G, Karamürsel S. Working memory ımprovement after transcranial direct current stimulation paired with working memory training ın diabetic peripheral neuropathy. APPLIED NEUROPSYCHOLOGY. ADULT 2023:1-14. [PMID: 36630270 DOI: 10.1080/23279095.2022.2164717] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Association of cognitive deficits and diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) is frequent. Working memory (WM) deficits result in impairment of daily activities, diminished functionality, and treatment compliance. Mounting evidence suggests that transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) with concurrent working memory training (WMT) ameliorates cognitive deficits. Emboldening results of tDCS were shown in DPN. The study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of anodal tDCS over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) coupled with cathodal right DLPFC with concurrent WMT in DPN for the first time. The present randomized triple-blind parallel-group sham-controlled study evaluated the efficacy of 5 sessions of tDCS over the DLPFC concurrent with WMT in 28 individuals with painful DPN on cognitive (primary) and pain-related, psychiatric outcome measures before, immediately after, and 1-month after treatment protocol. tDCS enhanced the efficacy of WMT on working memory and yielded lower anxiety levels than sham tDCS but efficacy was not superior to sham on other cognitive domains, pain severity, quality of life, and depression. tDCS with concurrent WMT enhanced WM and ameliorated anxiety in DPN without affecting other cognitive and pain-related outcomes. Further research scrutinizing the short/long-term efficacy with larger samples is accredited.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Serkan Aksu
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Muğla Sıtkı Koçman University, Muğla, Türkiye
- Department of Physiology, Istanbul Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul University, Istanbul, Türkiye
| | - Buse Rahime Hasırcı Bayır
- Department of Neurology, Health Sciences University, Haydarpaşa Numune Education and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Türkiye
| | - Ceyhun Sayman
- Translational Neurodevelopmental Neuroscience Phd Programme, Institute of Health Science, Istanbul University, Istanbul, Türkiye
| | - Ahmet Zihni Soyata
- Psychiatry Outpatient Clinic, Başakşehir State Hospital, İstanbul, Turkey
| | - Gökalp Boz
- Department of Psychology, Istanbul University, Istanbul, Türkiye
| | - Sacit Karamürsel
- Department of Physiology, Istanbul Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul University, Istanbul, Türkiye
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Koc University, Istanbul, Türkiye
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Mertens N, Cavanagh J, Brandt E, Fratzke V, Story-Remer J, Rieger R, Wilson JK, Gill D, Campbell R, Quinn DK. Effects of anodal tDCS on electroencephalography correlates of cognitive control in mild-to-moderate traumatic brain injury. NeuroRehabilitation 2023; 53:209-220. [PMID: 37638454 PMCID: PMC11436288 DOI: 10.3233/nre-230014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/29/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) may provide a potential therapy for cognitive deficits caused by traumatic brain injury (TBI), yet its efficacy and mechanisms of action are still uncertain. OBJECTIVE We hypothesized that anodal tDCS over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) would boost the influence of a cognitive training regimen in a mild-to-moderate TBI (mmTBI) sample. Cognitive enhancement was measured by examining event-related potentials (ERPs) during cognitive control tasks from pre- to post-treatment. METHODS Thirty-four participants with mmTBI underwent ten sessions of cognitive training with active (n = 17) or sham (n = 17) anodal tDCS to the left DLPFC. ERPs were assessed during performance of an auditory oddball (3AOB), N-back, and dot pattern expectancy (DPX) task before and after treatment. RESULTS P3b amplitudes significantly decreased from baseline to post-treatment testing, regardless of tDCS condition, in the N-back task. The active tDCS group demonstrated a significantly increased P3a amplitude in the DPX task. No statistically significant stimulation effects were seen during the 3AOB and N-back tasks. CONCLUSION Active anodal tDCS paired with cognitive training led to increases in P3a amplitudes in the DPX, inferring increased cognitive control. P3b decreased in the N-back task demonstrating the effects of cognitive training. These dissociated P3 findings suggest separate mechanisms invoked by different neuroplasticity-inducing paradigms (stimulation versus training) in brain networks that support executive functioning.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nickolas Mertens
- Center for Brain Recovery and Repair, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - James Cavanagh
- Department of Psychology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Emma Brandt
- Center for Brain Recovery and Repair, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Violet Fratzke
- Center for Brain Recovery and Repair, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | | | - Rebecca Rieger
- Center for Brain Recovery and Repair, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - J Kevin Wilson
- Center for Brain Recovery and Repair, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Darbi Gill
- Center for Brain Recovery and Repair, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Richard Campbell
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Davin K Quinn
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Westwood SJ, Criaud M, Lam SL, Lukito S, Wallace-Hanlon S, Kowalczyk OS, Kostara A, Mathew J, Agbedjro D, Wexler BE, Cohen Kadosh R, Asherson P, Rubia K. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) combined with cognitive training in adolescent boys with ADHD: a double-blind, randomised, sham-controlled trial. Psychol Med 2023; 53:497-512. [PMID: 34225830 PMCID: PMC9899574 DOI: 10.1017/s0033291721001859] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2021] [Revised: 03/19/2021] [Accepted: 04/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) could be a side-effect-free alternative to psychostimulants in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Although there is limited evidence for clinical and cognitive effects, most studies were small, single-session and stimulated left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC). No sham-controlled study has stimulated the right inferior frontal cortex (rIFC), which is the most consistently under-functioning region in ADHD, with multiple anodal-tDCS sessions combined with cognitive training (CT) to enhance effects. Thus, we investigated the clinical and cognitive effects of multi-session anodal-tDCS over rIFC combined with CT in double-blind, randomised, sham-controlled trial (RCT, ISRCTN48265228). METHODS Fifty boys with ADHD (10-18 years) received 15 weekday sessions of anodal- or sham-tDCS over rIFC combined with CT (20 min, 1 mA). ANCOVA, adjusting for baseline measures, age and medication status, tested group differences in clinical and ADHD-relevant executive functions at posttreatment and after 6 months. RESULTS ADHD-Rating Scale, Conners ADHD Index and adverse effects were significantly lower at post-treatment after sham relative to anodal tDCS. No other effects were significant. CONCLUSIONS This rigorous and largest RCT of tDCS in adolescent boys with ADHD found no evidence of improved ADHD symptoms or cognitive performance following multi-session anodal tDCS over rIFC combined with CT. These findings extend limited meta-analytic evidence of cognitive and clinical effects in ADHD after 1-5 tDCS sessions over mainly left dlPFC. Given that tDCS is commercially and clinically available, the findings are important as they suggest that rIFC stimulation may not be indicated as a neurotherapy for cognitive or clinical remediation for ADHD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Samuel J. Westwood
- Department of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Marion Criaud
- Department of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Sheut-Ling Lam
- Department of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Steve Lukito
- Department of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, King's College London, London, UK
| | | | - Olivia S. Kowalczyk
- Department of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, King's College London, London, UK
- Department of Neuroimaging, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Afroditi Kostara
- Department of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Joseph Mathew
- Department of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, King's College London, London, UK
| | | | - Bruce E. Wexler
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Roi Cohen Kadosh
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Philip Asherson
- Social Genetic & Developmental Psychiatry, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Katya Rubia
- Department of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, King's College London, London, UK
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Martin DM, Berryhill ME, Dielenberg V. Can brain stimulation enhance cognition in clinical populations? A critical review. Restor Neurol Neurosci 2022:RNN211230. [PMID: 36404559 DOI: 10.3233/rnn-211230] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Many psychiatric and neurological conditions are associated with cognitive impairment for which there are very limited treatment options. Brain stimulation methodologies show promise as novel therapeutics and have cognitive effects. Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), known more for its related transient adverse cognitive effects, can produce significant cognitive improvement in the weeks following acute treatment. Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is increasingly used as a treatment for major depression and has acute cognitive effects. Emerging research from controlled studies suggests that repeated TMS treatments may additionally have cognitive benefit. ECT and TMS treatment cause neurotrophic changes, although whether these are associated with cognitive effects remains unclear. Transcranial electrical stimulation methods including transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) and transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) are in development as novel treatments for multiple psychiatric conditions. These treatments may also produce cognitive enhancement particularly when stimulation occurs concurrently with a cognitive task. This review summarizes the current clinical evidence for these brain stimulation treatments as therapeutics for enhancing cognition. Acute, or short-lasting, effects as well as longer-term effects from repeated treatments are reviewed, together with potential putative neural mechanisms. Areas of future research are highlighted to assist with optimization of these approaches for enhancing cognition.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Donel M. Martin
- Sydney Neurostimulation Centre, Discipline of Psychiatry and Mental Health UNSW, Black Dog Institute, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Marian E. Berryhill
- Memory and Brain Lab, Programs in Cognitive and Brain Sciences, and Integrative Neuroscience, University of Nevada, Reno, NV, USA
| | - Victoria Dielenberg
- Sydney Neurostimulation Centre, Discipline of Psychiatry and Mental Health UNSW, Black Dog Institute, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Pergher V, Au J, Alizadeh Shalchy M, Santarnecchi E, Seitz A, Jaeggi SM, Battelli L. The benefits of simultaneous tDCS and working memory training on transfer outcomes: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Brain Stimul 2022; 15:1541-1551. [PMID: 36460294 DOI: 10.1016/j.brs.2022.11.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2022] [Revised: 10/25/2022] [Accepted: 11/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has shown potential as an effective aid to facilitate learning. A popular application of this technology has been in combination with working memory training (WMT) in order to enhance transfer effects to other cognitive measures after training. OBJECTIVE This meta-analytic review aims to synthesize the existing literature on tDCS-enhanced WMT to quantify the extent to which tDCS can improve performance on transfer tasks after training. Furthermore, we were interested to evaluate the moderating effects of assessment time point (immediate post-test vs. follow-up) and transfer distance, i.e., the degree of similarity between transfer and training tasks. METHODS Using robust variance estimation, we performed a systematic meta-analysis of all studies to date that compared WMT with tDCS to WMT with sham in healthy adults. All procedures conformed to PRISMA guidelines. RESULTS Across 265 transfer measures in 18 studies, we found a small positive net effect of tDCS on improving overall performance on transfer measures after WMT. These effects were sustained at follow-up, which ranged from 1 week to one year after training, with a median of 1 month. Additionally, although there were no significant differences as a function of transfer distance, effects were most pronounced for non-trained working memory tasks. CONCLUSIONS This review provides evidence that tDCS can be effective in promoting learning over and above WMT alone, and can durably improve performance on trained and untrained measures for weeks to months after the initial training and stimulation period. In particular, boosting performance on dissimilar working memory tasks may present the most promising target for tDCS-augmented WMT.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Valentina Pergher
- Department of Psychology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA; Laboratory of Neuro and Psychophysiology, KU Leuven University, Belgium.
| | - Jacky Au
- School of Education, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA.
| | | | - Emiliano Santarnecchi
- Precision Neuroscience & Neuromodulation Program, Gordon Center for Medical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Aaron Seitz
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Riverside, CA, USA
| | - Susanne M Jaeggi
- School of Education, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA; Department of Cognitive Sciences, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA.
| | - Lorella Battelli
- Department of Psychology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA; Center for Neuroscience and Cognitive Systems@UniTn, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Rovereto, Italy; Berenson-Allen Center for Noninvasive Brain Stimulation and Department of Neurology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Satorres E, Meléndez JC, Pitarque A, Real E, Abella M, Escudero J. Enhancing Immediate Memory, Potential Learning, and Working Memory with Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation in Healthy Older Adults. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:12716. [PMID: 36232016 PMCID: PMC9564946 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph191912716] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2022] [Revised: 09/27/2022] [Accepted: 10/03/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has emerged as a prevention method or minimizer of the normal cognitive deterioration that occurs during the aging process. tDCS can be used to enhance cognitive functions such as immediate memory, learning, or working memory in healthy subjects. The objective of this study was to analyze the effect of two 20-min sessions of anodal transcranial direct stimulation on immediate memory, learning potential, and working memory in healthy older adults. METHODS A randomized, single-blind, repeated-measures, sham-controlled design was used. The sample is made up of 31 healthy older adults, of whom 16 were in the stimulation group and 15 were in the sham group. The anode was placed on position F7, coinciding with the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex region, and the cathode was placed on Fp2, the right supraorbital area (rSO). RESULTS When comparing the results of the treatment group and the sham group, differences were observed in working memory and learning potential; however, no differences in immediate memory were found. CONCLUSION The results showed that tDCS is a non-invasive and safe tool to enhance cognitive processes in healthy older adults interested in maintaining some cognitive function.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Encarnación Satorres
- Department of Developmental Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Valencia, Av. Blasco Ibañez 21, 46010 Valencia, Spain
| | - Juan C. Meléndez
- Department of Developmental Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Valencia, Av. Blasco Ibañez 21, 46010 Valencia, Spain
| | - Alfonso Pitarque
- Department of Methodology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Valencia, Av. Blasco Ibañez 21, 46010 Valencia, Spain
| | - Elena Real
- Department of Developmental Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Valencia, Av. Blasco Ibañez 21, 46010 Valencia, Spain
| | - Mireia Abella
- Department of Developmental Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Valencia, Av. Blasco Ibañez 21, 46010 Valencia, Spain
| | - Joaquin Escudero
- Hospital General of Valencia, Av. Tres Cruces, 2, 46014 Valencia, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Hong KS, Khan MNA, Ghafoor U. Non-invasive transcranial electrical brain stimulation guided by functional near-infrared spectroscopy for targeted neuromodulation: A review. J Neural Eng 2022; 19. [PMID: 35905708 DOI: 10.1088/1741-2552/ac857d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2021] [Accepted: 07/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
One of the primary goals in cognitive neuroscience is to understand the neural mechanisms on which cognition is based. Researchers are trying to find how cognitive mechanisms are related to oscillations generated due to brain activity. The research focused on this topic has been considerably aided by developing non-invasive brain stimulation techniques. The dynamics of brain networks and the resultant behavior can be affected by non-invasive brain stimulation techniques, which make their use a focus of interest in many experiments and clinical fields. One essential non-invasive brain stimulation technique is transcranial electrical stimulation (tES), subdivided into transcranial direct and alternating current stimulation. tES has recently become more well-known because of the effective results achieved in treating chronic conditions. In addition, there has been exceptional progress in the interpretation and feasibility of tES techniques. Summarizing the beneficial effects of tES, this article provides an updated depiction of what has been accomplished to date, brief history, and the open questions that need to be addressed in the future. An essential issue in the field of tES is stimulation duration. This review briefly covers the stimulation durations that have been utilized in the field while monitoring the brain using functional-near infrared spectroscopy-based brain imaging.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Keum-Shik Hong
- Department of Cogno-mechatronics Engineering, Pusan National University, 2 Busandaehak-ro, Geumgeong-gu, Busan, Busan, 609735, Korea (the Republic of)
| | - M N Afzal Khan
- Pusan National University, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Busan, 46241, Korea (the Republic of)
| | - Usman Ghafoor
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Pusan National University College of Engineering, room 204, Busan, 46241, Korea (the Republic of)
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Qu X, Li L, Zhou X, Dong Q, Liu H, Liu H, Yang Q, Han Y, Niu H. Repeated transcranial photobiomodulation improves working memory of healthy older adults: behavioral outcomes of poststimulation including a three-week follow-up. NEUROPHOTONICS 2022; 9:035005. [PMID: 36177151 PMCID: PMC9514540 DOI: 10.1117/1.nph.9.3.035005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2022] [Accepted: 09/12/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
SIGNIFICANCE Decline in cognitive ability is a significant issue associated with healthy aging. Transcranial photobiomodulation (tPBM) is an emerging non-invasive neuromodulation technique and has shown promise to overcome this challenge. AIM This study aimed to investigate the effects of seven-day repeated tPBM, compared to those of single tPBM and baseline, on improving N -back working memory in healthy older adults and to evaluate the persistent efficacy of repeated tPBM. APPROACH In a sham-controlled and within-subject design, 61 healthy older adults were recruited to participate in a longitudinal study involving an experimental baseline, seven days of tPBM treatment (12 min daily, 1064-nm laser, 250 mW / cm 2 ) in the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and three weeks of follow-ups. Behavioral performance in the N -back ( N = 1,2 , 3 ) was recorded poststimulation during the baseline, the first and seventh days of the tPBM session, and the three weekly follow-ups. A control group with 25 participants was included in this study to rule out the practice and placebo effects. The accuracy rate and response time were used in the statistical analysis. RESULTS Repeated and single tPBM significantly improved accuracy rate in 1- and 3-back tasks and decreased response time in 3-back compared to the baseline. Moreover, the repeated tPBM resulted in a significantly higher improvement in accuracy rate than the single tPBM. These improvements in accuracy rate and response time lasted at least three weeks following repeated tPBM. In contrast, the control group showed no significant improvement in behavioral performance. CONCLUSIONS This study demonstrated that seven-day repeated tPBM improved the working memory of healthy older adults more efficiently, with the beneficial effect lasting at least three weeks. These findings provide fundamental evidence that repeated tPBM may be a potential intervention for older individuals with memory decline.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xiujuan Qu
- Beijing Normal University, IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing, China
| | - Lexuan Li
- Beijing Normal University, IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaohan Zhou
- Beijing Normal University, IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing, China
| | - Qi Dong
- Beijing Normal University, IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing, China
| | - Hanli Liu
- University of Texas at Arlington, Department of Bioengineering, Arlington, Texas, United States
| | - Hesheng Liu
- Medical University of South Carolina, Department of Neuroscience, Charleston, South Carolina, United States
| | - Qin Yang
- Xuanwu Hospital of Capital Medical University, Department of Neurology, Beijing, China
| | - Ying Han
- Xuanwu Hospital of Capital Medical University, Department of Neurology, Beijing, China
- Hainan University, School of Biomedical Engineering, Haikou, China
- Beijing Institute for Brain Disorders, Center of Alzheimer’s Disease, Beijing, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Diseases, Beijing, China
| | - Haijing Niu
- Beijing Normal University, IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing, China
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Westwood SJ, Bozhilova N, Criaud M, Lam SL, Lukito S, Wallace-Hanlon S, Kowalczyk OS, Kostara A, Mathew J, Wexler BE, Kadosh RC, Asherson P, Rubia K. The effect of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) combined with cognitive training on EEG spectral power in adolescent boys with ADHD: A double-blind, randomized, sham-controlled trial. IBRO Neurosci Rep 2022; 12:55-64. [PMID: 35746969 PMCID: PMC9210460 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibneur.2021.12.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2021] [Accepted: 12/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a possible alternative to psychostimulants in Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), but its mechanisms of action in children and adolescents with ADHD are poorly understood. We conducted the first 15-session, sham-controlled study of anodal tDCS over right inferior frontal cortex (rIFC) combined with cognitive training (CT) in 50 children/adolescents with ADHD. We investigated the mechanisms of action on resting and Go/No-Go Task-based QEEG measures in a subgroup of 23 participants with ADHD (n, sham = 10; anodal tDCS = 13). We failed to find a significant sham versus anodal tDCS group differences in QEEG spectral power during rest and Go/No-Go Task performance, a correlation between QEEG and Go/No-Go Task performance, and changes in clinical and cognitive measures. These findings extend the non-significant clinical and cognitive effects in our sample of 50 children/adolescents with ADHD. Given that the subgroup of 23 participants would have been underpowered, the interpretation of our findings is limited and should be used as a foundation for future investigations. Larger, adequately powered randomized controlled trials should explore different protocols titrated to the individual and using comprehensive measures to assess cognitive, clinical, and neural effects of tDCS and its underlying mechanisms of action in ADHD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Samuel J. Westwood
- Department of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, London SE5 8AB, UK
- School of Psychology, University of Wolverhampton, Wolverhampton WV1 1LY UK
- Department of Psychology, School of Social Science, University of Westminster, London W1W 6UW, UK
| | - Natali Bozhilova
- Social Genetic & Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, London SE5 8AB, UK
- School of Psychology, University of Surrey, Guildford GU2 7XH, UK
| | - Marion Criaud
- Department of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, London SE5 8AB, UK
| | - Sheut-Ling Lam
- Department of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, London SE5 8AB, UK
| | - Steve Lukito
- Department of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, London SE5 8AB, UK
| | - Sophie Wallace-Hanlon
- Department of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, London SE5 8AB, UK
- School of Psychology, University of Surrey, Guildford GU2 7XH, UK
| | - Olivia S. Kowalczyk
- Department of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, London SE5 8AB, UK
- Department of Neuroimaging, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, London SE5 8AB, UK
| | - Afroditi Kostara
- Department of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, London SE5 8AB, UK
| | - Joseph Mathew
- Department of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, London SE5 8AB, UK
| | - Bruce E. Wexler
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, 06520–8096, USA
| | - Roi Cohen Kadosh
- School of Psychology, University of Surrey, Guildford GU2 7XH, UK
| | - Philip Asherson
- Social Genetic & Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, London SE5 8AB, UK
| | - Katya Rubia
- Department of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, London SE5 8AB, UK
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Au J, Smith-Peirce RN, Carbone E, Moon A, Evans M, Jonides J, Jaeggi SM. Effects of Multisession Prefrontal Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation on Long-term Memory and Working Memory in Older Adults. J Cogn Neurosci 2022; 34:1015-1037. [PMID: 35195728 PMCID: PMC9836784 DOI: 10.1162/jocn_a_01839] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a noninvasive form of electrical brain stimulation popularly used to augment the effects of working memory (WM) training. Although success has been mixed, some studies report enhancements in WM performance persisting days, weeks, or even months that are actually more reminiscent of consolidation effects typically observed in the long-term memory (LTM) domain, rather than WM improvements per se. Although tDCS has been often reported to enhance both WM and LTM, these effects have never been directly compared within the same study. However, given their considerable neural and behavioral overlap, this is a timely comparison to make. This study reports results from a multisession intervention in older adults comparing active and sham tDCS over the left dorsolateral pFC during training on both an n-back WM task and a word learning LTM task. We found strong and robust effects on LTM, but mixed effects on WM that only emerged for those with lower baseline ability. Importantly, mediation analyses showed an indirect effect of tDCS on WM that was mediated by improvements in consolidation. We conclude that tDCS over the left dorsolateral pFC can be used as an effective intervention to foster long-term learning and memory consolidation in aging, which can manifest in performance improvements across multiple memory domains.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jacky Au
- School of Education, University of California, Irvine, Irvine CA, 92697, USA
| | | | - Elena Carbone
- Department of General Psychology, University of Padova, Padova, 35131, Italy
| | - Austin Moon
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Riverside, Riverside CA, 92521, USA
| | - Michelle Evans
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor MI, 48109, USA
| | - John Jonides
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor MI, 48109, USA
| | - Susanne M. Jaeggi
- School of Education, University of California, Irvine, Irvine CA, 92697, USA
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Teixeira-Santos AC, Moreira CS, Pereira DR, Pinal D, Fregni F, Leite J, Carvalho S, Sampaio A. Working Memory Training Coupled With Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation in Older Adults: A Randomized Controlled Experiment. Front Aging Neurosci 2022; 14:827188. [PMID: 35493937 PMCID: PMC9039392 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2022.827188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2021] [Accepted: 02/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has been employed to boost working memory training (WMT) effects. Nevertheless, there is limited evidence on the efficacy of this combination in older adults. The present study is aimed to assess the delayed transfer effects of tDCS coupled with WMT in older adults in a 15-day follow-up. We explored if general cognitive ability, age, and educational level predicted the effects. Methods In this single-center, double-blind randomized sham-controlled experiment, 54 older adults were randomized into three groups: anodal-tDCS (atDCS)+WMT, sham-tDCS (stDCS)+WMT, and double-sham. Five sessions of tDCS (2 mA) were applied over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC). Far transfer was measured by Raven’s Advanced Progressive Matrices (RAPM), while the near transfer effects were assessed through Digit Span. A frequentist linear mixed model (LMM) was complemented by a Bayesian approach in data analysis. Results Working memory training improved dual n-back performance in both groups submitted to this intervention but only the group that received atDCS+WMT displayed a significant improvement from pretest to follow-up in transfer measures of reasoning (RAPM) and short-term memory (forward Digit Span). Near transfer improvements predicted gains in far transfer, demonstrating that the far transfer is due to an improvement in the trained construct of working memory. Age, formal education, and vocabulary score seem to predict the gains in reasoning. However, Bayesian results do not provide substantial evidence to support this claim. Conclusion This study will help to consolidate the incipient but auspicious field of cognitive training coupled with tDCS in healthy older adults. Our findings demonstrated that atDCS may potentialize WMT by promoting transfer effects in short-term memory and reasoning in older adults, which are observed especially at follow-up.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ana C. Teixeira-Santos
- Psychological Neuroscience Laboratory, Psychology Research Centre, School of Psychology, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
- Department of Social Sciences, Institute for Research on Socio-Economic Inequality, University of Luxembourg, Esch-Belval, Luxembourg
- *Correspondence: Ana C. Teixeira-Santos,
| | - Célia S. Moreira
- Department of Mathematics, Centre for Mathematics of the University of Porto, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Diana R. Pereira
- Psychological Neuroscience Laboratory, Psychology Research Centre, School of Psychology, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
| | - Diego Pinal
- Psychological Neuroscience Laboratory, Psychology Research Centre, School of Psychology, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
| | - Felipe Fregni
- Spaulding Neuromodulation Center, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Jorge Leite
- Psychological Neuroscience Laboratory, Psychology Research Centre, School of Psychology, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
- Spaulding Neuromodulation Center, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
- Portucalense Institute for Human Development, Universidade Portucalense, Porto, Portugal
| | - Sandra Carvalho
- Psychological Neuroscience Laboratory, Psychology Research Centre, School of Psychology, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
- Translational Neuropsychology Lab, Department of Education and Psychology and William James Center for Research (WJCR), University of Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago, Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Adriana Sampaio
- Psychological Neuroscience Laboratory, Psychology Research Centre, School of Psychology, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
- Adriana Sampaio,
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Thams F, Antonenko D, Fleischmann R, Meinzer M, Grittner U, Schmidt S, Brakemeier EL, Steinmetz A, Flöel A. Neuromodulation through brain stimulation-assisted cognitive training in patients with post-COVID-19 cognitive impairment (Neuromod-COV): study protocol for a PROBE phase IIb trial. BMJ Open 2022; 12:e055038. [PMID: 35410927 PMCID: PMC9002255 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2021-055038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION A substantial number of patients diagnosed with COVID-19 experience long-term persistent symptoms. First evidence suggests that long-term symptoms develop largely independently of disease severity and include, among others, cognitive impairment. For these symptoms, there are currently no validated therapeutic approaches available. Cognitive training interventions are a promising approach to counteract cognitive impairment. Combining training with concurrent transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) may further increase and sustain behavioural training effects. Here, we aim to examine the effects of cognitive training alone or in combination with tDCS on cognitive performance, quality of life and mental health in patients with post-COVID-19 subjective or objective cognitive impairments. METHODS AND ANALYSIS This study protocol describes a prospective randomised open endpoint-blinded trial. Patients with post-COVID-19 cognitive impairment will either participate in a 3-week cognitive training or in a defined muscle relaxation training (open-label interventions). Irrespective of their primary intervention, half of the cognitive training group will additionally receive anodal tDCS, all other patients will receive sham tDCS (double-blinded, secondary intervention). The primary outcome will be improvement of working memory performance, operationalised by an n-back task, at the postintervention assessment. Secondary outcomes will include performance on trained and untrained tasks and measures of health-related quality of life at postassessment and follow-up assessments (1 month after the end of the trainings). ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION Ethical approval was granted by the Ethics Committee of the University Medicine Greifswald (number: BB 066/21). Results will be available through publications in peer-reviewed journals and presentations at national and international conferences. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER NCT04944147.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Friederike Thams
- Department of Neurology, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Daria Antonenko
- Department of Neurology, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Robert Fleischmann
- Department of Neurology, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Marcus Meinzer
- Department of Neurology, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Ulrike Grittner
- Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
- Institute of Biometry and Clinical Epidemiology, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Sein Schmidt
- Clinical Research Unit, Campus Mitte, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Eva-Lotta Brakemeier
- Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, University of Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Anke Steinmetz
- Department of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Agnes Flöel
- Department of Neurology, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases Site Rostock/Greifswald, Rostock, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
Lee G, Lee J, Kim J, Kim H, Chang WH, Kim YH. Whole Brain Hemodynamic Response Based on Synchrony Analysis of Brain Signals for Effective Application of HD-tDCS in Stroke Patients: An fNIRS Study. J Pers Med 2022; 12:jpm12030432. [PMID: 35330432 PMCID: PMC8949719 DOI: 10.3390/jpm12030432] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2021] [Revised: 02/28/2022] [Accepted: 03/08/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
In this study, the effective application of high-definition transcranial direct current stimulation (HD-tDCS) based on the whole brain hemodynamic response in stroke patients was investigated using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). The intrahemispheric and interhemispheric synchronization and cortical activity based on the time during 1 mA HD-tDCS were examined in 26 chronic cerebrovascular disease patients. At the beginning of HD-tDCS, the synchronization and brain activity in the whole brain increased rapidly and decreased after 5 min. In the middle of tDCS, the synchronization began to increase again, and strong synchronic connections were formed around the desired stimulation area. After tDCS, strong cortical activation was observed in the stimulation area, indicating that the baseline of the oxyhemoglobin (HbO) signal increased in the desired stimulation area. Therefore, the results of this study indicate that HD-tDCS can be applied efficiently to enhance the effect of tDCS. This stimulation method with tDCS can be explored clinically for more neurorehabilitation of patients with degenerative brain diseases.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gihyoun Lee
- Department of Health Sciences and Technology, The Samsung Advanced Institute for Health Sciences & Technology (SAIHST), Sungkyunkwan University, Seoul 06351, Korea; (G.L.); (J.K.); (H.K.)
- Department of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine, Center for Prevention and Rehabilitation, Heart Vascular Stroke Institute, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul 06351, Korea;
| | - Jungsoo Lee
- Department of Medical IT Convergence Engineering, Kumoh National Institute of Technology, Gumi 39177, Korea;
| | - Jinuk Kim
- Department of Health Sciences and Technology, The Samsung Advanced Institute for Health Sciences & Technology (SAIHST), Sungkyunkwan University, Seoul 06351, Korea; (G.L.); (J.K.); (H.K.)
- Department of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine, Center for Prevention and Rehabilitation, Heart Vascular Stroke Institute, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul 06351, Korea;
| | - Heegoo Kim
- Department of Health Sciences and Technology, The Samsung Advanced Institute for Health Sciences & Technology (SAIHST), Sungkyunkwan University, Seoul 06351, Korea; (G.L.); (J.K.); (H.K.)
- Department of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine, Center for Prevention and Rehabilitation, Heart Vascular Stroke Institute, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul 06351, Korea;
| | - Won Hyuk Chang
- Department of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine, Center for Prevention and Rehabilitation, Heart Vascular Stroke Institute, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul 06351, Korea;
| | - Yun-Hee Kim
- Department of Health Sciences and Technology, The Samsung Advanced Institute for Health Sciences & Technology (SAIHST), Sungkyunkwan University, Seoul 06351, Korea; (G.L.); (J.K.); (H.K.)
- Department of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine, Center for Prevention and Rehabilitation, Heart Vascular Stroke Institute, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul 06351, Korea;
- Department of Medical Device Management & Research, Department of Digital Health, The Samsung Advanced Institute for Health Sciences & Technology (SAIHST), Sungkyunkwan University, Seoul 06351, Korea
- Correspondence:
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
Antonenko D, Thams F, Grittner U, Uhrich J, Glöckner F, Li S, Flöel A. Randomized trial of cognitive training and brain stimulation in non-demented older adults. ALZHEIMER'S & DEMENTIA (NEW YORK, N. Y.) 2022; 8:e12262. [PMID: 35229023 PMCID: PMC8864498 DOI: 10.1002/trc2.12262] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2021] [Revised: 12/09/2021] [Accepted: 01/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Given rapid global population aging, developing interventions against age-associated cognitive decline is an important medical and societal goal. We evaluated a cognitive training protocol combined with transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on trained and non-trained functions in non-demented older adults. METHODS Fifty-six older adults (65-80 years) were randomly assigned to one of two interventional groups, using age and baseline performance as strata. Both groups performed a nine-session cognitive training over 3 weeks with either concurrent anodal tDCS (atDCS, 1 mA, 20 minutes) over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (target intervention) or sham stimulation (control intervention). Primary outcome was performance on the trained letter updating task immediately after training. Secondary outcomes included performance on other executive and memory (near and far transfer) tasks. All tasks were administered at baseline, post-intervention, and at 1- and 7-month follow-up assessments. Prespecified analyses to investigate treatment effects were conducted using mixed-model analyses. RESULTS No between-group differences emerged in the trained letter updating and Markov decision-making tasks at post-intervention and at follow-up timepoints. Secondary analyses revealed group differences in one near-transfer task: Superior n-back task performance was observed in the tDCS group at post-intervention and at follow-up. No such effects were observed for the other transfer tasks. Improvements in working memory were associated with individually induced electric field strengths. DISCUSSION Cognitive training with atDCS did not lead to superior improvement in trained task performance compared to cognitive training with sham stimulation. Thus, our results do not support the immediate benefit of tDCS-assisted multi-session cognitive training on the trained function. As the intervention enhanced performance in a near-transfer working memory task, we provide exploratory evidence for effects on non-trained working memory functions in non-demented older adults that persist over a period of 1 month.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Daria Antonenko
- Department of NeurologyUniversitätsmedizin GreifswaldGreifswaldGermany
| | - Friederike Thams
- Department of NeurologyUniversitätsmedizin GreifswaldGreifswaldGermany
| | - Ulrike Grittner
- Berlin Institute of Health (BIH)BerlinGermany
- Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Humboldt‐Universität zu BerlinBerlin Institute of HealthInstitute of Biometry and Clinical EpidemiologyBerlinGermany
| | - Jessica Uhrich
- Department of NeurologyUniversitätsmedizin GreifswaldGreifswaldGermany
| | - Franka Glöckner
- Lifespan Developmental NeuroscienceFaculty of PsychologyTU DresdenDresdenGermany
| | - Shu‐Chen Li
- Lifespan Developmental NeuroscienceFaculty of PsychologyTU DresdenDresdenGermany
| | - Agnes Flöel
- Department of NeurologyUniversitätsmedizin GreifswaldGreifswaldGermany
- German Centre for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) Standort GreifswaldGreifswaldGermany
| |
Collapse
|
30
|
Sakurada T, Matsumoto M, Yamamoto SI. Individual Sensory Modality Dominance as an Influential Factor in the Prefrontal Neurofeedback Training for Spatial Processing: A Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy Study. Front Syst Neurosci 2022; 16:774475. [PMID: 35221936 PMCID: PMC8866872 DOI: 10.3389/fnsys.2022.774475] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2021] [Accepted: 01/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Neurofeedback is a neuromodulation technique used to improve brain function by self-regulating brain activity. However, the efficacy of neurofeedback training varies widely between individuals, and some participants fail to self-regulate brain activity. To overcome intersubject variation in neurofeedback training efficacy, it is critical to identify the factors that influence this type of neuromodulation. In this study, we considered that individual differences in cognitive ability may influence neurofeedback training efficacy and aimed to clarify the effect of individual working memory (WM) abilities, as characterized by sensory modality dominance, on neurofeedback training efficacy in healthy young adults. In particular, we focused on the abilities of individuals to retain internal (tactile or somatosensory) or external (visual) body information in their WM. Forty participants performed functional near-infrared spectroscopy-based neurofeedback training aimed at producing efficient and lower-level activity in the bilateral dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and frontopolar cortex. We carried out a randomized, sham-controlled, double-blind study that compared WM ability before and after neurofeedback training. Individual WM ability was quantified using a target searching task that required the participants to retain spatial information presented as vibrotactile or visual stimuli. Participants who received feedback information based on their own prefrontal activity showed gradually decreasing activity in the right prefrontal area during the neurofeedback training and demonstrated superior WM ability during the target searching task with vibrotactile stimuli compared with the participants who performed dummy neurofeedback training. In comparison, left prefrontal activity was not influenced by the neurofeedback training. Furthermore, the efficacy of neurofeedback training (i.e., lower right prefrontal activity and better searching task performance) was higher in participants who exhibited tactile dominance rather than visual dominance in their WM. These findings indicate that sensory modality dominance in WM may be an influential neurophysiological factor in determining the efficacy of neurofeedback training. These results may be useful in the development of neurofeedback training protocols tailored to individual needs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Takeshi Sakurada
- Department of Robotics, College of Science and Engineering, Ritsumeikan University, Shiga, Japan
- Functional Brain Science Laboratory, Center for Development of Advanced Medical Technology, Jichi Medical University, Tochigi, Japan
- Department of Neurosurgery, Jichi Medical University, Tochigi, Japan
- *Correspondence: Takeshi Sakurada,
| | - Mayuko Matsumoto
- Functional Brain Science Laboratory, Center for Development of Advanced Medical Technology, Jichi Medical University, Tochigi, Japan
- Graduate School of Systems Engineering and Science, Shibaura Institute of Technology, Saitama, Japan
| | - Shin-ichiroh Yamamoto
- Graduate School of Systems Engineering and Science, Shibaura Institute of Technology, Saitama, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
31
|
Hernandez CM, Hernandez AR, Hoffman JM, King PH, McMahon LL, Buford TW, Carter C, Bizon JL, Burke SN. A Neuroscience Primer for Integrating Geroscience With the Neurobiology of Aging. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci 2022; 77:e19-e33. [PMID: 34623396 PMCID: PMC8751809 DOI: 10.1093/gerona/glab301] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Neuroscience has a rich history of studies focusing on neurobiology of aging. However, much of the aging studies in neuroscience occur outside of the gerosciences. The goal of this primer is 2-fold: first, to briefly highlight some of the history of aging neurobiology and second, to introduce to geroscientists the broad spectrum of methodological approaches neuroscientists use to study the neurobiology of aging. This primer is accompanied by a corresponding geroscience primer, as well as a perspective on the current challenges and triumphs of the current divide across these 2 fields. This series of manuscripts is intended to foster enhanced collaborations between neuroscientists and geroscientists with the intent of strengthening the field of cognitive aging through inclusion of parameters from both areas of expertise.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Caesar M Hernandez
- Department of Cellular, Development, and Integrative Biology, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA.,Evelyn F. McKnight Brain Institute, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
| | - Abigail R Hernandez
- Evelyn F. McKnight Brain Institute, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA.,Department of Medicine, Division of Gerontology, Geriatrics, and Palliative Care, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
| | - Jessica M Hoffman
- Department of Medicine, Division of Gerontology, Geriatrics, and Palliative Care, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
| | - Peter H King
- Department of Cellular, Development, and Integrative Biology, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA.,Department of Neurology, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA.,Birmingham Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
| | - Lori L McMahon
- Department of Cellular, Development, and Integrative Biology, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA.,Evelyn F. McKnight Brain Institute, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA.,UAB Nathan Shock Center for the Basic Biology of Aging, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA.,UAB Integrative Center for Aging Research, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
| | - Thomas W Buford
- Evelyn F. McKnight Brain Institute, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA.,Department of Medicine, Division of Gerontology, Geriatrics, and Palliative Care, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA.,UAB Nathan Shock Center for the Basic Biology of Aging, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA.,UAB Integrative Center for Aging Research, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA.,Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center, Birmingham VA Medical Center, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
| | - Christy Carter
- Evelyn F. McKnight Brain Institute, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA.,Department of Medicine, Division of Gerontology, Geriatrics, and Palliative Care, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
| | - Jennifer L Bizon
- Department of Neuroscience, Center for Cognitive Aging and Memory, and the McKnight Brain Institute, The University of Florida, College of Medicine, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Sara N Burke
- Department of Neuroscience, Center for Cognitive Aging and Memory, and the McKnight Brain Institute, The University of Florida, College of Medicine, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| |
Collapse
|
32
|
Newman MF, Berger M, Mathew JP. Postoperative Cognitive Dysfunction and Delirium. Perioper Med (Lond) 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-323-56724-4.00042-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
|
33
|
Siegert A, Diedrich L, Antal A. New Methods, Old Brains-A Systematic Review on the Effects of tDCS on the Cognition of Elderly People. Front Hum Neurosci 2021; 15:730134. [PMID: 34776903 PMCID: PMC8578968 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2021.730134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2021] [Accepted: 09/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The world's population is aging. With this comes an increase in the prevalence of age-associated diseases, which amplifies the need for novel treatments to counteract cognitive decline in the elderly. One of the recently discussed non-pharmacological approaches is transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS). TDCS delivers weak electric currents to the brain, thereby modulating cortical excitability and activity. Recent evidence suggests that tDCS, mainly with anodal currents, can be a powerful means to non-invasively enhance cognitive functions in elderly people with age-related cognitive decline. Here, we screened a recently developed tDCS database (http://tdcsdatabase.com) that is an open access source of published tDCS papers and reviewed 16 studies that applied tDCS to healthy older subjects or patients suffering from Alzheimer's Disease or pre-stages. Evaluating potential changes in cognitive abilities we focus on declarative and working memory. Aiming for more standardized protocols, repeated tDCS applications (2 mA, 30 min) over the left dorso-lateral prefrontal cortex (LDLPFC) of elderly people seem to be one of the most efficient non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) approaches to slow progressive cognitive deterioration. However, inter-subject variability and brain state differences in health and disease restrict the possibility to generalize stimulation methodology and increase the necessity of personalized protocol adjustment by means of improved neuroimaging techniques and electrical field modeling.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Anna Siegert
- Department of Neurology, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Lukas Diedrich
- Department of Neurology, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Andrea Antal
- Department of Neurology, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
34
|
Ghafoor U, Yang D, Hong KS. Neuromodulatory effects of HD-tACS/tDCS on the prefrontal cortex: A resting-state fNIRS-EEG study. IEEE J Biomed Health Inform 2021; 26:2192-2203. [PMID: 34757916 DOI: 10.1109/jbhi.2021.3127080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Transcranial direct and alternating current stimulation (tDCS and tACS, respectively) can modulate human brain dynamics and cognition. However, these modalities have not been compared using multiple imaging techniques concurrently. In this study, 15 participants participated in an experiment involving two sessions with a gap of 10 d. In the first and second sessions, tACS and tDCS were administered to the participants. The anode for tDCS was positioned at point FpZ, and four cathodes were positioned over the left and right prefrontal cortices (PFCs) to target the frontal regions simultaneously. tDCS was administered with 1 mA current. tACS was supplied with a current of 1 mA (zero-to-peak value) at 10 Hz frequency. Stimulation was applied concomitantly with functional near-infrared spectroscopy and electroencephalography acquisitions in the resting-state. The statistical test showed significant alteration (p < 0.001) in the mean hemodynamic responses during and after tDCS and tACS periods. Between-group comparison revealed a significantly less (p < 0.001) change in the mean hemodynamic response caused by tACS compared with tDCS. As hypothesized, we successfully increased the hemodynamics in both left and right PFCs using tDCS and tACS. Moreover, a significant increase in alpha-band power (p < 0.01) and low beta band power (p < 0.05) due to tACS was observed after the stimulation period. Although tDCS is not frequency-specific, it increased but not significantly (p > 0.05) the powers of most bands including delta, theta, alpha, low beta, high beta, and gamma. These findings suggest that both hemispheres can be targeted and that both tACS and tDCS are equally effective in high-definition configurations, which may be of clinical relevance.
Collapse
|
35
|
Alvarez-Alvarado S, Boutzoukas EM, Kraft JN, O’Shea A, Indahlastari A, Albizu A, Nissim NR, Evangelista ND, Cohen R, Porges EC, Woods AJ. Impact of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation and Cognitive Training on Frontal Lobe Neurotransmitter Concentrations. Front Aging Neurosci 2021; 13:761348. [PMID: 34744698 PMCID: PMC8568306 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2021.761348] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2021] [Accepted: 10/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective: This study examines the impact of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) combined with cognitive training on neurotransmitter concentrations in the prefrontal cortex. Materials and Methods: Twenty-three older adults were randomized to either active-tDCS or sham-tDCS in combination with cognitive training for 2 weeks. Active-tDCS was delivered over F3 (cathode) and F4 (anode) electrode placements for 20 min at 2 mA intensity. For each training session, 40-min of computerized cognitive training were applied with active or sham stimulation delivered during the first 20-min. Glutamine/glutamate (Glx) and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) concentrations via proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy were evaluated at baseline and at the end of 2-week intervention. Results: Glx concentrations increased from pre- to post-intervention (p = 0.010) in the active versus sham group after controlling for age, number of intervention days, MoCA scores, and baseline Glx concentration. No difference in GABA concentration was detected between active and sham groups (p = 0.650) after 2-week intervention. Conclusion: Results provide preliminary evidence suggesting that combining cognitive training and tDCS over the prefrontal cortex elicits sustained increase in excitatory neurotransmitter concentrations. Findings support the combination of tDCS and cognitive training as a potential method for altering neurotransmitter concentrations in the frontal cortices, which may have implications for neuroplasticity in the aging brain.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Stacey Alvarez-Alvarado
- Center for Cognitive Aging and Memory, McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
- Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Emanuel M. Boutzoukas
- Center for Cognitive Aging and Memory, McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
- Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Jessica N. Kraft
- Center for Cognitive Aging and Memory, McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Andrew O’Shea
- Center for Cognitive Aging and Memory, McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
- Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Aprinda Indahlastari
- Center for Cognitive Aging and Memory, McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
- Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Alejandro Albizu
- Center for Cognitive Aging and Memory, McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Nicole R. Nissim
- Center for Cognitive Aging and Memory, McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Nicole D. Evangelista
- Center for Cognitive Aging and Memory, McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
- Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Ronald Cohen
- Center for Cognitive Aging and Memory, McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
- Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Eric C. Porges
- Center for Cognitive Aging and Memory, McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
- Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Adam J. Woods
- Center for Cognitive Aging and Memory, McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
- Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| |
Collapse
|
36
|
Brioschi Guevara A, Bieler M, Altomare D, Berthier M, Csajka C, Dautricourt S, Démonet JF, Dodich A, Frisoni GB, Miniussi C, Molinuevo JL, Ribaldi F, Scheltens P, Chételat G. Protocols for cognitive enhancement. A user manual for Brain Health Services-part 5 of 6. Alzheimers Res Ther 2021; 13:172. [PMID: 34635149 PMCID: PMC8507160 DOI: 10.1186/s13195-021-00844-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2021] [Accepted: 05/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Cognitive complaints in the absence of objective cognitive impairment, observed in patients with subjective cognitive decline (SCD), are common in old age. The first step to postpone cognitive decline is to use techniques known to improve cognition, i.e., cognitive enhancement techniques.We aimed to provide clinical recommendations to improve cognitive performance in cognitively unimpaired individuals, by using cognitive, mental, or physical training (CMPT), non-invasive brain stimulations (NIBS), drugs, or nutrients. We made a systematic review of CMPT studies based on the GRADE method rating the strength of evidence.CMPT have clinically relevant effects on cognitive and non-cognitive outcomes. The quality of evidence supporting the improvement of outcomes following a CMPT was high for metamemory; moderate for executive functions, attention, global cognition, and generalization in daily life; and low for objective memory, subjective memory, motivation, mood, and quality of life, as well as a transfer to other cognitive functions. Regarding specific interventions, CMPT based on repeated practice (e.g., video games or mindfulness, but not physical training) improved attention and executive functions significantly, while CMPT based on strategic learning significantly improved objective memory.We found encouraging evidence supporting the potential effect of NIBS in improving memory performance, and reducing the perception of self-perceived memory decline in SCD. Yet, the high heterogeneity of stimulation protocols in the different studies prevent the issuing of clear-cut recommendations for implementation in a clinical setting. No conclusive argument was found to recommend any of the main pharmacological cognitive enhancement drugs ("smart drugs", acetylcholinesterase inhibitors, memantine, antidepressant) or herbal extracts (Panax ginseng, Gingko biloba, and Bacopa monnieri) in people without cognitive impairment.Altogether, this systematic review provides evidence for CMPT to improve cognition, encouraging results for NIBS although more studies are needed, while it does not support the use of drugs or nutrients.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Brioschi Guevara
- Centre Leenaards de la Mémoire, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois, Lausanne, Switzerland.
| | - Melanie Bieler
- Centre Leenaards de la Mémoire, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Daniele Altomare
- Laboratory of Neuroimaging of Aging (LANVIE), University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
- Memory Clinic, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Marcelo Berthier
- Unit of Cognitive Neurology and Aphasia, Centro de Investigaciones Médico-Sanitarias, University of Malaga, Malaga, Spain
- Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Málaga - IBIMA, Malaga, Spain
| | - Chantal Csajka
- Center for Research and Innovation in clinical Pharmaceutical Sciences, University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Western Switzerland, University of Geneva, University of Lausanne, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Sophie Dautricourt
- Normandie Univ, UNICAEN, INSERM, U1237, PhIND "Physiopathology and Imaging of Neurological Disorders", Institut Blood and Brain @ Caen-Normandie, Cyceron, 14000, Caen, France
| | - Jean-François Démonet
- Centre Leenaards de la Mémoire, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Alessandra Dodich
- Center for Mind/Brain Sciences - CIMeC, University of Trento, Rovereto, Italy
| | - Giovanni B Frisoni
- Laboratory of Neuroimaging of Aging (LANVIE), University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
- Memory Clinic, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Carlo Miniussi
- Center for Mind/Brain Sciences - CIMeC, University of Trento, Rovereto, Italy
| | - José Luis Molinuevo
- Barcelonaβeta Brain Research Center, Pasqual Maragall Foundation, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Federica Ribaldi
- Laboratory of Neuroimaging of Aging (LANVIE), University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
- Memory Clinic, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
- Laboratory of Alzheimer's Neuroimaging and Epidemiology (LANE), Saint John of God Clinical Research Centre, Brescia, Italy
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
| | - Philip Scheltens
- Alzheimer Center Amsterdam, Department of Neurology, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Gael Chételat
- Normandie Univ, UNICAEN, INSERM, U1237, PhIND "Physiopathology and Imaging of Neurological Disorders", Institut Blood and Brain @ Caen-Normandie, Cyceron, 14000, Caen, France
| |
Collapse
|
37
|
Huo C, Xu G, Li W, Xie H, Zhang T, Liu Y, Li Z. A review on functional near-infrared spectroscopy and application in stroke rehabilitation. MEDICINE IN NOVEL TECHNOLOGY AND DEVICES 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.medntd.2021.100064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022] Open
|
38
|
Schmicker M, Menze I, Schneider C, Taubert M, Zaehle T, Mueller NG. Making the rich richer: Frontoparietal tDCS enhances transfer effects of a single-session distractor inhibition training on working memory in high capacity individuals but reduces them in low capacity individuals. Neuroimage 2021; 242:118438. [PMID: 34332042 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2021.118438] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2021] [Revised: 06/07/2021] [Accepted: 07/28/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Working memory (WM) performance depends on the ability to extract relevant while inhibiting irrelevant information from entering the WM storage. This distractor inhibition ability can be trained and is known to induce transfer effects on WM performance. Here we asked whether transfer on WM can be boosted by transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) during a single-session distractor inhibition training. As WM performance is ascribed to the frontoparietal network, in which prefrontal areas are associated with inhibiting distractors and posterior parietal areas with storing information, we placed the anode over the prefrontal and the cathode over the posterior parietal cortex during a single-session distractor inhibition training. This network-oriented stimulation protocol should enhance inhibition processes by shifting the neural activity from posterior to prefrontal regions. WM improved after a single-session distractor inhibition training under verum stimulation but only in subjects with a high WM capacity. In subjects with a low WM capacity, verum tDCS reduced the transfer effects on WM. We assume tDCS to strengthen the frontostriatal pathway in individuals with a high WM capacity leading to efficient inhibition of distractors. In contrast, the cathodal stimulation of the posterior parietal cortex might have hindered usual compensational mechanism in low capacity subjects, i.e. maintaining also irrelevant information in memory. Our results thus stress the need to adjust tDCS protocols to well-founded knowledge about neural networks and individual cognitive differences.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marlen Schmicker
- Neuroprotection Lab, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Magdeburg, Germany.
| | - Inga Menze
- Neuroprotection Lab, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Christine Schneider
- Neuroprotection Lab, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Marco Taubert
- Chair for Training Science, Faculty for Humanities, Otto-von-Guericke University, Magdeburg, Germany; Center for Behavioral Brain Sciences, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Tino Zaehle
- Department of Neurology, Otto-von-Guericke University, Magdeburg, Germany; Center for Behavioral Brain Sciences, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Notger G Mueller
- Neuroprotection Lab, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Magdeburg, Germany; Center for Behavioral Brain Sciences, Magdeburg, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
39
|
Stimulation of the Social Brain Improves Perspective Selection in Older Adults: A HD-tDCS Study. COGNITIVE AFFECTIVE & BEHAVIORAL NEUROSCIENCE 2021; 21:1233-1245. [PMID: 34287817 PMCID: PMC8563543 DOI: 10.3758/s13415-021-00929-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
There is evidence for dissociable, causal roles for two key social brain regions in young adults. Specifically, the right temporoparietal junction (rTPJ) is associated with embodied perspective taking, whereas the dorsomedial prefrontal cortex (dmPFC) is associated with the integration of social information. However, it is unknown whether these causal brain-behaviour associations are evident in older adults. Fifty-two healthy older adults were stratified to receive either rTPJ or dmPFC anodal high-definition transcranial direct current stimulation in a sham-controlled, double-blinded, repeated-measures design. Self-other processing was assessed across implicit and explicit level one (line-of-sight) and level two (embodied rotation) visual perspective taking (VPT) tasks, and self-other encoding effects on episodic memory. Both rTPJ and dmPFC stimulation reduced the influence of the alternate perspective during level one VPT, indexed by a reduced congruency effect (difference between congruent and incongruent perspectives). There were no stimulation effects on level two perspective taking nor self-other encoding effects on episodic memory. Stimulation to the rTPJ and dmPFC improved perspective selection during level one perspective taking. However, dissociable effects on self-other processing, previously observed in young adults, were not identified in older adults. The results provide causal evidence for age-related changes in social brain function that requires further scrutinization.
Collapse
|
40
|
Vaqué-Alcázar L, Abellaneda-Pérez K, Solé-Padullés C, Bargalló N, Valls-Pedret C, Ros E, Sala-Llonch R, Bartrés-Faz D. Functional brain changes associated with cognitive trajectories determine specific tDCS-induced effects among older adults. J Neurosci Res 2021; 99:2188-2200. [PMID: 34047384 DOI: 10.1002/jnr.24849] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2020] [Revised: 04/01/2021] [Accepted: 04/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
The combination of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) can provide original data to investigate age-related brain changes. We examined neural activity modulations induced by two multifocal tDCS procedures based on two distinct montages fitting two N-back task-based fMRI patterns ("compensatory" and "maintenance") related to high working memory (WM) in a previous publication (Fernández-Cabello et al. Neurobiol Aging (2016);48:23-33). We included 24 participants classified as stable or decliners according to their 4-year WM trajectories following a retrospective longitudinal approach. Then, we studied longitudinal fMRI differences between groups (stable and decliners) and across multifocal tDCS montages ("compensatory" and "maintenance") applied using a single-blind sham-controlled cross-over design. Decliners evidenced over-activation of non-related WM areas after 4 years of follow-up. Focusing on tDCS effects, among the decliner group, the "compensatory"-tDCS montage reduced the activity over the posterior regions where these subjects showed longitudinal hyperactivation. These results reinforce the notion that tDCS effects are characterized by an activity reduction and might be more noticeable in compromised systems. Importantly, the data provide novel evidence that cognitive trajectories predict tDCS effects in older adults.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lídia Vaqué-Alcázar
- Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Institute of Neurosciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Institute of Biomedical Research August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Kilian Abellaneda-Pérez
- Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Institute of Neurosciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Institute of Biomedical Research August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Cristina Solé-Padullés
- Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Institute of Neurosciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Núria Bargalló
- Institute of Biomedical Research August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain.,Neuroradiology Section, Radiology Service, Centre de Diagnòstic per la Imatge, Hospital Clínic, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Cinta Valls-Pedret
- Institute of Biomedical Research August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain.,Lipid Clinic, Endocrinology and Nutrition Service, Hospital Clínic, Barcelona, Spain.,CIBER Fisiopatología Obesidad y Nutrición (CIBEROBN), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Emilio Ros
- Institute of Biomedical Research August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain.,Lipid Clinic, Endocrinology and Nutrition Service, Hospital Clínic, Barcelona, Spain.,CIBER Fisiopatología Obesidad y Nutrición (CIBEROBN), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Roser Sala-Llonch
- Institute of Biomedical Research August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain.,Department of Biomedicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Institute of Neurosciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Consorcio Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red (CIBER) de Bioingeniería, Biomateriales y Nanomedicina (CIBER-BBN), Barcelona, Spain
| | - David Bartrés-Faz
- Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Institute of Neurosciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Institute of Biomedical Research August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain.,Institut Guttmann, Institut Universitari de Neurorehabilitació adscrit a la UAB, Barcelona, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
41
|
Tan SJ, Filmer HL, Dux PE. Age-related differences in the role of the prefrontal cortex in sensory-motor training gains: A tDCS study. Neuropsychologia 2021; 158:107891. [PMID: 34004221 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2021.107891] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2020] [Revised: 05/03/2021] [Accepted: 05/11/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
The ability to process multiple sources of information concurrently is particularly impaired as individuals age and such age-related increases in multitasking costs have been linked to impairments in response selection. Previous neuroimaging studies with young adults have implicated the left hemisphere prefrontal cortex (PFC) as a key neural substrate of response selection. In addition, several transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) studies have provided causal evidence implicating this region in response selection and multitasking operations. For example, Filmer et al. (2013b) demonstrated that typically observed response selection learning/training gains in young adults were disrupted via offline tDCS of left, but not right, PFC. Here, considering evidence of age-related structural and functional changes in the brains of older adults, we assessed if this pattern of response selection learning disruption via tDCS to the left PFC is observed in older adults, testing if this region remains a key response selection node as individuals age. In a pre-registered study with 58 older adults, we applied anodal, cathodal, and sham stimulation to left and right PFC, and measured performance as participants trained on low- and high-response selection load tasks. Active stimulation did not disrupt training in older adults as compared to younger adults from our previous study. The results highlight age-related differences in the casual neural substrates that subserve response selection and learning.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Si Jing Tan
- School of Psychology, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Australia
| | - Hannah L Filmer
- School of Psychology, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Australia.
| | - Paul E Dux
- School of Psychology, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
42
|
Cognitive Aftereffects of Acute tDCS Coupled with Cognitive Training: An fMRI Study in Healthy Seniors. Neural Plast 2021; 2021:6664479. [PMID: 33953741 PMCID: PMC8057875 DOI: 10.1155/2021/6664479] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2020] [Revised: 03/04/2021] [Accepted: 03/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Enhancing cognitive functions through noninvasive brain stimulation is of enormous public interest, particularly for the aging population in whom processes such as working memory are known to decline. In a randomized double-blind crossover study, we investigated the acute behavioral and neural aftereffects of bifrontal and frontoparietal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) combined with visual working memory (VWM) training on 25 highly educated older adults. Resting-state functional connectivity (rs-FC) analysis was performed prior to and after each stimulation session with a focus on the frontoparietal control network (FPCN). The bifrontal montage with anode over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex enhanced VWM accuracy as compared to the sham stimulation. With the rs-FC within the FPCN, we observed significant stimulation × time interaction using bifrontal tDCS. We found no cognitive aftereffects of the frontoparietal tDCS compared to sham stimulation. Our study shows that a single bifrontal tDCS combined with cognitive training may enhance VWM performance and rs-FC within the relevant brain network even in highly educated older adults.
Collapse
|
43
|
Figeys M, Zeeman M, Kim ES. Effects of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) on Cognitive Performance and Cerebral Oxygen Hemodynamics: A Systematic Review. Front Hum Neurosci 2021; 15:623315. [PMID: 33897392 PMCID: PMC8058208 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2021.623315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2020] [Accepted: 03/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: There is increasing evidence to support the efficacy of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) applications in cognitive augmentation and rehabilitation. Neuromodulation achieved with tDCS may further regulate regional cerebral perfusion affiliated through the neurovascular unit; however, components of cerebral perfusion decrease across aging. A novel neuroimaging approach, functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), can aid in quantifying these regional perfusional changes. To date, the interaction of the effects of tDCS on cognitive performance across the lifespan and obtained fNIRS hemodynamic responses remain unknown. Objective: This review aims to examine the effects of tDCS on cognitive performance and fNIRS hemodynamic responses within the context of cognitive aging. Methods: Six databases were searched for studies. Quality appraisal and data extraction were conducted by two independent reviewers. Meta-analysis was carried out to determine overall and subgroup effect sizes. Results: Eight studies met inclusion criteria. The overall effect size demonstrates that tDCS can alter cognitive performance and fNIRS signals, with aging being a potential intermediary in tDCS efficacy. Conclusion: From the studies included, the effects of tDCS on cognitive performance and fNIRS metrics are most prominent in young healthy adults and appear to become less robust with increasing age. Given the small number of studies included in this review further investigation is recommended.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mathieu Figeys
- Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Michael Zeeman
- Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Esther Sung Kim
- Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada.,Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
44
|
Krebs C, Peter J, Wyss P, Brem AK, Klöppel S. Transcranial electrical stimulation improves cognitive training effects in healthy elderly adults with low cognitive performance. Clin Neurophysiol 2021; 132:1254-1263. [PMID: 33875372 DOI: 10.1016/j.clinph.2021.01.034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2020] [Revised: 11/25/2020] [Accepted: 01/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To investigate the efficacy of transcranial direct (tDCS) or alternating current stimulation (tACS) in boosting cognitive training efficiency in healthy older adults. We further explored whether such improvements depend on general cognitive performance or age. METHODS In this randomized, sham-controlled study, 59 healthy elderly participants (mean age 71.7) were assigned to receive computer-based cognitive training (10 sessions, 50 min, twice weekly) combined with tDCS (2 mA), tACS (5 Hz), or sham stimulation over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (20 minutes). Cognitive performance was assessed with the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), and a cognitive composite score derived from a broad neuropsychological test battery before and immediately after the intervention as well as at 6 and 12 months follow-ups. RESULTS Performance in the cognitive composite score improved significantly in all groups but was not further modulated by neurostimulation. Additional analyses revealed that participants with a low initial MoCA score (<1SD) improved significantly more in the tDCS than in the sham group. CONCLUSION TDCS increased the efficacy of cognitive training, but only in participants with initially low general cognitive performance. SIGNIFICANCE Cognitive interventions including tDCS should address baseline performance as modulating factor of cognitive outcomes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Christine Krebs
- University Hospital of Old Age Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland; Graduate School for Health Sciences, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
| | - Jessica Peter
- University Hospital of Old Age Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Patric Wyss
- University Hospital of Old Age Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Anna-Katharine Brem
- University Hospital of Old Age Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland; Department of Neuropsychology, Lucerne Psychiatry, Lucerne, Switzerland; Berenson-Allen Center for Noninvasive Brain Stimulation, Division of Cognitive Neurology, Department of Neurology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Stefan Klöppel
- University Hospital of Old Age Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| |
Collapse
|
45
|
Brambilla M, Dinkelbach L, Bigler A, Williams J, Zokaei N, Cohen Kadosh R, Brem AK. The Effect of Transcranial Random Noise Stimulation on Cognitive Training Outcome in Healthy Aging. Front Neurol 2021; 12:625359. [PMID: 33767658 PMCID: PMC7985554 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2021.625359] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2020] [Accepted: 02/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Background and Objective: Aging is associated with a decline in attentional and executive abilities, which are linked to physiological, structural, and functional brain changes. A variety of novel non-invasive brain stimulation methods have been probed in terms of their neuroenhancement efficacy in the last decade; one that holds significant promise is transcranial random noise stimulation (tRNS) that delivers an alternate current at random amplitude and frequency. The aim of this study was to investigate whether repeated sessions of tRNS applied as an add-on to cognitive training (CT) may induce long-term near and far transfer cognitive improvements. Methods: In this sham-controlled, randomized, double-blinded study forty-two older adults (age range 60-86 years) were randomly assigned to one of three intervention groups that received 20 min of 0.705 mA tRNS (N = 14), 1 mA tRNS (N = 14), or sham tRNS (N = 19) combined with 30 min of CT of executive functions (cognitive flexibility, inhibitory control, working memory). tRNS was applied bilaterally over the dorsolateral prefrontal cortices for five sessions. The primary outcome (non-verbal logical reasoning) and other cognitive functions (attention, memory, executive functions) were assessed before and after the intervention and at a 1-month follow-up. Results: Non-verbal logical reasoning, inhibitory control and reaction time improved significantly over time, but stimulation did not differentially affect this improvement. These changes occurred during CT, while no further improvement was observed during follow-up. Performance change in logical reasoning was significantly correlated with age in the group receiving 1 mA tRNS, indicating that older participants profited more from tRNS than younger participants. Performance change in non-verbal working memory was significantly correlated with age in the group receiving sham tRNS, indicating that in contrast to active tRNS, older participants in the sham group declined more than younger participants. Interpretation: CT induced cognitive improvements in all treatment groups, but tRNS did not modulate most of these cognitive improvements. However, the effect of tRNS depended on age in some cognitive functions. We discuss possible explanations leading to this result that can help to improve the design of future neuroenhancement studies in older populations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Michela Brambilla
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
- Biomedical and Clinical Sciences Department, Center for Research and Treatment on Cognitive Dysfunctions, “Luigi Sacco” Hospital, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Lars Dinkelbach
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
- Department of Neurology, Institute of Clinical Neuroscience and Medical Psychology, Heinrich Heine University, Duesseldorf, Germany
| | - Annelien Bigler
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
- Department of Experimental Psychology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Joseph Williams
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
- Medical Sciences Division, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Nahid Zokaei
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Roi Cohen Kadosh
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Anna-Katharine Brem
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
- Department of Neurology, Berenson-Allen Center for Noninvasive Brain Stimulation and Division for Cognitive Neurology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| |
Collapse
|
46
|
Balconi M, Angioletti L, Cassioli F, Crivelli D. Neurocognitive Empowerment in Healthy Aging: a Pilot Study on the Effect of Non-invasive Brain Stimulation on Executive Functions. JOURNAL OF COGNITIVE ENHANCEMENT 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s41465-020-00203-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
|
47
|
Impact of COMT val158met on tDCS-induced cognitive enhancement in older adults. Behav Brain Res 2021; 401:113081. [PMID: 33359367 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2020.113081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2020] [Revised: 11/28/2020] [Accepted: 12/14/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Previous studies suggest that genetic polymorphisms and aging modulate inter-individual variability in brain stimulation-induced plasticity. However, the relationship between genetic polymorphisms and behavioral modulation through transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) in older adults remains poorly understood. OBJECTIVE Link individual tDCS responsiveness, operationalized as performance difference between tDCS and sham condition, to common genetic polymorphisms in healthy older adults. METHODS 106 healthy older participants from five tDCS-studies were re-invited to donate blood for genotyping of apoliproprotein E (APOE: ε4 carriers and ε4 non-carriers), catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT: val/val, val/met, met/met), brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF: val/val, val/met, met/met) and KIdney/BRAin encoding gene (KIBRA: C/C, C/T, T/T). Studies had assessed cognitive performance during tDCS and sham in cross-over designs. We now asked whether the tDCS responsiveness was related to the four genotypes using a linear regression models. RESULTS We found that tDCS responsiveness was significantly associated with COMT polymorphism; i.e., COMT val carriers (compared to met/met) showed higher tDCS responsiveness. No other significant associations emerged. CONCLUSION Using data from five brain stimulation studies conducted in our group, we showed that only individual variation of COMT genotypes modulated behavioral response to tDCS. These findings contribute to the understanding of inherent factors that explain inter-individual variability in functional tDCS effects in older adults, and might help to better stratify participants for future clinical trials.
Collapse
|
48
|
Indahlastari A, Hardcastle C, Albizu A, Alvarez-Alvarado S, Boutzoukas EM, Evangelista ND, Hausman HK, Kraft J, Langer K, Woods AJ. A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation to Remediate Age-Related Cognitive Decline in Healthy Older Adults. Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat 2021; 17:971-990. [PMID: 33824591 PMCID: PMC8018377 DOI: 10.2147/ndt.s259499] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2020] [Accepted: 03/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has been proposed as a possible method for remediating age-associated cognitive decline in the older adult population. While tDCS has shown potential for improving cognitive functions in healthy older adults, stimulation outcomes on various cognitive domains have been mixed. METHODS A systematic search was performed in four databases: PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, and PsychInfo. Search results were then screened for eligibility based on inclusion/exclusion criteria to only include studies where tDCS was applied to improve cognition in healthy older adults 65 years and above. Eligible studies were reviewed and demographic characteristics, tDCS dose parameters, study procedures, and cognitive outcomes were extracted. Reported effect sizes for active compared to sham group in representative cognitive domain were converted to Hedges' g. MAIN RESULTS A total of thirteen studies involving healthy older adults (n=532, mean age=71.2+5.3 years) were included in the meta-analysis. The majority of included studies (94%) targeted the prefrontal cortex with stimulation intensity 1-2 mA using various electrode placements with anodes near the frontal region. Across all studies, we found Hedges' g values ranged from -0.31 to 1.85 as reported group effect sizes of active stimulation compared to sham. CONCLUSION While observed outcomes varied, overall findings indicated promising effects of tDCS to remediate cognitive aging and thus deserves further exploration. Future characterization of inter-individual variability in tDCS dose response and applications in larger cohorts are warranted to further validate benefits of tDCS for cognition in healthy older adults.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Aprinda Indahlastari
- Center for Cognitive Aging and Memory, McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.,Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Cheshire Hardcastle
- Center for Cognitive Aging and Memory, McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.,Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Alejandro Albizu
- Center for Cognitive Aging and Memory, McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.,Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Stacey Alvarez-Alvarado
- Center for Cognitive Aging and Memory, McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.,Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Emanuel M Boutzoukas
- Center for Cognitive Aging and Memory, McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.,Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Nicole D Evangelista
- Center for Cognitive Aging and Memory, McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.,Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Hanna K Hausman
- Center for Cognitive Aging and Memory, McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.,Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Jessica Kraft
- Center for Cognitive Aging and Memory, McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.,Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Kailey Langer
- Center for Cognitive Aging and Memory, McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.,Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Adam J Woods
- Center for Cognitive Aging and Memory, McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.,Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.,Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| |
Collapse
|
49
|
Ehrhardt SE, Filmer HL, Wards Y, Mattingley JB, Dux PE. The influence of tDCS intensity on decision-making training and transfer outcomes. J Neurophysiol 2020; 125:385-397. [PMID: 33174483 DOI: 10.1152/jn.00423.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has been shown to improve single- and dual-task performance in healthy participants and enhance transferable training gains following multiple sessions of combined stimulation and task practice. However, it has yet to be determined what the optimal stimulation dose is for facilitating such outcomes. We aimed to test the effects of different tDCS intensities, with a commonly used electrode montage, on performance outcomes in a multisession single/dual-task training and transfer protocol. In a preregistered study, 123 participants, who were pseudorandomized across four groups, each completed six sessions (pre- and posttraining sessions and four combined tDCS and training sessions) and received 20 min of prefrontal anodal tDCS at 0.7, 1.0, or 2.0 mA or 15-s sham stimulation. Response time and accuracy were assessed in trained and untrained tasks. The 1.0-mA group showed substantial improvements in single-task reaction time and dual-task accuracy, with additional evidence for improvements in dual-task reaction times, relative to sham performance. This group also showed near transfer to the single-task component of an untrained multitasking paradigm. The 0.7- and 2.0-mA intensities varied in which performance measures they improved on the trained task, but in sum, the effects were less robust than for the 1.0-mA group, and there was no evidence for the transfer of performance. Our study highlights that training performance gains are augmented by tDCS, but their magnitude and nature are not uniform across stimulation intensity.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Using techniques such as transcranial direct current stimulation to modulate cognitive performance is an alluring endeavor. However, the optimal parameters to augment performance are unknown. Here, in a preregistered study with a large sample (123 subjects), three different stimulation dosages (0.7, 1.0, and 2.0 mA) were applied during multitasking training. Different cognitive training performance outcomes occurred across the dosage conditions, with only one of the doses (1.0 mA) leading to training transfer.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shane E Ehrhardt
- School of Psychology, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Australia
| | - Hannah L Filmer
- School of Psychology, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Australia
| | - Yohan Wards
- School of Psychology, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Australia
| | - Jason B Mattingley
- School of Psychology, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Australia.,Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Australia.,Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Paul E Dux
- School of Psychology, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
50
|
Thams F, Kuzmina A, Backhaus M, Li SC, Grittner U, Antonenko D, Flöel A. Cognitive training and brain stimulation in prodromal Alzheimer's disease (AD-Stim)-study protocol for a double-blind randomized controlled phase IIb (monocenter) trial. Alzheimers Res Ther 2020; 12:142. [PMID: 33160420 PMCID: PMC7648990 DOI: 10.1186/s13195-020-00692-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2020] [Accepted: 09/16/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Given the growing older population worldwide, and the associated increase in age-related diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease (AD), investigating non-invasive methods to ameliorate or even prevent cognitive decline in prodromal AD is highly relevant. Previous studies suggest transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) to be an effective method to boost cognitive performance, especially when applied in combination with cognitive training in healthy older adults. So far, no studies combining tDCS concurrent with an intense multi-session cognitive training in prodromal AD populations have been conducted. METHODS The AD-Stim trial is a monocentric, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, including a 3-week tDCS-assisted cognitive training with anodal tDCS over left DLPFC (target intervention), compared to cognitive training plus sham (control intervention). The cognitive training encompasses a letter updating task and a three-stage Markov decision-making task. Forty-six participants with subjective cognitive decline (SCD) or mild cognitive impairment (MCI) will be randomized block-wise to either target or control intervention group and participate in nine interventional visits with additional pre- and post-intervention assessments. Performance in the letter updating task after training and anodal tDCS compared to sham stimulation will be analyzed as primary outcome. Further, performance on the second training task and transfer tasks will be investigated. Two follow-up visits (at 1 and 7 months post-training) will be performed to assess possible maintenance effects. Structural and functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) will be applied before the intervention and at the 7-month follow-up to identify possible neural predictors for successful intervention. SIGNIFICANCE With this trial, we aim to provide evidence for tDCS-induced improvements of multi-session cognitive training in participants with SCD and MCI. An improved understanding of tDCS effects on cognitive training performance and neural predictors may help to develop novel approaches to counteract cognitive decline in participants with prodromal AD. TRIAL REGISTRATION ClinicalTrials.gov , NCT04265378 . Registered on 07 February 2020. Retrospectively registered. Protocol version: Based on BB 004/18 version 1.2 (May 17, 2019). SPONSOR University Medicine Greifswald.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Friederike Thams
- Department of Neurology, Universitätsmedizin Greifswald, Ferdinand-Sauerbruch-Straße, 17475 Greifswald, Germany
| | - Anna Kuzmina
- Department of Neurology, Universitätsmedizin Greifswald, Ferdinand-Sauerbruch-Straße, 17475 Greifswald, Germany
| | - Malte Backhaus
- Department of Neurology, Universitätsmedizin Greifswald, Ferdinand-Sauerbruch-Straße, 17475 Greifswald, Germany
| | - Shu-Chen Li
- Chair of Lifespan Developmental Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology, TU Dresden, Zellescher Weg 17, 01062 Dresden, Germany
- Centre for Tactile Internet with Human-in-the-Loop, TU Dresden, 01062 Dresden, Germany
| | - Ulrike Grittner
- Berlin Institute of Health (BIH), Anna-Louisa-Karsch-Straße 2, 10178 Berlin, Germany
- Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, And Berlin Institute of Health, Institute of Biometry and Clinical Epidemiology, Charitéplatz 1, 10117 Berlin, Germany
| | - Daria Antonenko
- Department of Neurology, Universitätsmedizin Greifswald, Ferdinand-Sauerbruch-Straße, 17475 Greifswald, Germany
| | - Agnes Flöel
- Department of Neurology, Universitätsmedizin Greifswald, Ferdinand-Sauerbruch-Straße, 17475 Greifswald, Germany
- German Centre for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) Standort Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| |
Collapse
|