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Paßmann S, Baselgia S, Kasten FH, Herrmann CS, Rasch B. Differential online and offline effects of theta-tACS on memory encoding and retrieval. COGNITIVE, AFFECTIVE & BEHAVIORAL NEUROSCIENCE 2024; 24:894-911. [PMID: 39085585 PMCID: PMC11390785 DOI: 10.3758/s13415-024-01204-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/01/2024] [Indexed: 08/02/2024]
Abstract
Theta oscillations support memory formation, but their exact contribution to the communication between prefrontal cortex (PFC) and the hippocampus is unknown. We tested the functional relevance of theta oscillations as a communication link between both areas for memory formation using transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS). Healthy, young participants learned two lists of Dutch-German word pairs and retrieved them immediately and with a 30-min delay. In the encoding group (N = 30), tACS was applied during the encoding of list 1. List 2 was used to test stimulation aftereffects. In the retrieval group (N = 23), we stimulated during the delayed recall. In both groups, we applied tACS bilaterally at prefrontal and tempo-parietal sites, using either individualized theta frequency or 15 Hz (as control), according to a within-subject design. Stimulation with theta-tACS did not alter overall learning performance. An exploratory analysis revealed that immediate recall improved when word-pairs were learned after theta-tACS (list 2). Applying theta-tACS during retrieval had detrimental effects on memory. No changes in the power of the respective frequency bands were observed. Our results do not support the notion that impacting the communication between PFC and the hippocampus during a task by bilateral tACS improves memory. However, we do find evidence that direct stimulation had a trend for negatively interfering effects during immediate and delayed recall. Hints for beneficial effects on memory only occurred with aftereffects of the stimulation. Future studies need to further examine the effects during and after stimulation on memory formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sven Paßmann
- Cognitive Biopsychology and Methods, Department of Psychology, Université Fribourg, Rue P.-A.-de-Faucigny 2, 1700, Fribourg, Switzerland.
- Department of Neurology, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany.
| | - Sandrine Baselgia
- Cognitive Biopsychology and Methods, Department of Psychology, Université Fribourg, Rue P.-A.-de-Faucigny 2, 1700, Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Florian H Kasten
- Centre de Recherche Cerveau & Cognition, CNRS, Toulouse, France
- Université Toulouse III Paul Sabatier, Toulouse, France
| | - Christoph S Herrmann
- Experimental Psychology Lab, Department of Psychology, Carl Von Ossietzky Universität, Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Björn Rasch
- Cognitive Biopsychology and Methods, Department of Psychology, Université Fribourg, Rue P.-A.-de-Faucigny 2, 1700, Fribourg, Switzerland
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2
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Scaramuzzi GF, Spina AC, Manippa V, Amico F, Cornacchia E, Palmisano A, Scianatico G, Buscombe R, Avery R, Thoma V, Rivolta D. Darts fast-learning reduces theta power but is not affected by Hf-tRNS: A behavioral and electrophysiological investigation. Brain Res 2024; 1846:149249. [PMID: 39313166 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2024.149249] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2024] [Revised: 08/28/2024] [Accepted: 09/19/2024] [Indexed: 09/25/2024]
Abstract
Sports trainers have recently shown increasing interest in innovative methods, including transcranial electric stimulation, to enhance motor performance and boost the acquisition of new skills during training. However, studies on the effectiveness of these tools on fast visuomotor learning and brain activity are still limited. In this randomized single-blind, sham-controlled, between-subjects study, we investigated whether a single training session, either coupled or not with 2 mA online high-frequency transcranial random noise stimulation (hf-tRNS) over the bilateral primary motor cortex (M1), would affect dart-throwing performance (i.e., radial error, arm range of motion, and movement variability) in 37 healthy volunteers. In addition, potential neurophysiological correlates were monitored before and after the training through a 32-electrode portable electroencephalogram (EEG). Results revealed that a single training session improved radial error and arm range of motion during the dart-throwing task, but not movement variability. Furthermore, after the training, resting state-EEG data showed a decrease in theta power. Radial error, arm movement, and EEG were not further modulated by hf-tRNS. This indicates that a single training session, regardless of hf-tRNS administration, improves dart-throwing precision and movement accuracy. However, it does not improve movement variability, which might require multiple training sessions (expertise resulting in slow learning). Theta power decrease could describe a more efficient use of cognitive resources (i.e., attention and visuomotor skills) due to the fast dart-throwing learning. Further research could explore different sports by applying longer stimulation protocols and evaluating other EEG variables to enhance our understanding of the lasting impacts of multi-session hf-tRNS on the sensorimotor cortex within the framework of slow learning and training assistance.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Anna Concetta Spina
- Department of Education, Psychology and Communication, University of Bari Aldo Moro, 70122 Bari, Italy
| | - Valerio Manippa
- Department of Education, Psychology and Communication, University of Bari Aldo Moro, 70122 Bari, Italy.
| | - Francesca Amico
- Department of Education, Psychology and Communication, University of Bari Aldo Moro, 70122 Bari, Italy
| | - Ester Cornacchia
- Department of Education, Psychology and Communication, University of Bari Aldo Moro, 70122 Bari, Italy
| | - Annalisa Palmisano
- Chair of Lifespan Developmental Neuroscience, TUD Dresden University of Technology, 01069 Dresden, Germany
| | - Gaetano Scianatico
- Department of Education, Psychology and Communication, University of Bari Aldo Moro, 70122 Bari, Italy
| | - Richard Buscombe
- Department of Applied Sport and Exercise Sciences, School of Health, Sport and Bioscience, University of East London, University Way, London E16 2RD, United Kingdom
| | - Richard Avery
- Department of Applied Sport and Exercise Sciences, School of Health, Sport and Bioscience, University of East London, University Way, London E16 2RD, United Kingdom
| | - Volker Thoma
- Department of Psychological Sciences, School of Psychology, University of East London, United Kingdom
| | - Davide Rivolta
- Department of Education, Psychology and Communication, University of Bari Aldo Moro, 70122 Bari, Italy
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3
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Feng T, Zhang L, Wu Y, Tang L, Chen X, Li Y, Shan C. Exploring the Therapeutic Effects and Mechanisms of Transcranial Alternating Current Stimulation on Improving Walking Ability in Stroke Patients via Modulating Cerebellar Gamma Frequency Band-a Narrative Review. CEREBELLUM (LONDON, ENGLAND) 2024; 23:1593-1603. [PMID: 37962773 PMCID: PMC11269344 DOI: 10.1007/s12311-023-01632-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/01/2023] [Indexed: 11/15/2023]
Abstract
The cerebellum plays an important role in maintaining balance, posture control, muscle tone, and lower limb coordination in healthy individuals and stroke patients. At the same time, the relationship between cerebellum and motor learning has been widely concerned in recent years. Due to the relatively intact structure preservation and high plasticity after supratentorial stroke, non-invasive neuromodulation targeting the cerebellum is increasingly used to treat abnormal gait in stroke patients. The gamma frequency of transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) is commonly used to improve motor learning. It is an essential endogenous EEG oscillation in the gamma range during the swing phase, and rhythmic movement changes in the gait cycle. However, the effect of cerebellar tACS in the gamma frequency band on balance and walking after stroke remains unknown and requires further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tingyi Feng
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Yueyang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Lichao Zhang
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Yueyang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Yuwei Wu
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Yueyang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Lin Tang
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Yueyang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Xixi Chen
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Yueyang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
- School of Rehabilitation Science, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Yuanli Li
- Engineering Research Center of Traditional Chinese Medicine Intelligent Rehabilitation, Ministry of Education, Shanghai, China
- Department of Rehabilitation, Shanghai Seventh People's Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Chunlei Shan
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Yueyang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China.
- Institute of Rehabilitation, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
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4
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Wynn SC, Marshall TR, Nyhus E. Utilizing tACS to enhance memory confidence and EEG to predict individual differences in brain stimulation efficacy. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.05.27.596015. [PMID: 38854074 PMCID: PMC11160642 DOI: 10.1101/2024.05.27.596015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2024]
Abstract
The information transfer necessary for successful memory retrieval is believed to be mediated by theta and gamma oscillations. These oscillations have been linked to memory processes in electrophysiological studies, which were correlational in nature. In the current study, we used transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) to externally modulate brain oscillations to examine its direct effects on memory performance. Participants received sham, theta (4 Hz), and gamma (50 Hz) tACS over frontoparietal regions while retrieving information in a source memory paradigm. Linear regression models were used to investigate the direct effects of oscillatory non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) on memory accuracy and confidence. Our results indicate that both theta and gamma tACS altered memory confidence. Specifically, theta tACS seemed to lower the threshold for confidence in retrieved information, while gamma tACS appeared to alter the memory confidence bias. Furthermore, the individual differences in tACS effects could be predicted from electroencephalogram (EEG) measures recorded prior to stimulation, suggesting that EEG could be a useful tool for predicting individual variability in the efficacy of NIBS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Syanah C Wynn
- Neuroimaging Center, Johannes Gutenberg University Medical Center Mainz, Mainz, Germany
- Department of Psychology and Program in Neuroscience, Bowdoin College, Brunswick, ME, United States
- Centre for Human Brain Health, School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Tom R Marshall
- Centre for Human Brain Health, School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Erika Nyhus
- Department of Psychology and Program in Neuroscience, Bowdoin College, Brunswick, ME, United States
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Wang Y, Wu D, Sun K, Zhu Y, Chen X, Xiao W. The Effect of Rhythmic Audio-Visual Stimulation on Inhibitory Control: An ERP Study. Brain Sci 2024; 14:506. [PMID: 38790484 PMCID: PMC11119230 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci14050506] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2024] [Revised: 05/13/2024] [Accepted: 05/15/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Inhibitory control, as an essential cognitive ability, affects the development of higher cognitive functions. Rhythmic perceptual stimulation has been used to improve cognitive abilities. It is unclear, however, whether it can be used to improve inhibitory control. This study used the Go/NoGo task and the Stroop task to assess various levels of inhibitory control using rhythmic audio-visual stimuli as the stimulus mode. Sixty subjects were randomly divided into three groups to receive 6 Hz, 10 Hz, and white noise stimulation for 30 min. Two tasks were completed by each subject both before and after the stimulus. Before and after the task, closed-eye resting EEG data were collected. The results showed no differences in behavioral and EEG measures of the Go/NoGo task among the three groups. While both 6 Hz and 10 Hz audio-visual stimulation reduced the conflict effect in the Stroop task, only 6 Hz audio-visual stimulation improved the amplitude of the N2 component and decreased the conflict score. Although rhythmic audio-visual stimulation did not enhance response inhibition, it improved conflict inhibition.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Wei Xiao
- Department of Military Medical Psychology, Air Force Medical University, Xi’an 710032, China; (Y.W.); (D.W.); (K.S.); (Y.Z.); (X.C.)
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Baselgia S, Kasten FH, Herrmann CS, Rasch B, Paβmann S. No Benefit in Memory Performance after Nocturnal Memory Reactivation Coupled with Theta-tACS. Clocks Sleep 2024; 6:211-233. [PMID: 38651390 PMCID: PMC11036246 DOI: 10.3390/clockssleep6020015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2024] [Revised: 03/14/2024] [Accepted: 03/19/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Targeted memory reactivation (TMR) is an effective technique to enhance sleep-associated memory consolidation. The successful reactivation of memories by external reminder cues is typically accompanied by an event-related increase in theta oscillations, preceding better memory recall after sleep. However, it remains unclear whether the increase in theta oscillations is a causal factor or an epiphenomenon of successful TMR. Here, we used transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) to examine the causal role of theta oscillations for TMR during non-rapid eye movement (non-REM) sleep. Thirty-seven healthy participants learned Dutch-German word pairs before sleep. During non-REM sleep, we applied either theta-tACS or control-tACS (23 Hz) in blocks (9 min) in a randomised order, according to a within-subject design. One group of participants received tACS coupled with TMR time-locked two seconds after the reminder cue (time-locked group). Another group received tACS in a continuous manner while TMR cues were presented (continuous group). Contrary to our predictions, we observed no frequency-specific benefit of theta-tACS coupled with TMR during sleep on memory performance, neither for continuous nor time-locked stimulation. In fact, both stimulation protocols blocked the TMR-induced memory benefits during sleep, resulting in no memory enhancement by TMR in both the theta and control conditions. No frequency-specific effect was found on the power analyses of the electroencephalogram. We conclude that tACS might have an unspecific blocking effect on memory benefits typically observed after TMR during non-REM sleep.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandrine Baselgia
- Cognitive Biopsychology and Methods, Department of Psychology, Université de Fribourg, 1700 Fribourg, Switzerland;
| | - Florian H. Kasten
- Centre de Recherche Cerveau & Cognition, CNRS & Université Toulouse III Paul Sabatier, 31062 Toulouse, France;
| | - Christoph S. Herrmann
- Experimental Psychology Lab, Department of Psychology, Carl von Ossietzky Universität, 26129 Oldenburg, Germany;
| | - Björn Rasch
- Cognitive Biopsychology and Methods, Department of Psychology, Université de Fribourg, 1700 Fribourg, Switzerland;
| | - Sven Paβmann
- Cognitive Biopsychology and Methods, Department of Psychology, Université de Fribourg, 1700 Fribourg, Switzerland;
- Department of Neurology, University Medicine Greifswald, 17475 Greifswald, Germany
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Diedrich L, Kolhoff HI, Chakalov I, Vékony T, Németh D, Antal A. Prefrontal theta-gamma transcranial alternating current stimulation improves non-declarative visuomotor learning in older adults. Sci Rep 2024; 14:4955. [PMID: 38418511 PMCID: PMC10901881 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-55125-2] [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: 08/29/2023] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 03/01/2024] Open
Abstract
The rise in the global population of older adults underscores the significance to investigate age-related cognitive disorders and develop early treatment modalities. Previous research suggests that non-invasive transcranial Alternating Current Stimulation (tACS) can moderately improve cognitive decline in older adults. However, non-declarative cognition has received relatively less attention. This study investigates whether repeated (16-day) bilateral theta-gamma cross-frequency tACS targeting the Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex (DLPFC) enhances non-declarative memory. Computerized cognitive training was applied alongside stimulation to control for the state-of-the-brain. The Alternating Serial Reaction Time (ASRT) task was employed to assess non-declarative functions such as visuomotor skill and probabilistic sequence learning. Results from 35 participants aged 55-82 indicated that active tACS led to more substantial improvements in visuomotor skills immediately after treatment, which persisted 3 months later, compared to sham tACS. Treatment benefit was more pronounced in older adults of younger age and those with pre-existing cognitive decline. However, neither intervention group exhibited modulation of probabilistic sequence learning. These results suggest that repeated theta-gamma tACS can selectively improve distinct non-declarative cognitive aspects when targeting the DLPFC. Our findings highlight the therapeutic potential of tACS in addressing deficits in learning and retaining general skills, which could have a positive impact on the quality of life for cognitively impaired older individuals by preserving independence in daily activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lukas Diedrich
- Department of Neurology, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany.
| | - Hannah I Kolhoff
- Department of Neurology, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Ivan Chakalov
- Department of Neurology, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
- Department of Anesthesiology, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Teodóra Vékony
- Centre de Recherche en Neurosciences de Lyon CRNL U1028 UMR5292, INSERM, CNRS, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Bron, France
- Department of Education and Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Atlántico Medio, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain
| | - Dezső Németh
- Centre de Recherche en Neurosciences de Lyon CRNL U1028 UMR5292, INSERM, CNRS, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Bron, France
- BML-NAP Research Group, Institute of Psychology, Eötvös Loránd University and Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience and Psychology, Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Budapest, Hungary
- Department of Education and Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Atlántico Medio, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain
| | - Andrea Antal
- Department of Neurology, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
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Velioglu HA, Dudukcu EZ, Hanoglu L, Guntekin B, Akturk T, Yulug B. rTMS reduces delta and increases theta oscillations in Alzheimer's disease: A visual-evoked and event-related potentials study. CNS Neurosci Ther 2024; 30:e14564. [PMID: 38287520 PMCID: PMC10805393 DOI: 10.1111/cns.14564] [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: 08/05/2023] [Revised: 10/11/2023] [Accepted: 11/30/2023] [Indexed: 01/31/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) has emerged as a promising alternative therapy for Alzheimer's disease (AD) due to its ability to modulate neural networks and enhance cognitive function. This treatment offers the unique advantage of enabling real-time monitoring of immediate cognitive effects and dynamic brain changes through electroencephalography (EEG). OBJECTIVE This study focused on exploring the effects of left parietal rTMS stimulation on visual-evoked potentials (VEP) and visual event-related potentials (VERP) in AD patients. METHODS Sixteen AD patients were recruited for this longitudinal study. EEG data were collected within a Faraday cage both pre- and post-rTMS to evaluate its impact on potentials. RESULTS Significant alterations were found in both VEP and VERP oscillations. Specifically, delta power in VEP decreased, while theta power in VERP increased post-rTMS, indicating a modulation of brain activities. DISCUSSION These findings confirm the positive modulatory impact of rTMS on brain activities in AD, evidenced by improved cognitive scores. They align with previous studies highlighting the potential of rTMS in managing hyperexcitability and oscillatory disturbances in the AD cortex. CONCLUSION Cognitive improvements post-rTMS endorse its potential as a promising neuromodulatory treatment for cognitive enhancement in AD, thereby providing critical insights into the neurophysiological anomalies in AD and possible therapeutic avenues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Halil Aziz Velioglu
- Center for Psychiatric NeuroscienceFeinstein Institute for Medical ResearchManhassetNew YorkUSA
- Functional Imaging and Cognitive‐Affective Neuroscience Lab (fINCAN)Health Sciences and Technology Research Institute (SABITA), Istanbul Medipol UniversityIstanbulTurkey
| | - Esra Zeynep Dudukcu
- Functional Imaging and Cognitive‐Affective Neuroscience Lab (fINCAN)Health Sciences and Technology Research Institute (SABITA), Istanbul Medipol UniversityIstanbulTurkey
| | - Lutfu Hanoglu
- Department of Neurology, School of MedicineIstanbul Medipol UniversityIstanbulTurkey
| | - Bahar Guntekin
- Department of Biophysics, School of MedicineIstanbul Medipol UniversityIstanbulTurkey
| | - Tuba Akturk
- Program of Electroneurophysiology, Vocational SchoolIstanbul Medipol UniversityIstanbulTurkey
| | - Burak Yulug
- Department of Neurology and Clinical Neuroscience, School of MedicineAlanya Alaaddin Keykubat UniversityAlanyaTurkey
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9
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Löffler BS, Stecher HI, Meiser A, Fudickar S, Hein A, Herrmann CS. Attempting to counteract vigilance decrement in older adults with brain stimulation. FRONTIERS IN NEUROERGONOMICS 2023; 4:1201702. [PMID: 38234473 PMCID: PMC10790873 DOI: 10.3389/fnrgo.2023.1201702] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2023] [Accepted: 11/23/2023] [Indexed: 01/19/2024]
Abstract
Introduction Against the background of demographic change and the need for enhancement techniques for an aging society, we set out to repeat a study that utilized 40-Hz transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) to counteract the slowdown of reaction times in a vigilance experiment but with participants aged 65 years and older. On an oscillatory level, vigilance decrement is linked to rising occipital alpha power, which has been shown to be downregulated using gamma-tACS. Method We applied tACS on the visual cortex and compared reaction times, error rates, and alpha power of a group stimulated with 40 Hz to a sham and a 5-Hz-stimulated control group. All groups executed two 30-min-long blocks of a visual task and were stimulated according to group in the second block. We hypothesized that the expected increase in reaction times and alpha power would be reduced in the 40-Hz group compared to the control groups in the second block (INTERVENTION). Results Statistical analysis with linear mixed models showed that reaction times increased significantly over time in the first block (BASELINE) with approximately 3 ms/min for the SHAM and 2 ms/min for the 5-Hz and 40-Hz groups, with no difference between the groups. The increase was less pronounced in the INTERVENTION block (1 ms/min for SHAM and 5-Hz groups, 3 ms/min for the 40-Hz group). Differences among groups in the INTERVENTION block were not significant if the 5-Hz or the 40-Hz group was used as the base group for the linear mixed model. Statistical analysis with a generalized linear mixed model showed that alpha power was significantly higher after the experiment (1.37 μV2) compared to before (1 μV2). No influence of stimulation (40 Hz, 5 Hz, or sham) could be detected. Discussion Although the literature has shown that tACS offers potential for older adults, our results indicate that findings from general studies cannot simply be transferred to an old-aged group. We suggest adjusting stimulation parameters to the neurophysiological features expected in this group. Next to heterogeneity and cognitive fitness, the influence of motivation and medication should be considered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Birte S. Löffler
- Assistance Systems and Medical Device Technology, Department of Health Services Research, Carl von Ossietzky University Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Heiko I. Stecher
- Experimental Psychology Lab, Department of Psychology, European Medical School, Cluster of Excellence “Hearing4all”, Carl von Ossietzky University Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Arnd Meiser
- Experimental Psychology Lab, Department of Psychology, European Medical School, Cluster of Excellence “Hearing4all”, Carl von Ossietzky University Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Sebastian Fudickar
- Assistance Systems and Medical Device Technology, Department of Health Services Research, Carl von Ossietzky University Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Andreas Hein
- Assistance Systems and Medical Device Technology, Department of Health Services Research, Carl von Ossietzky University Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Christoph S. Herrmann
- Experimental Psychology Lab, Department of Psychology, European Medical School, Cluster of Excellence “Hearing4all”, Carl von Ossietzky University Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany
- Research Center Neurosensory Science, Carl von Ossietzky University Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany
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10
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Kraft JD, Hampstead BM. A Systematic Review of tACS Effects on Cognitive Functioning in Older Adults Across the Healthy to Dementia Spectrum. Neuropsychol Rev 2023:10.1007/s11065-023-09621-3. [PMID: 37882864 PMCID: PMC11045666 DOI: 10.1007/s11065-023-09621-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2022] [Accepted: 09/26/2023] [Indexed: 10/27/2023]
Abstract
Transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) is a form of noninvasive brain stimulation that has experienced rapid growth within the aging population over the past decade due to its potential for modulating cognitive functioning across the "intact" to dementia spectrum. For this reason, we performed a systematic review of the literature to evaluate the efficacy of tACS on cognitive functioning in older adults, including those with cognitive impairment. Our review was completed in June 2023 using Psych INFO, Embase, PubMed, and Cochrane databases. Out of 479 screened articles, 21 met inclusion criteria and were organized according to clinical diagnoses. Seven out of nine studies targeted cognitively intact older adults and showed some type of cognitive improvement after stimulation, whereas nine out of twelve studies targeted clinical diagnoses and showed improved cognitive performance to varying degrees. Studies showed considerable heterogeneity in methodology, stimulation parameters, participant characteristics, choice of cognitive task, and analytic strategy, all of which reinforce the need for standardized reporting of tACS methods. Through this heterogeneity, multiple patterns are described, such as disease progression influencing tACS effects and the need for individualized tailoring. For clinical translation, it is imperative that the field (a) better understand the physiological effects of tACS in these populations, especially in respect to biomarkers, (b) document a causal relationship between tACS delivery and neurophysiological/cognitive effects, and (c) systematically establish dosing parameters (e.g., amplitude, stimulation frequency, number and duration of sessions, need for booster/maintenance sessions).
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacob D Kraft
- Research Program On Cognition and Neuromodulation Based Interventions, Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, 4250 Plymouth Rd, Ann Arbor, MI, 48105, USA.
- Department of Psychiatry &, Behavioral Health, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA.
| | - Benjamin M Hampstead
- Research Program On Cognition and Neuromodulation Based Interventions, Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, 4250 Plymouth Rd, Ann Arbor, MI, 48105, USA
- Mental Health Service, Neuropsychology Section, VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System, Ann Arbor, MI, 48105, USA
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11
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Krebs C, Peter J, Brill E, Klöppel S, Brem AK. The moderating effects of sex, age, and education on the outcome of combined cognitive training and transcranial electrical stimulation in older adults. Front Psychol 2023; 14:1243099. [PMID: 37809311 PMCID: PMC10556861 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1243099] [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: 06/20/2023] [Accepted: 09/08/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Computerized cognitive training (CCT) has been shown to improve cognition in older adults via targeted exercises for single or multiple cognitive domains. Combining CCT with non-invasive brain stimulation is thought to be even more effective due to synergistic effects in the targeted brain areas and networks. However, little is known about the moderating effects of sex, age, and education on cognitive outcomes. Here, we investigated these factors in a randomized, double-blind study in which we administered CCT either combined with transcranial direct (tDCS), alternating (tACS) current stimulation or sham stimulation. 59 healthy older participants (mean age 71.7 ± 6.1) received either tDCS (2 mA), tACS (5 Hz), or sham stimulation over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex during the first 20 min of a CCT (10 sessions, 50 min, twice weekly). Before and after the complete cognitive intervention, a neuropsychological assessment was performed, and the test scores were summarized in a composite score. Our results showed a significant three-way interaction between age, years of education, and stimulation technique (F(6,52) = 5.53, p = 0.007), indicating that the oldest participants with more years of education particularly benefitted from tDCS compared to the sham group, while in the tACS group the youngest participants with less years of education benefit more from the stimulation. These results emphasize the importance of further investigating and taking into account sex, age, and education as moderating factors in the development of individualized stimulation protocols. Clinical Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov, identifier NCT03475446.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine Krebs
- University Hospital of Old Age Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Jessica Peter
- University Hospital of Old Age Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Esther Brill
- University Hospital of Old Age Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Graduate School for Health Sciences, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Stefan Klöppel
- 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 Old Age Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
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12
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Nissim NR, McAfee DC, Edwards S, Prato A, Lin JX, Lu Z, Coslett HB, Hamilton RH. Efficacy of Transcranial Alternating Current Stimulation in the Enhancement of Working Memory Performance in Healthy Adults: A Systematic Meta-Analysis. Neuromodulation 2023; 26:728-737. [PMID: 36759231 PMCID: PMC10257732 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurom.2022.12.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2022] [Revised: 12/22/2022] [Accepted: 12/29/2022] [Indexed: 02/10/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS)-a noninvasive brain stimulation technique that modulates cortical oscillations in the brain-has shown the capacity to enhance working memory (WM) abilities in healthy individuals. The efficacy of tACS in the improvement of WM performance in healthy individuals is not yet fully understood. OBJECTIVE/HYPOTHESIS This meta-analysis aimed to systematically evaluate the efficacy of tACS in the enhancement of WM in healthy individuals and to assess moderators of response to stimulation. We hypothesized that active tACS would significantly enhance WM compared with sham. We further hypothesized that it would do so in a task-dependent manner and that differing stimulation parameters would affect response to tACS. MATERIALS AND METHODS Ten tACS studies met the inclusion criteria and provided 32 effects in the overall analysis. Random-effect models assessed mean change scores on WM tasks from baseline to poststimulation. The included studies involved varied in stimulation parameters, between-subject and within-subject study designs, and online vs offline tACS. RESULTS We observed a significant, heterogeneous, and moderate effect size for active tACS in the enhancement of WM performance over sham (Cohen's d = 0.5). Cognitive load, task domain, session number, and stimulation region showed a significant relationship between active tACS and enhanced WM behavior over sham. CONCLUSIONS Our findings indicate that active tACS enhances WM performance in healthy individuals compared with sham. Future randomized controlled trials are needed to further explore key parameters, including personalized stimulation vs standardized electroencephalography frequencies and maintenance of tACS effects, and whether tACS-induced effects translate to populations with WM impairments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole R Nissim
- Laboratory for Cognition and Neural Stimulation, Department of Neurology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA; Moss Rehabilitation Research Institute, Einstein Medical Center, Elkins Park, PA, USA.
| | - Darrian C McAfee
- Laboratory for Cognition and Neural Stimulation, Department of Neurology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Shanna Edwards
- Laboratory for Cognition and Neural Stimulation, Department of Neurology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Amara Prato
- Laboratory for Cognition and Neural Stimulation, Department of Neurology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Jennifer X Lin
- Laboratory for Cognition and Neural Stimulation, Department of Neurology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Zhiye Lu
- Laboratory for Cognition and Neural Stimulation, Department of Neurology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - H Branch Coslett
- Laboratory for Cognition and Neural Stimulation, Department of Neurology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA; Moss Rehabilitation Research Institute, Einstein Medical Center, Elkins Park, PA, USA
| | - Roy H Hamilton
- Laboratory for Cognition and Neural Stimulation, Department of Neurology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA; Moss Rehabilitation Research Institute, Einstein Medical Center, Elkins Park, PA, USA
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13
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Bagattini C, Cid-Fernández S, Bulgari M, Miniussi C, Bortoletto M. Opposite pattern of transcranial direct current stimulation effects in middle-aged and older adults: Behavioral and neurophysiological evidence. Front Aging Neurosci 2023; 15:1087749. [PMID: 36761183 PMCID: PMC9905246 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2023.1087749] [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: 11/02/2022] [Accepted: 01/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Episodic memory (EM) exhibits an age-related decline, with overall increased impairment after the age of 65. The application of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) to ameliorate cognitive decline in ageing has been extensively investigated, but its efficacy has been reported with mixed results. In this study, we aimed to assess whether age contributes to interindividual variability in tDCS efficacy. Methods Thirty-eight healthy adults between 50 and 81 years old received anodal tDCS over the left prefrontal cortex during images encoding and then performed an EM recognition task while event-related potentials (ERPs) were recorded. Results Our results showed an opposite pattern of effect between middle-aged (50-64 years) and older (65-81 years) adults. Specifically, performance in the recognition task after tDCS was enhanced in older adults and was worsened in middle-aged adults. Moreover, ERPs acquired during the recognition task showed that two EM components related to familiarity and post-retrieval monitoring, i.e., Early Frontal and Late Frontal Old-New effects, respectively, were significantly reduced in middle-aged adults after anodal tDCS. Discussion These results support an age-dependent effect of prefrontal tDCS on EM processes and its underlying electrophysiological substrate, with opposing modulatory trajectories along the aging lifespan.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Bagattini
- Neurophysiology Lab, IRCCS Istituto Centro San Giovanni di Dio Fatebenefratelli, Brescia, Italy,Section of Neurosurgery, Department of Neuroscience Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, Verona, Italy,*Correspondence: Chiara Bagattini,
| | - Susana Cid-Fernández
- Department of Developmental and Educational Psychology, University of Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Galicia, Spain
| | - Martina Bulgari
- Neurophysiology Lab, IRCCS Istituto Centro San Giovanni di Dio Fatebenefratelli, Brescia, Italy
| | - Carlo Miniussi
- Center for Mind/Brain Sciences (CIMeC), University of Trento, Rovereto, Italy
| | - Marta Bortoletto
- Neurophysiology Lab, IRCCS Istituto Centro San Giovanni di Dio Fatebenefratelli, Brescia, Italy
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14
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Lee TL, Lee H, Kang N. A meta-analysis showing improved cognitive performance in healthy young adults with transcranial alternating current stimulation. NPJ SCIENCE OF LEARNING 2023; 8:1. [PMID: 36593247 PMCID: PMC9807644 DOI: 10.1038/s41539-022-00152-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2022] [Accepted: 12/12/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) is a non-invasive brain stimulation used for improving cognitive functions via delivering weak electrical stimulation with a certain frequency. This systematic review and meta-analysis investigated the effects of tACS protocols on cognitive functions in healthy young adults. We identified 56 qualified studies that compared cognitive functions between tACS and sham control groups, as indicated by cognitive performances and cognition-related reaction time. Moderator variable analyses specified effect size according to (a) timing of tACS, (b) frequency band of simulation, (c) targeted brain region, and (b) cognitive domain, respectively. Random-effects model meta-analysis revealed small positive effects of tACS protocols on cognitive performances. The moderator variable analyses found significant effects for online-tACS with theta frequency band, online-tACS with gamma frequency band, and offline-tACS with theta frequency band. Moreover, cognitive performances were improved in online- and offline-tACS with theta frequency band on either prefrontal and posterior parietal cortical regions, and further both online- and offline-tACS with theta frequency band enhanced executive function. Online-tACS with gamma frequency band on posterior parietal cortex was effective for improving cognitive performances, and the cognitive improvements appeared in executive function and perceptual-motor function. These findings suggested that tACS protocols with specific timing and frequency band may effectively improve cognitive performances.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tae Lee Lee
- Department of Human Movement Science, Incheon National University, Incheon, South Korea
- Neuromechanical Rehabilitation Research Laboratory, Incheon National University, Incheon, South Korea
| | - Hanall Lee
- Department of Human Movement Science, Incheon National University, Incheon, South Korea
- Neuromechanical Rehabilitation Research Laboratory, Incheon National University, Incheon, South Korea
| | - Nyeonju Kang
- Department of Human Movement Science, Incheon National University, Incheon, South Korea.
- Neuromechanical Rehabilitation Research Laboratory, Incheon National University, Incheon, South Korea.
- Division of Sport Science & Sport Science Institute, Incheon National University, Incheon, South Korea.
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15
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Bjekić J, Paunovic D, Živanović M, Stanković M, Griskova-Bulanova I, Filipović SR. Determining the Individual Theta Frequency for Associative Memory Targeted Personalized Transcranial Brain Stimulation. J Pers Med 2022; 12:jpm12091367. [PMID: 36143152 PMCID: PMC9506372 DOI: 10.3390/jpm12091367] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2022] [Revised: 08/05/2022] [Accepted: 08/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) methods have gained increased interest in research and therapy of associative memory (AM) and its impairments. However, the one-size-fits-all approach yields inconsistent findings, thus putting forward the need for electroencephalography (EEG)-guided personalized frequency-modulated NIBS protocols to increase the focality and the effectiveness of the interventions. Still, extraction of individual frequency, especially in the theta band, turned out to be a challenging task. Here we present an approach to extracting the individual theta-band frequency (ITF) from EEG signals recorded during the AM task. The method showed a 93% success rate, good reliability, and the full range of variability of the extracted ITFs. This paper provides a rationale behind the adopted approach and critically evaluates it in comparison to the alternative methods that have been reported in the literature. Finally, we discuss how it could be used as an input parameter for personalized frequency-modulated NIBS approaches—transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) and transcranial oscillatory current stimulation (otDCS) directed at AM neuromodulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jovana Bjekić
- Human Neuroscience Group, Institute for Medical Research, University of Belgrade, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
- Correspondence: (J.B.); (S.R.F.)
| | - Dunja Paunovic
- Human Neuroscience Group, Institute for Medical Research, University of Belgrade, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Marko Živanović
- Institute of Psychology and Laboratory for Research of Individual Differences, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Philosophy, University of Belgrade, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Marija Stanković
- Human Neuroscience Group, Institute for Medical Research, University of Belgrade, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Inga Griskova-Bulanova
- Institute of Biosciences, Life Sciences Centre, Vilnius University, LT-10322 Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Saša R. Filipović
- Human Neuroscience Group, Institute for Medical Research, University of Belgrade, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
- Correspondence: (J.B.); (S.R.F.)
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16
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Potential role for peripheral nerve stimulation on learning and long-term memory: A comparison of alternating and direct current stimulations. Brain Stimul 2022; 15:536-545. [DOI: 10.1016/j.brs.2022.03.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2021] [Revised: 02/22/2022] [Accepted: 03/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
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17
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DiNuzzo M, Mangia S, Giove F. Manipulations of sleep‐like slow‐wave activity by noninvasive brain stimulation. J Neurosci Res 2022; 100:1218-1225. [DOI: 10.1002/jnr.25029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2021] [Revised: 01/18/2022] [Accepted: 01/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Mauro DiNuzzo
- Magnetic Resonance for Brain Investigation Laboratory Museo Storico della Fisica e Centro di Studi e Ricerche Enrico Fermi Rome Italy
| | - Silvia Mangia
- Center for Magnetic Resonance Research, Department of Radiology University of Minnesota Minneapolis Minnesota USA
| | - Federico Giove
- Magnetic Resonance for Brain Investigation Laboratory Museo Storico della Fisica e Centro di Studi e Ricerche Enrico Fermi Rome Italy
- Laboratory of Neurophysics and Neuroimaging Fondazione Santa Lucia IRCCS Rome Italy
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18
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Turker S, Hartwigsen G. The use of noninvasive brain stimulation techniques to improve reading difficulties in dyslexia: A systematic review. Hum Brain Mapp 2022; 43:1157-1173. [PMID: 34716977 PMCID: PMC8764483 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.25700] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [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: 07/24/2021] [Revised: 09/29/2021] [Accepted: 10/08/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Noninvasive brain stimulation (NIBS) allows to actively and noninvasively modulate brain function. Aside from inhibiting specific processes, NIBS may also enhance cognitive functions, which might be used for the prevention and intervention of learning disabilities such as dyslexia. However, despite the growing interest in modulating learning abilities, a comprehensive, up-to-date review synthesizing NIBS studies with dyslexics is missing. Here, we fill this gap and elucidate the potential of NIBS as treatment option in dyslexia. The findings of the 15 included studies suggest that repeated sessions of reading training combined with different NIBS protocols may induce long-lasting improvements of reading performance in child and adult dyslexics, opening promising avenues for future research. In particular, the "classical" reading areas seem to be most successfully modulated through NIBS, and facilitatory protocols can improve various reading-related subprocesses. Moreover, we emphasize the need to further explore the potential to modulate auditory cortex function as a preintervention and intervention approach for affected children, for example, to avoid the development of auditory and phonological difficulties at the core of dyslexia. Finally, we outline how future studies may increase our understanding of the neurobiological basis of NIBS-induced improvements in dyslexia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabrina Turker
- Lise Meitner Research Group Cognition and PlasticityMax Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain SciencesLeipzigGermany
- Alexander von Humboldt FoundationBerlinGermany
| | - Gesa Hartwigsen
- Lise Meitner Research Group Cognition and PlasticityMax Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain SciencesLeipzigGermany
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19
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Booth SJ, Taylor JR, Brown LJE, Pobric G. The effects of transcranial alternating current stimulation on memory performance in healthy adults: A systematic review. Cortex 2021; 147:112-139. [PMID: 35032750 DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2021.12.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2021] [Revised: 11/14/2021] [Accepted: 12/01/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
The recent introduction of Transcranial Alternating Current stimulation (tACS) in research on memory modulation has yielded some exciting findings. Whilst evidence suggests small but significant modulatory effects of tACS on perception and cognition, it is unclear how effective tACS is at modulating memory, and the neural oscillations underlying memory. The aim of this systematic review was to determine the efficacy with which tACS, compared to sham stimulation, can modify working memory (WM) and long-term memory (LTM) performance in healthy adults. We examined how these effects may be moderated by specific tACS parameters and study/participant characteristics. Our secondary goal was to investigate the neural correlates of tACS' effects on memory performance in healthy adults. A systematic search of eight databases yielded 11,413 records, resulting in 34 papers that included 104 eligible studies. The results were synthesised by memory type (WM/LTM) and according to the specific parameters of frequency band, stimulation montage, individual variability, cognitive demand, and phase. A second synthesis examined the correspondence between tACS' effects on memory performance and the oscillatory features of electroencephalography (EEG) and magnetencephalography (MEG) recordings in a subset of 26 studies. The results showed a small-to-medium effect of tACS on WM and LTM performance overall. There was strong evidence to suggest that posterior theta-tACS modulates WM performance, whilst the modulation of LTM is achieved by anterior gamma-tACS. Moreover, there was a correspondence between tACS effects on memory performance and oscillatory outcomes at the stimulation frequency. We discuss limitations in the field and suggest ways to improve our understanding of tACS efficacy to ensure a transition of tACS from an investigative method to a therapeutic tool.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samantha J Booth
- Division of Neuroscience and Experimental Psychology, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine, and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, England, UK.
| | - Jason R Taylor
- Division of Neuroscience and Experimental Psychology, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine, and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, England, UK.
| | - Laura J E Brown
- Division of Psychology and Mental Health, School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine, and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, England, UK.
| | - Gorana Pobric
- Division of Neuroscience and Experimental Psychology, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine, and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, England, UK.
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20
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Sprugnoli G, Munsch F, Cappon D, Paciorek R, Macone J, Connor A, El Fakhri G, Salvador R, Ruffini G, Donohoe K, Shafi MM, Press D, Alsop DC, Pascual Leone A, Santarnecchi E. Impact of multisession 40Hz tACS on hippocampal perfusion in patients with Alzheimer's disease. Alzheimers Res Ther 2021; 13:203. [PMID: 34930421 PMCID: PMC8690894 DOI: 10.1186/s13195-021-00922-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2021] [Accepted: 10/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Alzheimer's disease (AD) is associated with alterations in cortical perfusion that correlate with cognitive impairment. Recently, neural activity in the gamma band has been identified as a driver of arteriolar vasomotion while, on the other hand, gamma activity induction on preclinical models of AD has been shown to promote protein clearance and cognitive protection. METHODS In two open-label studies, we assessed the possibility to modulate cerebral perfusion in 15 mild to moderate AD participants via 40Hz (gamma) transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) administered 1 h daily for 2 or 4 weeks, primarily targeting the temporal lobe. Perfusion-sensitive MRI scans were acquired at baseline and right after the intervention, along with electrophysiological recording and cognitive assessments. RESULTS No serious adverse effects were reported by any of the participants. Arterial spin labeling MRI revealed a significant increase in blood perfusion in the bilateral temporal lobes after the tACS treatment. Moreover, perfusion changes displayed a positive correlation with changes in episodic memory and spectral power changes in the gamma band. CONCLUSIONS Results suggest 40Hz tACS should be further investigated in larger placebo-controlled trials as a safe, non-invasive countermeasure to increase fast brain oscillatory activity and increase perfusion in critical brain areas in AD patients. TRIAL REGISTRATION Studies were registered separately on ClinicalTrials.gov ( NCT03290326 , registered on September 21, 2017; NCT03412604 , registered on January 26, 2018).
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulia Sprugnoli
- Berenson-Allen Center for Non-Invasive Brain Stimulation, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Radiology, University Hospital of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Fanny Munsch
- Department of Radiology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Davide Cappon
- Berenson-Allen Center for Non-Invasive Brain Stimulation, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Rachel Paciorek
- Berenson-Allen Center for Non-Invasive Brain Stimulation, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Joanna Macone
- Berenson-Allen Center for Non-Invasive Brain Stimulation, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Ann Connor
- Berenson-Allen Center for Non-Invasive Brain Stimulation, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Georges El Fakhri
- Center for Advanced Medical Imaging Sciences, Division of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | | | - Kevin Donohoe
- Center for Advanced Medical Imaging Sciences, Division of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Mouhsin M Shafi
- Berenson-Allen Center for Non-Invasive Brain Stimulation, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Daniel Press
- Berenson-Allen Center for Non-Invasive Brain Stimulation, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - David C Alsop
- Department of Radiology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Alvaro Pascual Leone
- Hinda and Arthur Marcus Institute for Aging Research and Deanna and Sidney Wolk Center for Memory Health, Hebrew Senior Life, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Guttmann Brain Health Institute, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Emiliano Santarnecchi
- Precision Neuroscience & Neuromodulation Program, Gordon Center for Medical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
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21
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Balboa-Bandeira Y, Zubiaurre-Elorza L, Ibarretxe-Bilbao N, Ojeda N, Peña J. Effects of transcranial electrical stimulation techniques on second and foreign language learning enhancement in healthy adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Neuropsychologia 2021; 160:107985. [PMID: 34371068 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2021.107985] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2021] [Revised: 07/26/2021] [Accepted: 08/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Transcranial electrical stimulation (tES) techniques have been used to enhance different cognitive domains such as language in healthy adults. While several reviews and meta-analysis have been conducted on the effects of tES on different language skills (picture naming, verbal fluency, word reading), there has been little research conducted to date on the effects of tES on the processes involved in foreign language learning. OBJECTIVE A meta-analysis was performed to quantify the effects of tES on foreign language learning processes (non-words, artificial grammar, and foreign languages), focusing on accuracy, response times and 1-week follow-up effects, if reported by the studies. RESULTS Eleven studies that had sham condition were reviewed. Nine of them were analyzed, including five using within-participant design, and four that employed between-participant design. The final analysis encompassed nine studies with 279 healthy participants. The analysis showed moderate enhancing effects of tES on overall language learning (g = 0.50, 95 % CI [0.29, 0.71], p = .0001). However, results were not significant on follow up data (g = 0.54, 95 % CI [-0.12, 1.20], p = .07), and on response times (g = 0.50, 95 % CI [-0.1, 1.18], p = .10). The effects were significantly moderated by years of education. CONCLUSIONS The results suggest that tES seems to enhance the mechanisms involved in foreign language learning; however, more research is needed to understand the impact scope of these techniques on language learning processes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Natalia Ojeda
- Department of Methods and Experimental Psychology, University of Deusto, Bilbao, Spain
| | - Javier Peña
- Department of Methods and Experimental Psychology, University of Deusto, Bilbao, Spain.
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22
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Yu TW, Lane HY, Lin CH. Novel Therapeutic Approaches for Alzheimer's Disease: An Updated Review. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22158208. [PMID: 34360973 PMCID: PMC8348485 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22158208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2021] [Revised: 07/25/2021] [Accepted: 07/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease and accounts for most cases of dementia. The prevalence of AD has increased in the current rapidly aging society and contributes to a heavy burden on families and society. Despite the profound impact of AD, current treatments are unable to achieve satisfactory therapeutic effects or stop the progression of the disease. Finding novel treatments for AD has become urgent. In this paper, we reviewed novel therapeutic approaches in five categories: anti-amyloid therapy, anti-tau therapy, anti-neuroinflammatory therapy, neuroprotective agents including N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor modulators, and brain stimulation. The trend of therapeutic development is shifting from a single pathological target to a more complex mechanism, such as the neuroinflammatory and neurodegenerative processes. While drug repositioning may accelerate pharmacological development, non-pharmacological interventions, especially repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) and transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), also have the potential for clinical application. In the future, it is possible for physicians to choose appropriate interventions individually on the basis of precision medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tien-Wei Yu
- Department of Psychiatry, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung 83301, Taiwan;
| | - Hsien-Yuan Lane
- Department of Psychiatry and Brain Disease Research Center, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung 40402, Taiwan
- Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, China Medical University, Taichung 40402, Taiwan
- Department of Psychology, College of Medical and Health Sciences, Asia University, Taichung 41354, Taiwan
- Correspondence: (H.-Y.L.); (C.-H.L.); Tel.: +886-921-067-260 (H.-Y.L.); +886-7-7317123 (ext. 8753) (C.-H.L.); Fax: +886-4-2236-1042 (H.-Y.L.); +886-7-7326817 (C.-H.L.)
| | - Chieh-Hsin Lin
- Department of Psychiatry, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung 83301, Taiwan;
- Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, China Medical University, Taichung 40402, Taiwan
- School of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan 333, Taiwan
- Correspondence: (H.-Y.L.); (C.-H.L.); Tel.: +886-921-067-260 (H.-Y.L.); +886-7-7317123 (ext. 8753) (C.-H.L.); Fax: +886-4-2236-1042 (H.-Y.L.); +886-7-7326817 (C.-H.L.)
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23
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Wei J, Zhang Z, Yao Z, Ming D, Zhou P. Modulation of Sustained Attention by Theta-tACS over the Lateral and Medial Frontal Cortices. Neural Plast 2021; 2021:5573471. [PMID: 34239553 PMCID: PMC8238627 DOI: 10.1155/2021/5573471] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2021] [Accepted: 05/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Theta oscillations over the posterior medial frontal cortex (pMFC) and lateral prefrontal cortex (LPFC) play vital roles in sustained attention. Specifically, pMFC power and pMFC-LPFC synchronization correlate with cognitive control in sustained-attention-related tasks, but the causal relationships remain unknown. In the present study, we first analyzed the correlation between EEG theta oscillations (characterized by time-frequency power and phase-based connectivity) and the level of sustained attention (Experiment 1) and then utilized transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) to modulate theta oscillations and in turn observed its effects on sustained attention (Experiment 2). In Experiment 1, two time-frequency regions of interest (ROIs) were determined, in which high/low time-frequency power and high/low phase-based connectivity corresponded to high/low-level sustained attention. In Experiment 2, time-frequency power and phase-based connectivity of theta oscillations were compared between the sham and tACS groups within the time-frequency ROIs determined in Experiment 1. Results showed that phase-based connectivity between pMFC and LPFC significantly decreased in the tACS group compared with the sham group during the first five minutes of the poststimulation period. Moreover, a marginal trend existed that sustained attention was downregulated by tACS in the same time interval, suggesting that theta phase synchronization between pMFC and LPFC may play a causal role in sustained attention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinwen Wei
- School of Precision Instrument and Optoelectronics Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Health Science Center, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China
| | - Zhiguo Zhang
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Health Science Center, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China
| | - Ziqing Yao
- Department of Psychology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong S.A.R., China
| | - Dong Ming
- School of Precision Instrument and Optoelectronics Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Peng Zhou
- School of Precision Instrument and Optoelectronics Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
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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.
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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
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Benussi A, Cantoni V, Cotelli MS, Cotelli M, Brattini C, Datta A, Thomas C, Santarnecchi E, Pascual-Leone A, Borroni B. Exposure to gamma tACS in Alzheimer's disease: A randomized, double-blind, sham-controlled, crossover, pilot study. Brain Stimul 2021; 14:531-540. [PMID: 33762220 DOI: 10.1016/j.brs.2021.03.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2020] [Revised: 03/05/2021] [Accepted: 03/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To assess whether exposure to non-invasive brain stimulation with transcranial alternating current stimulation at γ frequency (γ-tACS) applied over Pz (an area overlying the medial parietal cortex and the precuneus) can improve memory and modulate cholinergic transmission in mild cognitive impairment due to Alzheimer's disease (MCI-AD). METHODS In this randomized, double-blind, sham controlled, crossover pilot study, participants were assigned to a single 60 min treatment with exposure to γ-tACS over Pz or sham tACS. Each subject underwent a clinical evaluation including assessment of episodic memory pre- and post-γ-tACS or sham stimulation. Indirect measures of cholinergic transmission evaluated using transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) pre- and post-γ-tACS or sham tACS were evaluated. RESULTS Twenty MCI-AD participants completed the study. No tACS-related side effects were observed, and the intervention was well tolerated in all participants. We observed a significant improvement at the Rey auditory verbal learning (RAVL) test total recall (5.7 [95% CI, 4.0 to 7.4], p < 0.001) and long delayed recall scores (1.3 [95% CI, 0.4 to 2.1], p = 0.007) after γ-tACS but not after sham tACS. Face-name associations scores improved during γ-tACS (4.3 [95% CI, 2.8 to 5.8], p < 0.001) but not after sham tACS. Short latency afferent inhibition, an indirect measure of cholinergic transmission evaluated with TMS, increased only after γ-tACS (0.31 [95% CI, 0.24 to 0.38], p < 0.001) but not after sham tACS. CONCLUSIONS exposure to γ-tACS over Pz showed a significant improvement of memory performances, along with restoration of intracortical connectivity measures of cholinergic neurotransmission, compared to sham tACS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alberto Benussi
- Neurology Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy; Neurology Unit, Department of Neurological and Vision Sciences, ASST Spedali Civili, Brescia, Italy
| | - Valentina Cantoni
- Neurology Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
| | | | - Maria Cotelli
- Neuropsychology Unit, IRCCS Istituto Centro San Giovanni di Dio Fatebenefratelli, Brescia, Italy
| | - Chiara Brattini
- Neurology Unit, Department of Neurological and Vision Sciences, ASST Spedali Civili, Brescia, Italy
| | - Abhishek Datta
- Research & Development, Soterix Medical, Inc., New York, USA
| | - Chris Thomas
- Research & Development, Soterix Medical, Inc., New York, USA
| | - Emiliano Santarnecchi
- Berenson-Allen Center for Non-Invasive Brain Stimulation, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Alvaro Pascual-Leone
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Hinda and Arthur Marcus Institute for Aging Research and Center for Memory Health, Hebrew SeniorLife, Boston, MA, USA; Guttmann Brain Health Institut, Institut Guttmann, Universitat Autonoma Barcelona, Spain
| | - Barbara Borroni
- Neurology Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy; Neurology Unit, Department of Neurological and Vision Sciences, ASST Spedali Civili, Brescia, Italy.
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Moussavi Z, Kimura K, Kehler L, de Oliveira Francisco C, Lithgow B. A Novel Program to Improve Cognitive Function in Individuals With Dementia Using Transcranial Alternating Current Stimulation (tACS) and Tutored Cognitive Exercises. FRONTIERS IN AGING 2021; 2:632545. [PMID: 35822057 PMCID: PMC9261296 DOI: 10.3389/fragi.2021.632545] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2020] [Accepted: 02/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
The effects of cognitive exercises on the healthy aging population is controversial. Transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) is considered a promising tool for modulating brain oscillation. Research is lacking on its long-lasting cognitive/therapeutic effect. This is the first pilot study to explore the effect of a regimen of cognitive exercises with and without tACS on older adults with dementia. The study groups were 28 individuals (age 56–83 years) enrolled into two groups: Exr Group, who received cognitive exercises only and the Exr + tACS Group who received tACS at 40 Hz simultaneously with cognitive exercises for a period of 4 consecutive weeks, 5 days/week, two 30 min-sessions/day; all the training sessions were tutored. The cognitive exercises were applied using the MindTriggers app. They were assessed at pre and post intervention and also one month after the end of trial (follow-up) with an independent assessment (WMS-IV) as the primary outcome measure. The results show significant cognitive improvement at post-intervention in both groups, while the Exr + tACS protocol lead to superior cognitive improvement at follow-up session. The most important outcomes of this study are: 1) The tutored repeated practice of the MindTriggers app exercises does significantly improve the cognitive functions of older adults with dementia and that that improvement lasts for at least one month after the end of the intervention, and 2) The application of tACS increases the positive effects of cognitive exercises with the positive effect lasting an even longer period of time than exercises alone; in other words we speculate that it may lead to long-term potentiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zahra Moussavi
- University of Manitoba, Biomedical Engineering, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| | - Kazushige Kimura
- University of Manitoba, Biomedical Engineering, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| | - Lonnie Kehler
- University of Manitoba, Biomedical Engineering, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| | | | - Brian Lithgow
- University of Manitoba, Biomedical Engineering, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
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27
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Marson F, Lasaponara S, Cavallo M. A Scoping Review of Neuromodulation Techniques in Neurodegenerative Diseases: A Useful Tool for Clinical Practice? ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2021; 57:medicina57030215. [PMID: 33673455 PMCID: PMC7997187 DOI: 10.3390/medicina57030215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2021] [Revised: 02/14/2021] [Accepted: 02/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Background and Objectives: Neurodegenerative diseases that typically affect the elderly such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease and frontotemporal dementia are typically characterised by significant cognitive impairment that worsens significantly over time. To date, viable pharmacological options for the cognitive symptoms in these clinical conditions are lacking. In recent years, various studies have employed neuromodulation techniques to try and contrast patients’ decay. Materials and Methods: We conducted an in-depth literature review of the state-of-the-art of the contribution of these techniques across these neurodegenerative diseases. Results: The present review reports that neuromodulation techniques targeting cognitive impairment do not allow to draw yet any definitive conclusion about their clinical efficacy although preliminary evidence is very encouraging. Conclusions: Further and more robust studies should evaluate the potentialities and limitations of the application of these promising therapeutic tools to neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabio Marson
- Research Institute for Neuroscience, Education and Didactics, Fondazione Patrizio Paoletti, 06081 Assisi, Italy;
- Department of Human Neuroscience, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Stefano Lasaponara
- Department of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy;
- Department of Human Sciences, LUMSA University, 00193 Rome, Italy
| | - Marco Cavallo
- Faculty of Psychology, eCampus University, 22060 Novedrate, Italy
- Clinical Psychology Service, Saint George Foundation, 12030 Cavallermaggiore, Italy
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-3478306430
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28
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Boetzel C, Herrmann CS. Potential targets for the treatment of ADHD using transcranial electrical current stimulation. PROGRESS IN BRAIN RESEARCH 2021; 264:151-170. [PMID: 34167654 DOI: 10.1016/bs.pbr.2021.01.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a psychiatric disease with a prevalence of 2%-7.5% among the population. It is characterized by three core symptoms: hyperactivity, impulsivity, and inattention. Although the majority of ADHD patients respond to a combination of psychotherapy and standard pharmacotherapy with Methylphenidate, there is a significant minority of patients that do not respond to these substances. Additionally, the treatment with Methylphenidate can cause a variety of side effects like insomnia, headache, decreased appetite, and xerostomia. It would be favorable to have an alternative treatment-option that could circumnavigate the shortcomings of traditional pharmacological treatments. Recent results show that transcranial electrical stimulation (tES) might offer a promising approach. Since research has shown that ADHD is associated with various alterations in brain activity, brain stimulation methods targeting different facets of neuronal functions are currently under investigation. In this article, we briefly review different tES techniques like transcranial random noise stimulation (tRNS), transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) and transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) and explain the modes of action of these brain stimulations. We will specifically focus on transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) as a potential method of treating ADHD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cindy Boetzel
- Experimental Psychology Lab, Department of Psychology, European Medical School, Cluster of Excellence "Hearing for All," Carl von Ossietzky University, Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Christoph S Herrmann
- Experimental Psychology Lab, Department of Psychology, European Medical School, Cluster of Excellence "Hearing for All," Carl von Ossietzky University, Oldenburg, Germany; Neuroimaging Unit, European Medical School, Carl von Ossietzky University, Oldenburg, Germany; Research Center Neurosensory Science, Carl von Ossietzky University, Oldenburg, Germany.
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29
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The Modulation of Cognitive Performance with Transcranial Alternating Current Stimulation: A Systematic Review of Frequency-Specific Effects. Brain Sci 2020; 10:brainsci10120932. [PMID: 33276533 PMCID: PMC7761592 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci10120932] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2020] [Revised: 11/20/2020] [Accepted: 11/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) is a non-invasive brain stimulation technique that allows the manipulation of intrinsic brain oscillations. Numerous studies have applied tACS in the laboratory to enhance cognitive performance. With this systematic review, we aim to provide an overview of frequency-specific tACS effects on a range of cognitive functions in healthy adults. This may help to transfer stimulation protocols to real-world applications. We conducted a systematic literature search on PubMed and Cochrane databases and considered tACS studies in healthy adults (age > 18 years) that focused on cognitive performance. The search yielded n = 109 studies, of which n = 57 met the inclusion criteria. The results indicate that theta-tACS was beneficial for several cognitive functions, including working memory, executive functions, and declarative memory. Gamma-tACS enhanced performance in both auditory and visual perception but it did not change performance in tasks of executive functions. For attention, the results were less consistent but point to an improvement in performance with alpha- or gamma-tACS. We discuss these findings and point to important considerations that would precede a transfer to real-world applications.
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30
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Rostami R, Kazemi R, Mozaffarinejad F, Nasiri Z, Rostami M, L Hadipour A, Sadeghihassanabadi F. 6 Hz transcranial alternating current stimulation of mPFC improves sustained attention and modulates alpha phase synchronization and power in dorsal attention network. Cogn Neurosci 2020; 12:1-13. [PMID: 33017272 DOI: 10.1080/17588928.2020.1817881] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) is a noninvasive brain stimulation tool appropriate to modulate cortical oscillations and activity via the application of weak currents. The major goal of this study was to investigate the effects of medial Prefrontal Cortex (mPFC) stimulation on sustained attention task performance measured by Rapid Visual Information Processing (RVIP) task and the brain networks assumed to be critical to sustained attention. mPFC has been shown to be involved in sustained attention performance and as a main hub in default mode network (DMN). mPFC activity modulation via theta tACS was implemented in this study. This was a single blind study with 21 participants receiving active and sham stimulation with the electrodes on FPz and the Inion. tACS was able to impact different RVIP measures (total hits, A' (sensitivity to target), total correct rejection, etc.). Relative power spectrum density (PSD) analysis yielded significant increases in theta frequency mostly in the fronto-central regions after active tACS and current source density (CSD) analysis yielded significant power modulations in theta frequency band in post-central gyrus. Furthermore, phase locking value (PLV) analysis showed that there were significant changes in cortical connections in the Dorsal Attention Network (DAN) in alpha frequency band. This study showed that theta frequency tACS over mPFC, was able to produce significant modulations in an RVIP task and its associated brain networks in healthy participants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reza Rostami
- Department of Psychology, University of Tehran , Tehran, Iran
| | - Reza Kazemi
- Cognitive Lab, Department of Psychology, University of Tehran , Tehran, Iran.,Atieh Clinical Neuroscience Center , Tehran, Iran
| | | | - Zahra Nasiri
- Atieh Clinical Neuroscience Center , Tehran, Iran
| | - Maryam Rostami
- Atieh Clinical Neuroscience Center , Tehran, Iran.,Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Tehran , Tehran, Iran
| | - Abed L Hadipour
- Department of Psychology, University of Tehran , Tehran, Iran.,Atieh Clinical Neuroscience Center , Tehran, Iran
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31
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Kehler L, Francisco CO, Uehara MA, Moussavi Z. The effect of transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) on cognitive function in older adults with dementia. ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE OF THE IEEE ENGINEERING IN MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY SOCIETY. IEEE ENGINEERING IN MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY SOCIETY. ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE 2020; 2020:3649-3653. [PMID: 33018792 DOI: 10.1109/embc44109.2020.9175903] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Recent studies have shown a positive effect of transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS), a noninvasive brain stimulation technique, on cognitive function of healthy individuals [1]. However, investigation into the effects of tACS on individuals with dementia or mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is lacking. In this pilot study, we investigated the hypothesis that following a regular schedule of challenging brain exercises combined with simultaneous tACS application would improve the working memory and cognitive function of older adults with memory impairments. Further, we explored whether pairing brain exercises with tACS would result in longer-lasting positive effects on cognitive function than brain exercises alone. A total of 17 older adults (12 males, 5 females, 70 ± 7 years), each with a diagnosis of mild to moderate dementia were enrolled in the study. All participants completed brain exercises in the lab on the following schedule: two 30-minute sessions per day, 5 days/week for 4 weeks consecutively. Eleven of the participants received brain exercises paired with tACS application at 40Hz. We evaluated cognitive function of the participants at baseline, post-intervention and 1-month followup using the Wechsler Memory Scale (WMS-IV) as an independent assessment of our brain exercises. Both the non-tACS and tACS groups significantly improved their WMS scores from baseline to post-intervention assessments. Comparison of the post-intervention and 1-month follow-up assessments indicated that the tACS group maintained their improvement significantly better than the non-tACS group.
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32
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Bashir S, Ahmad S, Alatefi M, Hamza A, Sharaf M, Fecteau S, Yoo WK. Effects of anodal transcranial direct current stimulation on motor evoked potentials variability in humans. Physiol Rep 2020; 7:e14087. [PMID: 31301123 PMCID: PMC6640590 DOI: 10.14814/phy2.14087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2019] [Revised: 04/01/2019] [Accepted: 04/02/2019] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Motor evoked potentials (MEPs) obtained from transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) allow corticospinal excitability (CSE) to be measured in the human primary motor cortex (M1). CSE responses to transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) protocols are highly variable. Here, we tested the reproducibility and reliability of individual MEPs following a common anodal tDCS protocol. In this study, 32 healthy subjects received anodal tDCS stimulation over the left M1 for three durations (tDCS‐T5, tDCS‐T10, and tDCS‐T20 min) on separate days in a crossover‐randomized order. After the resting motor threshold (RMT) was determined for the contralateral first dorsal interosseous muscle, 15 single pulses 4–8 sec apart at an intensity of 120% RMT were delivered to the left M1 to determine the baseline MEP amplitude at T0, T5, T10, T20, T30, T40, T50, and T60 min after stimulation for each durations. During TMS delivery, 3D images of the participant's cortex and hot spot were visualized for obtaining MEPs from same position. Our findings revealed that there was a significant MEPs improvement at T0 (P = 0.01) after 10 min of anodal stimulation. After the 20‐min stimulation duration, MEPs differed specifically at T0, T5, T30 min (P < 0.05). This indicates that tDCS is a promising tool to improve MEPs. Our observed variability in response to the tDCS protocol is consistent with other noninvasive brain stimulation studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shahid Bashir
- Neuroscience Center, King Fahad Specialist Hospital Dammam, Dammam, Saudi Arabia
| | - Shafiq Ahmad
- Department of Industrial Engineering, College of Engineering, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Moath Alatefi
- Department of Industrial Engineering, College of Engineering, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ali Hamza
- Department of Electrical Engineering, National University of Computer and Emerging Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Mohamed Sharaf
- Department of Industrial Engineering, College of Engineering, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | | | - Woo Kyoung Yoo
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Hallym University Sacred Heart Hospital, Anyang, South Korea.,Hallym Institute for Translational Genomics & Bioinformatics, Hallym University Sacred Heart Hospital, Anyang, South Korea
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33
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Bashir S, Aisha D, Hamza A, Al-Hussain F, Yoo WK. Effects of transcranial direct current stimulation on cortex modulation by stimulation of the primary motor cortex and parietal cortex in humans. Int J Neurosci 2020; 131:1107-1114. [PMID: 32462947 DOI: 10.1080/00207454.2020.1775594] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
AIM OF THE STUDY Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is used to measure corticospinal excitability (CSE) from the primary motor cortex (M1) in humans through motor-evoked potentials (MEPs). The variability of CSE responses to transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) protocols is high and needs to be reproduced in the healthy population. The M1 and posterior parietal cortex (PPC) are anatomically and functionally connected and could play a role in understanding the variability in CSE responses. We tested the individual MEPs following a common cathodal (ctDCS) protocol over the M1 and PPC. MATERIALS AND METHODS Twenty-eight healthy subjects were randomized for a ctDCS stimulation over the left M1 and PPC for 20 min on a separate days. The first dorsal interosseous muscle (FDI) contralateral stimulation of the left M1 was used as the resting motor threshold (RMT), while 15 single pulses 4-8 s apart at an intensity of 120% RMT were used to determine the baseline MEP amplitude and at T0, 5, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, and 60 min after ctDCS stimulation in both sessions. RESULTS A 20 min duration of ctDCS stimulation significantly deceased the CSE only at T0 (p = 0.046 at M1, p = 0.010 at PPC). CONCLUSION Our results suggested that PPC stimulation can modulate M1 excitability and PPC-M1 connectivity, but a significant effect is only observed immediately post ctDCS. The tDCS showed variability in response to the tDCS protocol is consistent with other non-invasive brain stimulation studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shahid Bashir
- Neuroscience Center, King Fahad Specialist Hospital Dammam, Dammam, Saudi Arabia
| | - Dowihi Aisha
- Neuroscience Center, King Fahad Specialist Hospital Dammam, Dammam, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ali Hamza
- Department of Electrical Engineering, National University of Computer and Emerging Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Fawaz Al-Hussain
- Division of Neurology, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Woo-Kyoung Yoo
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Hallym University College of Medicine, Anyang, South Korea.,Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Hallym University Sacred Heart Hospital, Hallym University College of Medicine, Anyang, South Korea
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Hayek D, Thams F, Flöel A, Antonenko D. Dentate Gyrus Volume Mediates the Effect of Fornix Microstructure on Memory Formation in Older Adults. Front Aging Neurosci 2020; 12:79. [PMID: 32265687 PMCID: PMC7098987 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2020.00079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2019] [Accepted: 03/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Age-related deterioration in white and gray matter is linked to cognitive deficits. Reduced microstructure of the fornix, the major efferent pathway of the hippocampus, and volume of the dentate gyrus (DG), may cause age-associated memory decline. However, the linkage between these anatomical determinants and memory retrieval in healthy aging are poorly understood. In 30 older adults, we acquired diffusion tensor and T1-weighted images for individual deterministic tractography and volume estimation. A memory task, administered outside of the scanner to assess retrieval of learned associations, required discrimination of previously acquired picture-word pairs. The results showed that fornix fractional anisotropy (FA) and left DG volumes were related to successful retrieval. These brain-behavior associations were observed for correct rejections, but not hits, indicating specificity of memory network functioning for detecting false associations. Mediation analyses showed that left DG volume mediated the effect of fornix FA on memory (48%), but not vice versa. These findings suggest that reduced microstructure induces volume loss and thus negatively affects retrieval of learned associations, complementing evidence of a pivotal role of the fornix in healthy aging. Our study offers a neurobehavioral model to explain variability in memory retrieval in older adults, an important prerequisite for the development of interventions to counteract cognitive decline.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dayana Hayek
- Department of Neurology, NeuroCure Clinical Research Center, Berlin Institute of Health, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Humboldt-Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany.,Department of Neurology, Universitätsmedizin Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Friederike Thams
- Department of Neurology, Universitätsmedizin Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Agnes Flöel
- Department of Neurology, NeuroCure Clinical Research Center, Berlin Institute of Health, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Humboldt-Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany.,Department of Neurology, Universitätsmedizin Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany.,German Centre for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) Standort Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Daria Antonenko
- Department of Neurology, NeuroCure Clinical Research Center, Berlin Institute of Health, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Humboldt-Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany.,Department of Neurology, Universitätsmedizin Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
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35
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Xing Y, Wei P, Wang C, Shan Y, Yu Y, Qiao Y, Xie B, Shi X, Zhu Z, Lu J, Zhao G, Jia J, Tang Y. TRanscranial AlterNating current Stimulation FOR patients with Mild Alzheimer's Disease (TRANSFORM-AD study): Protocol for a randomized controlled clinical trial. ALZHEIMERS & DEMENTIA-TRANSLATIONAL RESEARCH & CLINICAL INTERVENTIONS 2020; 6:e12005. [PMID: 32313830 PMCID: PMC7158579 DOI: 10.1002/trc2.12005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2019] [Accepted: 12/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Introduction Recently, transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS), which can interact with ongoing neuronal activity, has emerged as a potentially effective and promising treatment for Alzheimer's disease (AD), and the 40 Hz gamma frequency was suggested as a suitable stimulation frequency for AD. Methods The TRANSFORM‐AD study is a double‐blind, randomized‐controlled trial that will include 40 individuals with mild AD. Eligible patients need to have amyloid β (Aβ) loads examined by Pittsburgh compound B (PiB) positron emission tomography (PET) or decreased Aβ level in cerebrospinal fluid. Participants will be randomized into either a 40 Hz tACS group or a sham stimulation group. Both groups will undergo 30 one‐hour sessions across 3 weeks (21 days). The outcome measures will be assessed at baseline, at the end of the intervention, and 3 months after the first session. The primary outcome is global cognitive function, assessed by the 11‐item cognitive subscale of the Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale (ADAS‐Cog), and the secondary outcomes include changes in other neuropsychological assessments and in PiB‐PET, structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), resting electroencephalography (EEG), and simultaneous EEG–functional MRI (EEG‐fMRI) results. Results The trial is currently ongoing, and it is anticipated that recruitment will be completed in June 2021. Discussion This trial will evaluate the efficacy and safety of 40 Hz tACS in patients with AD, and further explore the potential mechanisms by analyzing amyloid deposits using PiB‐PET, brain volume and white matter integrity by structural MRI, and neural activity by EEG and EEG‐fMRI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Xing
- Innovation Center for Neurological Disorders Department of Neurology, Xuanwu Hospital Capital Medical University National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Diseases Beijing China.,Key Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Diseases Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China Beijing China
| | - Penghu Wei
- Department of Neurosurgery Xuanwu Hospital Capital Medical University Beijing China
| | - Changming Wang
- Department of Neurosurgery Xuanwu Hospital Capital Medical University Beijing China
| | - Yi Shan
- Department of Radiology Xuanwu Hospital Capital Medical University Beijing China
| | - Yueying Yu
- Innovation Center for Neurological Disorders Department of Neurology, Xuanwu Hospital Capital Medical University National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Diseases Beijing China.,Key Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Diseases Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China Beijing China
| | - Yuchen Qiao
- Innovation Center for Neurological Disorders Department of Neurology, Xuanwu Hospital Capital Medical University National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Diseases Beijing China.,Key Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Diseases Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China Beijing China
| | - Beijia Xie
- Innovation Center for Neurological Disorders Department of Neurology, Xuanwu Hospital Capital Medical University National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Diseases Beijing China.,Key Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Diseases Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China Beijing China
| | - Xinrui Shi
- Innovation Center for Neurological Disorders Department of Neurology, Xuanwu Hospital Capital Medical University National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Diseases Beijing China.,Key Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Diseases Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China Beijing China
| | - Zhongfang Zhu
- Innovation Center for Neurological Disorders Department of Neurology, Xuanwu Hospital Capital Medical University National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Diseases Beijing China
| | - Jie Lu
- Department of Radiology Xuanwu Hospital Capital Medical University Beijing China
| | - Guoguang Zhao
- Department of Neurosurgery Xuanwu Hospital Capital Medical University Beijing China
| | - Jianping Jia
- Innovation Center for Neurological Disorders Department of Neurology, Xuanwu Hospital Capital Medical University National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Diseases Beijing China.,Key Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Diseases Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China Beijing China
| | - Yi Tang
- Innovation Center for Neurological Disorders Department of Neurology, Xuanwu Hospital Capital Medical University National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Diseases Beijing China.,Key Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Diseases Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China Beijing China
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36
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Klink K, Peter J, Wyss P, Klöppel S. Transcranial Electric Current Stimulation During Associative Memory Encoding: Comparing tACS and tDCS Effects in Healthy Aging. Front Aging Neurosci 2020; 12:66. [PMID: 32256337 PMCID: PMC7090128 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2020.00066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2019] [Accepted: 02/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Associative memory is one of the first cognitive functions negatively affected by healthy and pathological aging processes. Non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) techniques are easily administrable tools to support memory. However, the optimal stimulation parameters inducing a reliable positive effect on older adult’s memory performance remain mostly unclear. In our randomized, double-blind, cross-over study, 28 healthy older adults (16 females; 71.18 + 6.42 years of age) received anodal transcranial direct (tDCS), alternating current in the theta range (tACS), and sham stimulation over the left ventrolateral prefrontal cortex (VLPFC) each once during encoding. We tested associative memory performance with cued recall and recognition tasks after a retention period and again on the following day. Overall, neither tDCS nor tACS showed effects on associative memory performance. Further analysis revealed a significant difference for performance on the cued recall task under tACS compared to sham when accounting for age. Our results suggest that tACS might be more effective to improve associative memory performance than tDCS in higher aged samples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katharina Klink
- University Hospital of Old Age Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, 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
| | - Stefan Klöppel
- University Hospital of Old Age Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
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37
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Dallmer-Zerbe I, Popp F, Lam AP, Philipsen A, Herrmann CS. Transcranial Alternating Current Stimulation (tACS) as a Tool to Modulate P300 Amplitude in Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD): Preliminary Findings. Brain Topogr 2020; 33:191-207. [PMID: 31974733 PMCID: PMC7066286 DOI: 10.1007/s10548-020-00752-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2019] [Accepted: 01/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Studies examining event-related potentials (ERP) in patients affected by attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have found considerable evidence of reduced target P300 amplitude across different perceptual modalities. P300 amplitude has been related to attention-driven context comparison and resource allocation processes. Altered P300 amplitude in ADHD can be reasonably assumed to be related to ADHD typical cognitive performance deficits. Transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) can increase the amplitude of endogenous brain oscillations. Because ERP components can be viewed as event-related oscillations (EROs), with P300 translating into the delta (0–4 Hz) and theta (4–8 Hz) frequency range, an increase of delta and theta ERO amplitudes by tACS should result in an increase of P300 amplitudes in ADHD patients. In this pilot study, 18 adult ADHD patients (7 female) performed three consecutive blocks of a visual oddball task while the electroencephalogram (EEG) was recorded. Patients received either 20 min of tACS or sham stimulation at a stimulation intensity of 1 mA. Individual stimulation frequency was determined using a time–frequency decomposition of the P300. Our preliminary results demonstrate a significant increase in P300 amplitude in the stimulation group which was accompanied by a decrease in omission errors pre-to-post tACS. However, studies including larger sample sizes are advised.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isa Dallmer-Zerbe
- Department of Complex Systems, Institute of Computer Science, Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic.,Department of Physiology, Second Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic.,Experimental Psychology Lab, Department of Psychology, European Medical School, Cluster for Excellence "Hearing for All", Carl Von Ossietzky University Oldenburg, Ammerländer Heerstr. 114-118, 26129, Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Fabian Popp
- Experimental Psychology Lab, Department of Psychology, European Medical School, Cluster for Excellence "Hearing for All", Carl Von Ossietzky University Oldenburg, Ammerländer Heerstr. 114-118, 26129, Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Alexandra Philomena Lam
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany.,Medical Campus University of Oldenburg, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Psychiatry and Psychotherapy - University Hospital, Karl-Jaspers-Klinik, Bad Zwischenahn, Germany
| | - Alexandra Philipsen
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany.,Medical Campus University of Oldenburg, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Psychiatry and Psychotherapy - University Hospital, Karl-Jaspers-Klinik, Bad Zwischenahn, Germany
| | - Christoph Siegfried Herrmann
- Experimental Psychology Lab, Department of Psychology, European Medical School, Cluster for Excellence "Hearing for All", Carl Von Ossietzky University Oldenburg, Ammerländer Heerstr. 114-118, 26129, Oldenburg, Germany. .,Research Center Neurosensory Science, Carl Von Ossietzky University, Oldenburg, Germany.
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38
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After-effects of 10 Hz tACS over the prefrontal cortex on phonological word decisions. Brain Stimul 2019; 12:1464-1474. [DOI: 10.1016/j.brs.2019.06.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2018] [Revised: 05/13/2019] [Accepted: 06/18/2019] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
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39
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Antonenko D, Hayek D, Netzband J, Grittner U, Flöel A. tDCS-induced episodic memory enhancement and its association with functional network coupling in older adults. Sci Rep 2019; 9:2273. [PMID: 30783198 PMCID: PMC6381175 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-38630-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2018] [Accepted: 12/28/2018] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) augments training-induced cognitive gains, an issue of particular relevance in the aging population. However, negative outcomes have been reported as well, and few studies so far have evaluated the impact of tDCS on episodic memory formation in elderly cohorts. The heterogeneity of previous findings highlights the importance of elucidating neuronal underpinnings of tDCS-induced modulations, and of determining individual predictors of a positive response. In the present study, we aimed to modulate episodic memory formation in 34 older adults with anodal tDCS (1 mA, 20 min) over left temporoparietal cortex. Participants were asked to learn novel associations between pictures and pseudowords, and episodic memory performance was subsequently assessed during immediate retrieval. Prior to experimental sessions, participants underwent resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging. tDCS led to better retrieval performance and augmented learning curves. Hippocampo-temporoparietal functional connectivity was positively related to initial memory performance, and was positively associated with the magnitude of individual tDCS-induced enhancement. In sum, we provide evidence for brain stimulation-induced plasticity of episodic memory processes in older adults, corroborating and extending previous findings. Our results demonstrate that intrinsic network coupling may determine individual responsiveness to brain stimulation, and thus help to further explain variability of tDCS responsiveness in older adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daria Antonenko
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Department of Neurology, NeuroCure Clinical Research Center, Charitéplatz 1, 10117, Berlin, Germany. .,Department of Neurology, Universitätsmedizin Greifswald, Ferdinand-Sauerbruch-Straße, Greifswald, Germany.
| | - Dayana Hayek
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Department of Neurology, NeuroCure Clinical Research Center, Charitéplatz 1, 10117, Berlin, Germany.,Department of Neurology, Universitätsmedizin Greifswald, Ferdinand-Sauerbruch-Straße, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Justus Netzband
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Department of Neurology, NeuroCure Clinical Research Center, Charitéplatz 1, 10117, Berlin, 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.,Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Center for Stroke Research, Charitéplatz 1, 10117, Berlin, Germany
| | - Agnes Flöel
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Department of Neurology, NeuroCure Clinical Research Center, Charitéplatz 1, 10117, Berlin, Germany. .,Department of Neurology, Universitätsmedizin Greifswald, Ferdinand-Sauerbruch-Straße, Greifswald, Germany.
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40
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Slow Theta tACS of the Right Parietal Cortex Enhances Contralateral Visual Working Memory Capacity. Brain Topogr 2019; 32:477-481. [DOI: 10.1007/s10548-019-00702-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2018] [Accepted: 01/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
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41
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Bryzgalov DV, Kuznetsova IL, Rogaev EI. Enhancement of Declarative Memory: From Genetic Regulation to Non-invasive Stimulation. BIOCHEMISTRY (MOSCOW) 2018; 83:1124-1138. [PMID: 30472951 DOI: 10.1134/s0006297918090146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
The problem of memory enhancement is extremely important in intellectual activity areas and therapy of different types of dementia, including Alzheimer's disease (AD). The attempts to solve this problem have come from different research fields. In the first part of our review, we describe the results of targeting certain genes involved in memory-associated molecular pathways. The second part of the review is focused on the deep stimulation of brain structures that can slow down memory loss in AD. The third part describes the results of the use of non-invasive brain stimulation techniques for memory modulation, consolidation, and retrieval in healthy people and animal models. Integration of data from different research fields is essential for the development of efficient strategies for memory enhancement.
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Affiliation(s)
- D V Bryzgalov
- Memory, Oscillations, Brain States (MOBS) Team, Brain Plasticity Unit, CNRS UMR 8249, ESPCI Paris, Paris, France.
| | - I L Kuznetsova
- Vavilov Institute of General Genetics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 119991, Russia
| | - E I Rogaev
- Vavilov Institute of General Genetics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 119991, Russia. .,Department of Psychiatry, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA.,Lomonosov Moscow State University, Faculty of Biology, Moscow, 119234, Russia.,Lomonosov Moscow State University, Faculty of Bioengineering and Bioinformatics, Moscow, 119234, Russia
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42
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No Modulatory Effects when Stimulating the Right Inferior Frontal Gyrus with Continuous 6 Hz tACS and tRNS on Response Inhibition: A Behavioral Study. Neural Plast 2018; 2018:3156796. [PMID: 30425735 PMCID: PMC6218719 DOI: 10.1155/2018/3156796] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2018] [Revised: 08/07/2018] [Accepted: 08/19/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Response inhibition is the cognitive process required to cancel an intended action. During that process, a “go” reaction is intercepted particularly by the right inferior frontal gyrus (rIFG) and presupplementary motor area (pre-SMA). After the commission of inhibition errors, theta activity (4–8 Hz) is related to the adaption processes. In this study, we intend to examine whether the boosting of theta activity by electrical stimulation over rIFG reduces the number of errors and the reaction times in a response inhibition task (Go/NoGo paradigm) during and after stimulation. 23 healthy right-handed adults participated in the study. In three separate sessions, theta tACS at 6 Hz, transcranial random noise (tRNS) as a second stimulation condition, and sham stimulation were applied for 20 minutes. Based on behavioral data, this study could not show any effects of 6 Hz tACS as well as full spectrum tRNS on response inhibition in any of the conditions. Since many findings support the relevance of the rIFG for response inhibition, this could mean that 6 Hz activity is not important for response inhibition in that structure. Reasons for our null findings could also lie in the stimulation parameters, such as the electrode montage or the stimulation frequency, which are discussed in this article in more detail. Sharing negative findings will have (1) positive impact on future research questions and study design and will improve (2) knowledge acquisition of noninvasive transcranial brain stimulation techniques.
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43
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Loffler BS, Stecher HI, Fudickar S, de Sordi D, Otto-Sobotka F, Hein A, Herrmann CS. Counteracting the Slowdown of Reaction Times in a Vigilance Experiment With 40-Hz Transcranial Alternating Current Stimulation. IEEE Trans Neural Syst Rehabil Eng 2018; 26:2053-2061. [PMID: 30207962 DOI: 10.1109/tnsre.2018.2869471] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Indicators for a decrement in vigilance are a slowdown in reaction times and an increase in alpha power in the electroencephalogram in posterior regions of the brain. Transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) is a neuropsychological technique that has been found to interact with intrinsic brain oscillations and is able to enhance cognitive and behavioral performance. Recent studies show that tACS in the gamma frequency range (30-80 Hz) is able to downregulate amplitudes in the alpha frequency range (8-12 Hz), in accordance to the effect referred to as cross-frequency coupling, where intrinsic alpha and gamma waves modulate each other. We applied 40 Hz gamma-tACS to the visual cortex during a vigilance experiment and investigated if stimulation improves reaction times and error rates with time-on-task. In our sham controlled experiment, participants completed two blocks of 30 minutes duration while performing the same visual two-choice task. The first block was used as BASELINE. A statistical analysis with a linear mixed model revealed a significantly lower increase of modeled reaction times over time in the INTERVENTION-block of the tACS-group as compared with their BASELINE-block whereas there was no significant change between the BASELINE- and INTERVENTION-block for the SHAM-group. Error rates did not differ between groups. This paper indicates that gamma-tACS can enhance performance in vigilance tasks as it significantly decreased the slowdown of reaction times in our study.
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44
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Sheldon SS, Mathewson KE. Does 10-Hz Cathodal Oscillating Current of the Parieto-Occipital Lobe Modulate Target Detection? Front Neurosci 2018. [PMID: 29520215 PMCID: PMC5827548 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2018.00083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The phase of alpha (8–12 Hz) brain oscillations have been associated with moment to moment changes in visual attention and awareness. Previous work has demonstrated that endogenous oscillations and subsequent behavior can be modulated by oscillating transcranial current stimulation (otCS). The purpose of the current study is to establish the efficacy of cathodal otCS for modulation of the ongoing alpha brain oscillations, allowing for modulation of individual's visual perception. Thirty-six participants performed a target detection with sham and 10-Hz cathodal otCS. Each participant had two practice and two experimental sets composed of three blocks of 128 trials per block. Stimulating electrodes were placed on the participant's head with the anode electrode at Cz and the cathode electrode at Oz. A 0.5 mA current was applied every 100 ms (10 Hz frequency) during the otCS condition. The same current and frequency was applied for the first 10–20 s of the sham condition, after which the current was turned off. Target detection rates were compared between the sham and otCS experimental conditions in order to test for effects of otCS phase on target detection. We found no significant difference in target detection rates between the sham and otCS conditions, and discuss potential reasons for the apparent inability of cathodal otCS to effectively modulate visual perception.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah S Sheldon
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Science, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Kyle E Mathewson
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Science, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada.,Neuroscience and Mental Health Institute, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
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45
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Carvalho S, Leite J, Fregni F. Transcranial Alternating Current Stimulation and Transcranial Random Noise Stimulation. Neuromodulation 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-805353-9.00136-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
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46
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Abstract
Brain stimulation techniques can modulate cognitive functions in many neuropsychiatric diseases. Pilot studies have shown promising effects of brain stimulations on Alzheimer's disease (AD). Brain stimulations can be categorized into non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) and invasive brain stimulation (IBS). IBS includes deep brain stimulation (DBS), and invasive vagus nerve stimulation (VNS), whereas NIBS includes transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS), electroconvulsive treatment (ECT), magnetic seizure therapy (MST), cranial electrostimulation (CES), and non-invasive VNS. We reviewed the cutting-edge research on these brain stimulation techniques and discussed their therapeutic effects on AD. Both IBS and NIBS may have potential to be developed as novel treatments for AD; however, mixed findings may result from different study designs, patients selection, population, or samples sizes. Therefore, the efficacy of NIBS and IBS in AD remains uncertain, and needs to be further investigated. Moreover, more standardized study designs with larger sample sizes and longitudinal follow-up are warranted for establishing a structural guide for future studies and clinical application.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chun-Hung Chang
- Institute of Clinical Medical Science, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan.,Department of Psychiatry & Brain Disease Research Center, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Hsien-Yuan Lane
- Institute of Clinical Medical Science, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan.,Department of Psychiatry & Brain Disease Research Center, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan.,Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan.,Department of Psychology, College of Medical and Health Sciences, Asia University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Chieh-Hsin Lin
- Institute of Clinical Medical Science, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan.,Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan.,Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
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47
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Antal A, Alekseichuk I, Bikson M, Brockmöller J, Brunoni AR, Chen R, Cohen LG, Dowthwaite G, Ellrich J, Flöel A, Fregni F, George MS, Hamilton R, Haueisen J, Herrmann CS, Hummel FC, Lefaucheur JP, Liebetanz D, Loo CK, McCaig CD, Miniussi C, Miranda PC, Moliadze V, Nitsche MA, Nowak R, Padberg F, Pascual-Leone A, Poppendieck W, Priori A, Rossi S, Rossini PM, Rothwell J, Rueger MA, Ruffini G, Schellhorn K, Siebner HR, Ugawa Y, Wexler A, Ziemann U, Hallett M, Paulus W. Low intensity transcranial electric stimulation: Safety, ethical, legal regulatory and application guidelines. Clin Neurophysiol 2017; 128:1774-1809. [PMID: 28709880 PMCID: PMC5985830 DOI: 10.1016/j.clinph.2017.06.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 679] [Impact Index Per Article: 97.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2017] [Revised: 05/29/2017] [Accepted: 06/06/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Low intensity transcranial electrical stimulation (TES) in humans, encompassing transcranial direct current (tDCS), transcutaneous spinal Direct Current Stimulation (tsDCS), transcranial alternating current (tACS), and transcranial random noise (tRNS) stimulation or their combinations, appears to be safe. No serious adverse events (SAEs) have been reported so far in over 18,000 sessions administered to healthy subjects, neurological and psychiatric patients, as summarized here. Moderate adverse events (AEs), as defined by the necessity to intervene, are rare, and include skin burns with tDCS due to suboptimal electrode-skin contact. Very rarely mania or hypomania was induced in patients with depression (11 documented cases), yet a causal relationship is difficult to prove because of the low incidence rate and limited numbers of subjects in controlled trials. Mild AEs (MAEs) include headache and fatigue following stimulation as well as prickling and burning sensations occurring during tDCS at peak-to-baseline intensities of 1-2mA and during tACS at higher peak-to-peak intensities above 2mA. The prevalence of published AEs is different in studies specifically assessing AEs vs. those not assessing them, being higher in the former. AEs are frequently reported by individuals receiving placebo stimulation. The profile of AEs in terms of frequency, magnitude and type is comparable in healthy and clinical populations, and this is also the case for more vulnerable populations, such as children, elderly persons, or pregnant women. Combined interventions (e.g., co-application of drugs, electrophysiological measurements, neuroimaging) were not associated with further safety issues. Safety is established for low-intensity 'conventional' TES defined as <4mA, up to 60min duration per day. Animal studies and modeling evidence indicate that brain injury could occur at predicted current densities in the brain of 6.3-13A/m2 that are over an order of magnitude above those produced by tDCS in humans. Using AC stimulation fewer AEs were reported compared to DC. In specific paradigms with amplitudes of up to 10mA, frequencies in the kHz range appear to be safe. In this paper we provide structured interviews and recommend their use in future controlled studies, in particular when trying to extend the parameters applied. We also discuss recent regulatory issues, reporting practices and ethical issues. These recommendations achieved consensus in a meeting, which took place in Göttingen, Germany, on September 6-7, 2016 and were refined thereafter by email correspondence.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Antal
- Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, University Medical Center Göttingen, Georg August University, Göttingen, Germany.
| | - I Alekseichuk
- Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, University Medical Center Göttingen, Georg August University, Göttingen, Germany
| | - M Bikson
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The City College of New York, New York, USA
| | - J Brockmöller
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology, University Medical Center Goettingen, Germany
| | - A R Brunoni
- Service of Interdisciplinary Neuromodulation, Department and Institute of Psychiatry, Laboratory of Neurosciences (LIM-27) and Interdisciplinary Center for Applied Neuromodulation University Hospital, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - R Chen
- Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine, University of Toronto and Krembil Research Institute, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - L G Cohen
- Human Cortical Physiology and Neurorehabilitation Section, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke NIH, Bethesda, USA
| | | | - J Ellrich
- Department of Health Science and Technology, Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark; Institute of Physiology and Pathophysiology, University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany; EBS Technologies GmbH, Europarc Dreilinden, Germany
| | - A Flöel
- Universitätsmedizin Greifswald, Klinik und Poliklinik für Neurologie, Greifswald, Germany
| | - F Fregni
- Spaulding Neuromodulation Center, Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - M S George
- Brain Stimulation Division, Medical University of South Carolina, and Ralph H. Johnson Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Charleston, SC, USA
| | - R Hamilton
- Department of Neurology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - J Haueisen
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Informatics, Technische Universität Ilmenau, Germany
| | - C S Herrmann
- Experimental Psychology Lab, Department of Psychology, European Medical School, Carl von Ossietzky Universität, Oldenburg, Germany
| | - F C Hummel
- Defitech Chair of Clinical Neuroengineering, Centre of Neuroprosthetics (CNP) and Brain Mind Institute, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL), Geneva, Switzerland; Defitech Chair of Clinical Neuroengineering, Clinique Romande de Réadaptation, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL Valais), Sion, Switzerland
| | - J P Lefaucheur
- Department of Physiology, Henri Mondor Hospital, Assistance Publique - Hôpitaux de Paris, and EA 4391, Nerve Excitability and Therapeutic Team (ENT), Faculty of Medicine, Paris Est Créteil University, Créteil, France
| | - D Liebetanz
- Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, University Medical Center Göttingen, Georg August University, Göttingen, Germany
| | - C K Loo
- School of Psychiatry & Black Dog Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - C D McCaig
- Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, Scotland, UK
| | - C Miniussi
- Center for Mind/Brain Sciences CIMeC, University of Trento, Rovereto, Italy; Cognitive Neuroscience Section, IRCCS Centro San Giovanni di Dio Fatebenefratelli, Brescia, Italy
| | - P C Miranda
- Institute of Biophysics and Biomedical Engineering, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - V Moliadze
- Institute of Medical Psychology and Medical Sociology, University Hospital of Schleswig-Holstein (UKSH), Campus Kiel, Christian-Albrechts-University, Kiel, Germany
| | - M A Nitsche
- Department of Psychology and Neurosciences, Leibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors, Dortmund, Germany; Department of Neurology, University Hospital Bergmannsheil, Bochum, Germany
| | - R Nowak
- Neuroelectrics, Barcelona, Spain
| | - F Padberg
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Munich Center for Brain Stimulation, Ludwig-Maximilian University Munich, Germany
| | - A Pascual-Leone
- Division of Cognitive Neurology, Harvard Medical Center and Berenson-Allen Center for Noninvasive Brain Stimulation at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, USA
| | - W Poppendieck
- Department of Information Technology, Mannheim University of Applied Sciences, Mannheim, Germany
| | - A Priori
- Center for Neurotechnology and Experimental Brain Therapeutich, Department of Health Sciences, University of Milan Italy; Deparment of Clinical Neurology, University Hospital Asst Santi Paolo E Carlo, Milan, Italy
| | - S Rossi
- Department of Medicine, Surgery and Neuroscience, Human Physiology Section and Neurology and Clinical Neurophysiology Section, Brain Investigation & Neuromodulation Lab, University of Siena, Italy
| | - P M Rossini
- Area of Neuroscience, Institute of Neurology, University Clinic A. Gemelli, Catholic University, Rome, Italy
| | | | - M A Rueger
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital of Cologne, Germany
| | | | | | - H R Siebner
- Danish Research Centre for Magnetic Resonance, Centre for Functional and Diagnostic Imaging and Research, Copenhagen University Hospital Hvidovre, Hvidovre, Denmark; Department of Neurology, Copenhagen University Hospital Bispebjerg, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Y Ugawa
- Department of Neurology, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima, Japan; Fukushima Global Medical Science Center, Advanced Clinical Research Center, Fukushima Medical University, Japan
| | - A Wexler
- Department of Science, Technology & Society, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - U Ziemann
- Department of Neurology & Stroke, and Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - M Hallett
- Human Motor Control Section, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - W Paulus
- Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, University Medical Center Göttingen, Georg August University, Göttingen, Germany
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Naro A, Bramanti A, Leo A, Manuli A, Sciarrone F, Russo M, Bramanti P, Calabrò RS. Effects of cerebellar transcranial alternating current stimulation on motor cortex excitability and motor function. Brain Struct Funct 2017; 222:2891-2906. [PMID: 28064346 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-016-1355-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2016] [Accepted: 12/17/2016] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
The cerebellum regulates several motor functions through two main mechanisms, the cerebellum-brain inhibition (CBI) and the motor surround inhibition (MSI). Although the exact cerebellar structures and functions involved in such processes are partially known, Purkinje cells (PC) and their surrounding interneuronal networks may play a pivotal role concerning CBI and MSI. Cerebellar transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) has been proven to shape specific cerebellar components in a feasible, safe, effective, and non-invasive manner. The aim of our study was to characterize the cerebellar structures and functions subtending CBI and MSI using a tACS approach. Fifteen healthy individuals underwent a cerebellar tACS protocol at 10, 50, and 300 Hz, or a sham-tACS over the right cerebellar hemisphere. We measured the tACS aftereffects on motor-evoked potential (MEP) amplitude, CBI induced by tACS (tiCBI) at different frequencies, MSI, and hand motor task performance. None of the participants had any side effect related to tACS. After 50-Hz tACS, we observed a clear tiCBI-50Hz weakening (about +30%, p < 0.001) paralleled by a MEP amplitude increase (about +30%, p = 0.001) and a reduction of the time required to complete some motor task (about -20%, p = 0.01), lasting up to 30 min. The 300-Hz tACS induced a selective, specific tiCBI-300Hz and tiCBI-50Hz modulation in surrounding muscles (about -15%, p = 0.01) and MSI potentiation (about +40%, p < 0.001). The 10-Hz tACS and the sham-tACS were ineffective (p > 0.6). Our preliminary data suggest that PC may represent the last mediator of tiCBI and that the surrounding interneuronal network may have an important role in updating MSI, tiCBI, and M1 excitability during tonic muscle contraction, by acting onto the PC. The knowledge of these neurophysiological issues offers new cues to design innovative, non-invasive neuromodulation protocols to shape cerebellar-cerebral functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonino Naro
- IRCCS Centro Neurolesi "Bonino-Pulejo", Via Palermo, Contrada Casazza, S.S. 113, 98124, Messina, Italy
| | - Alessia Bramanti
- IRCCS Centro Neurolesi "Bonino-Pulejo", Via Palermo, Contrada Casazza, S.S. 113, 98124, Messina, Italy
| | - Antonino Leo
- IRCCS Centro Neurolesi "Bonino-Pulejo", Via Palermo, Contrada Casazza, S.S. 113, 98124, Messina, Italy
| | - Alfredo Manuli
- IRCCS Centro Neurolesi "Bonino-Pulejo", Via Palermo, Contrada Casazza, S.S. 113, 98124, Messina, Italy
| | - Francesca Sciarrone
- IRCCS Centro Neurolesi "Bonino-Pulejo", Via Palermo, Contrada Casazza, S.S. 113, 98124, Messina, Italy
| | - Margherita Russo
- IRCCS Centro Neurolesi "Bonino-Pulejo", Via Palermo, Contrada Casazza, S.S. 113, 98124, Messina, Italy
| | - Placido Bramanti
- IRCCS Centro Neurolesi "Bonino-Pulejo", Via Palermo, Contrada Casazza, S.S. 113, 98124, Messina, Italy
| | - Rocco Salvatore Calabrò
- IRCCS Centro Neurolesi "Bonino-Pulejo", Via Palermo, Contrada Casazza, S.S. 113, 98124, Messina, Italy.
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Adaptive Plasticity in the Healthy Language Network: Implications for Language Recovery after Stroke. Neural Plast 2016; 2016:9674790. [PMID: 27830094 PMCID: PMC5088318 DOI: 10.1155/2016/9674790] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2016] [Revised: 09/18/2016] [Accepted: 09/25/2016] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Across the last three decades, the application of noninvasive brain stimulation (NIBS) has substantially increased the current knowledge of the brain's potential to undergo rapid short-term reorganization on the systems level. A large number of studies applied transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) in the healthy brain to probe the functional relevance and interaction of specific areas for different cognitive processes. NIBS is also increasingly being used to induce adaptive plasticity in motor and cognitive networks and shape cognitive functions. Recently, NIBS has been combined with electrophysiological techniques to modulate neural oscillations of specific cortical networks. In this review, we will discuss recent advances in the use of NIBS to modulate neural activity and effective connectivity in the healthy language network, with a special focus on the combination of NIBS and neuroimaging or electrophysiological approaches. Moreover, we outline how these results can be transferred to the lesioned brain to unravel the dynamics of reorganization processes in poststroke aphasia. We conclude with a critical discussion on the potential of NIBS to facilitate language recovery after stroke and propose a phase-specific model for the application of NIBS in language rehabilitation.
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