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Brown T, Kim K, Gehring WJ, Lustig C, Bohnen NI. Sensitivity to and Control of Distraction: Distractor-Entrained Oscillation and Frontoparietal EEG Gamma Synchronization. Brain Sci 2024; 14:609. [PMID: 38928609 PMCID: PMC11202030 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci14060609] [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: 04/30/2024] [Revised: 06/13/2024] [Accepted: 06/13/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
While recent advancements have been made towards a better understanding of the involvement of the prefrontal cortex (PFC) in the context of cognitive control, the exact mechanism is still not fully understood. Successful behavior requires the correct detection of goal-relevant cues and resisting irrelevant distractions. Frontal parietal networks have been implicated as important for maintaining cognitive control in the face of distraction. The present study investigated the role of gamma-band power in distraction resistance and frontoparietal networks, as its increase is linked to cholinergic activity. We examined changes in gamma activity and their relationship to frontoparietal top-down modulation for distractor challenges and to bottom-up distractor processing. Healthy young adults were tested using a modified version of the distractor condition sustained attention task (dSAT) while wearing an EEG. The modified distractor was designed so that oscillatory activities could be entrained to it, and the strength of entrainment was used to assess the degree of distraction. Increased top-down control during the distractor challenge increased gamma power in the left parietal regions rather than the right prefrontal regions predicted from rodent studies. Specifically, left parietal gamma power increased in response to distraction where the amount of this increase was negatively correlated with the neural activity reflecting bottom-up distractor processing in the visual area. Variability in gamma power in right prefrontal regions was associated with increased response time variability during distraction. This may suggest that the right prefrontal region may contribute to the signaling needed for top-down control rather than its implementation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taylor Brown
- Department of Radiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA;
| | - Kamin Kim
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA; (K.K.); (W.J.G.); (C.L.)
| | - William J. Gehring
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA; (K.K.); (W.J.G.); (C.L.)
| | - Cindy Lustig
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA; (K.K.); (W.J.G.); (C.L.)
| | - Nicolaas I. Bohnen
- Department of Radiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA;
- Department of Neurology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
- Neurology Service and GRECC, VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System, Ann Arbor, MI 48105, USA
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2
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Caravati E, Barbeni F, Chiarion G, Raggi M, Mesin L. Closed-Loop Transcranial Electrical Neurostimulation for Sustained Attention Enhancement: A Pilot Study towards Personalized Intervention Strategies. Bioengineering (Basel) 2024; 11:467. [PMID: 38790334 PMCID: PMC11118513 DOI: 10.3390/bioengineering11050467] [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: 04/06/2024] [Revised: 05/03/2024] [Accepted: 05/06/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Sustained attention is pivotal for tasks like studying and working for which focus and low distractions are necessary for peak productivity. This study explores the effectiveness of adaptive transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) in either the frontal or parietal region to enhance sustained attention. The research involved ten healthy university students performing the Continuous Performance Task-AX (AX-CPT) while receiving either frontal or parietal tDCS. The study comprised three phases. First, we acquired the electroencephalography (EEG) signal to identify the most suitable metrics related to attention states. Among different spectral and complexity metrics computed on 3 s epochs of EEG, the Fuzzy Entropy and Multiscale Sample Entropy Index of frontal channels were selected. Secondly, we assessed how tDCS at a fixed 1.0 mA current affects attentional performance. Finally, a real-time experiment involving continuous metric monitoring allowed personalized dynamic optimization of the current amplitude and stimulation site (frontal or parietal). The findings reveal statistically significant improvements in mean accuracy (94.04 vs. 90.82%) and reaction times (262.93 vs. 302.03 ms) with the adaptive tDCS compared to a non-stimulation condition. Average reaction times were statistically shorter during adaptive stimulation compared to a fixed current amplitude condition (262.93 vs. 283.56 ms), while mean accuracy stayed similar (94.04 vs. 93.36%, improvement not statistically significant). Despite the limited number of subjects, this work points out the promising potential of adaptive tDCS as a tailored treatment for enhancing sustained attention.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Luca Mesin
- Mathematical Biology and Physiology, Department Electronics and Telecommunications, Politecnico di Torino, 10129 Turin, Italy; (E.C.); (F.B.); (G.C.); (M.R.)
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3
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Hemmerich K, Lupiáñez J, Martín-Arévalo E. HD-tDCS mitigates the executive vigilance decrement only under high cognitive demands. Sci Rep 2024; 14:7865. [PMID: 38570619 PMCID: PMC10991279 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-57917-y] [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: 05/23/2023] [Accepted: 03/22/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Maintaining vigilance is essential for many everyday tasks, but over time, our ability to sustain it inevitably decreases, potentially entailing severe consequences. High-definition transcranial direct current stimulation (HD-tDCS) has proven to be useful for studying and improving vigilance. This study explores if/how cognitive load affects the mitigatory effects of HD-tDCS on the vigilance decrement. Participants (N = 120) completed a modified ANTI-Vea task (single or dual load) while receiving either sham or anodal HD-tDCS over the right posterior parietal cortex (rPPC). This data was compared with data from prior studies (N = 120), where participants completed the standard ANTI-Vea task (triple load task), combined with the same HD-tDCS protocol. Against our hypotheses, both the single and dual load conditions showed a significant executive vigilance (EV) decrement, which was not affected by the application of rPPC HD-tDCS. On the contrary, the most cognitively demanding task (triple task) showed the greatest EV decrement; importantly, it was also with the triple task that a significant mitigatory effect of the HD-tDCS intervention was observed. The present study contributes to a more nuanced understanding of the specific effects of HD-tDCS on the vigilance decrement considering cognitive demands. This can ultimately contribute to reconciling heterogeneous effects observed in past research and fine-tuning its future clinical application.
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Affiliation(s)
- Klara Hemmerich
- Department of Experimental Psychology, and Mind, Brain, and Behavior Research Center (CIMCYC), University of Granada, Campus de Cartuja, s/n, 18071, Granada, Spain.
| | - Juan Lupiáñez
- Department of Experimental Psychology, and Mind, Brain, and Behavior Research Center (CIMCYC), University of Granada, Campus de Cartuja, s/n, 18071, Granada, Spain
| | - Elisa Martín-Arévalo
- Department of Experimental Psychology, and Mind, Brain, and Behavior Research Center (CIMCYC), University of Granada, Campus de Cartuja, s/n, 18071, Granada, Spain.
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4
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Olgiati E, Violante IR, Xu S, Sinclair TG, Li LM, Crow JN, Kapsetaki ME, Calvo R, Li K, Nayar M, Grossman N, Patel MC, Wise RJS, Malhotra PA. Targeted non-invasive brain stimulation boosts attention and modulates contralesional brain networks following right hemisphere stroke. Neuroimage Clin 2024; 42:103599. [PMID: 38608376 PMCID: PMC11019269 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2024.103599] [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: 03/01/2024] [Accepted: 03/29/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024]
Abstract
Right hemisphere stroke patients frequently present with a combination of lateralised and non-lateralised attentional deficits characteristic of the neglect syndrome. Attentional deficits are associated with poor functional outcome and are challenging to treat, with non-lateralised deficits often persisting into the chronic stage and representing a common complaint among patients and families. In this study, we investigated the effects of non-invasive brain stimulation on non-lateralised attentional deficits in right-hemispheric stroke. In a randomised double-blind sham-controlled crossover study, twenty-two patients received real and sham transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) whilst performing a non-lateralised attentional task. A high definition tDCS montage guided by stimulation modelling was employed to maximise current delivery over the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, a key node in the vigilance network. In a parallel study, we examined brain network response to this tDCS montage by carrying out concurrent fMRI during stimulation in healthy participants and patients. At the group level, stimulation improved target detection in patients, reducing overall error rate when compared with sham stimulation. TDCS boosted performance throughout the duration of the task, with its effects briefly outlasting stimulation cessation. Exploratory lesion analysis indicated that response to stimulation was related to lesion location rather than volume. In particular, reduced stimulation response was associated with damage to the thalamus and postcentral gyrus. Concurrent stimulation-fMRI revealed that tDCS did not affect local connectivity but influenced functional connectivity within large-scale networks in the contralesional hemisphere. This combined behavioural and functional imaging approach shows that brain stimulation targeted to surviving tissue in the ipsilesional hemisphere improves non-lateralised attentional deficits following stroke. This effect may be exerted via contralesional network effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Olgiati
- Imperial College London, Department of Brain Sciences, UK; Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, UK.
| | - Ines R Violante
- Imperial College London, Department of Brain Sciences, UK; University of Surrey, Department of Psychology, UK
| | - Shuler Xu
- Imperial College London, Department of Brain Sciences, UK; University College London, UK
| | | | - Lucia M Li
- Imperial College London, Department of Brain Sciences, UK; UK Dementia Research Institute Care Research and Technology Centre, Imperial College London and the University of Surrey, London, UK
| | - Jennifer N Crow
- Imperial College London, Department of Brain Sciences, UK; Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, UK
| | | | - Roberta Calvo
- UTHealth, Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, McGovern Medical School, Houston, US
| | - Korina Li
- Imperial College London, Department of Brain Sciences, UK; University College London, UK
| | | | - Nir Grossman
- Imperial College London, Department of Brain Sciences, UK; UK Dementia Research Institute Care Research and Technology Centre, Imperial College London and the University of Surrey, London, UK
| | - Maneesh C Patel
- Imperial College London, Department of Brain Sciences, UK; Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, UK
| | - Richard J S Wise
- Imperial College London, Department of Brain Sciences, UK; Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, UK
| | - Paresh A Malhotra
- Imperial College London, Department of Brain Sciences, UK; Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, UK; UK Dementia Research Institute Care Research and Technology Centre, Imperial College London and the University of Surrey, London, UK
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5
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Toth J, Kurtin DL, Brosnan M, Arvaneh M. Opportunities and obstacles in non-invasive brain stimulation. Front Hum Neurosci 2024; 18:1385427. [PMID: 38562225 PMCID: PMC10982339 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2024.1385427] [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: 02/12/2024] [Accepted: 03/05/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) is a complex and multifaceted approach to modulating brain activity and holds the potential for broad accessibility. This work discusses the mechanisms of the four distinct approaches to modulating brain activity non-invasively: electrical currents, magnetic fields, light, and ultrasound. We examine the dual stochastic and deterministic nature of brain activity and its implications for NIBS, highlighting the challenges posed by inter-individual variability, nebulous dose-response relationships, potential biases and neuroanatomical heterogeneity. Looking forward, we propose five areas of opportunity for future research: closed-loop stimulation, consistent stimulation of the intended target region, reducing bias, multimodal approaches, and strategies to address low sample sizes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jake Toth
- Automatic Control and Systems Engineering, Neuroscience Institute, Insigneo Institute, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | | | - Méadhbh Brosnan
- School of Psychology, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
- Oxford Centre for Human Brain Activity, Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
- Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health and School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Mahnaz Arvaneh
- Automatic Control and Systems Engineering, Neuroscience Institute, Insigneo Institute, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
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6
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Boehme S, Herrmann MJ, Mühlberger A. Good moments to stimulate the brain - A randomized controlled double-blinded study on anodal transcranial direct current stimulation of the ventromedial prefrontal cortex on two different time points in a two-day fear conditioning paradigm. Behav Brain Res 2024; 460:114804. [PMID: 38103872 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2023.114804] [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: 08/19/2022] [Revised: 11/30/2023] [Accepted: 12/06/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023]
Abstract
It is assumed that extinction learning is a suitable model for understanding the mechanisms underlying exposure therapy. Furthermore, there is evidence that non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) can elevate extinction learning by enhancing frontal brain activity and therefore NIBS can augment symptom reduction during exposure therapy in phobias. But, the underlying processes are still not well established. Open questions arise from NIBS time points and electrode placement, among others. Therefore, we investigated in a 2-day fear conditioning experiment, whether anodal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) of the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) modulates either fear memory consolidation or dampened fear reaction during fear extinction. Sixty-six healthy participants were randomly assigned either to a group that received tDCS after fear acquisition (and before fear memory consolidation), to a group that received tDCS directly before fear extinction, or to a control group that never received active stimulation (sham). Differential skin conductance response (SCR) to CS+ vs. CS- was significantly decreased in both tDCS-groups compared to sham group. Our region of interest, the vmPFC, was stimulated best focally with a lateral anode position and a cathode on the contralateral side. But this comes along with a slightly lateral stimulation of vmPFC depending on whether anode is placed left or right. To avoid unintended effects of stimulated sides the two electrode montages (anode left or right) were mirror-inverted which led to differential effects in SCR and electrocortical (mainly late positive potential [LPP]) data in our exploratory analyses. Results indicated that tDCS-timing is relevant for fear reactions via disturbed fear memory consolidation as well as fear expression, and this depends on whether vmPFC is stimulated with either left- or right-sided anode electrode montage. Electrocortical data can shed more light on the underlying neural correlates and exaggerated LPP seems to be associated with disturbed fear memory consolidation and dampened SCR to CS+ vs. CS-, but solely in the right anode electrode montage. Further open questions addressing where and when to stimulate the prefrontal brain in the course of augmenting fear extinction are raised.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie Boehme
- Department of Psychology, Chair for Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Technische Universität Chemnitz, Wilhelm-Raabe-Straße 43, D-09120 Chemnitz, Germany; Department of Psychology, Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, University of Regensburg, Universitätsstraße 31, D-93053 Regensburg, Germany.
| | - Martin J Herrmann
- Center of Mental Health, Dept. of Psychiatry, Psychosomatics, and Psychotherapy, University Hospital of Wuerzburg, Margarete-Hoeppel-Platz 1, D-97080 Wuerzburg, Germany
| | - Andreas Mühlberger
- Department of Psychology, Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, University of Regensburg, Universitätsstraße 31, D-93053 Regensburg, Germany
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7
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Hemmerich K, Lupiáñez J, Luna FG, Martín-Arévalo E. The mitigation of the executive vigilance decrement via HD-tDCS over the right posterior parietal cortex and its association with neural oscillations. Cereb Cortex 2023:6988102. [PMID: 36646467 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhac540] [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: 07/21/2022] [Revised: 12/22/2022] [Accepted: 12/23/2022] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Vigilance-maintaining a prolonged state of preparation to detect and respond to specific yet unpredictable environmental changes-usually decreases across prolonged tasks, causing potentially severe real-life consequences, which could be mitigated through transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS). The present study aimed at replicating previous mitigatory effects observed with anodal high-definition tDCS (HD-tDCS) over the right posterior parietal cortex (rPPC) while extending the analyses on electrophysiological measures associated with vigilance. In sum, 60 participants completed the ANTI-Vea task while receiving anodal (1.5 mA, n = 30) or sham (0 mA, n = 30) HD-tDCS over the rPPC for ~ 28 min. EEG recordings were completed before and after stimulation. Anodal HD-tDCS specifically mitigated executive vigilance (EV) and reduced the alpha power increment across time-on-task while increasing the gamma power increment. To further account for the observed behavioral and physiological outcomes, a new index of Alphaparietal/Gammafrontal is proposed. Interestingly, the increment of this Alphaparietal/Gammafrontal Index with time-on-task is associated with a steeper EV decrement in the sham group, which was mitigated by anodal HD-tDCS. We highlight the relevance of replicating mitigatory effects of tDCS and the need to integrate conventional and novel physiological measures to account for how anodal HD-tDCS can be used to modulate cognitive performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Klara Hemmerich
- Department of Experimental Psychology, and Mind, Brain, and Behavior Research Center (CIMCYC), University of Granada, Granada 18071, Spain
| | - Juan Lupiáñez
- Department of Experimental Psychology, and Mind, Brain, and Behavior Research Center (CIMCYC), University of Granada, Granada 18071, Spain
| | - Fernando G Luna
- Instituto de Investigaciones Psicológicas (IIPsi, CONICET-UNC), Facultad de Psicología, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba 5010, Argentina
| | - Elisa Martín-Arévalo
- Department of Experimental Psychology, and Mind, Brain, and Behavior Research Center (CIMCYC), University of Granada, Granada 18071, Spain
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8
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Attention neuroenhancement through tDCS or neurofeedback: a randomized, single-blind, controlled trial. Sci Rep 2022; 12:17613. [PMID: 36266396 PMCID: PMC9584934 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-22245-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2022] [Accepted: 10/12/2022] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Neurofeedback and transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) are promising techniques for neuroenhancement of attentional performance. As far as we know no study compared both techniques on attentional performance in healthy participants. We compared tDCS and neurofeedback in a randomized, single-blind, controlled experiment assessing both behavioral (accuracy and time reaction) and electrophysiological (N1, P1, and P3 components) data of participants responding to the Attention Network Task (ANT). Eighty volunteers volunteered for this study. We adopted standard protocols for both techniques, i.e., a Sensorimotor Rhythm (SMR) protocol for neurofeedback and the right DLPFC anodal stimulation for tDCS, applied over nine sessions (two weeks). We did not find significant differences between treatment groups on ANT, neither at the behavioral nor at the electrophysiological levels. However, we found that participants from both neuromodulation groups, irrespective of if active or sham, reported attentional improvements in response to the treatment on a subjective scale. Our study adds another null result to the neuromodulation literature, showing that neurofeedback and tDCS effects are more complex than previously suggested and associated with placebo effect. More studies in neuroenhancement literature are necessary to fully comprehend neuromodulation mechanisms.
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9
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Olgiati E, Malhotra PA. Using non-invasive transcranial direct current stimulation for neglect and associated attentional deficits following stroke. Neuropsychol Rehabil 2022; 32:732-763. [PMID: 32892712 DOI: 10.1080/09602011.2020.1805335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Neglect is a disabling neuropsychological syndrome that is frequently observed following right-hemispheric stroke. Affected individuals often present with multiple attentional deficits, ranging from reduced orienting towards contralesional space to a generalized impairment in maintaining attention over time. Although a degree of spontaneous recovery occurs in most patients, in some individuals this condition can be treatment-resistant with prominent ongoing non-spatial deficits. Further, there is a large inter-individual variability in response to different therapeutic approaches. Given its potential to alter neuronal excitability and affect neuroplasticity, non-invasive brain stimulation is a promising tool that could potentially be utilized to facilitate recovery. However, there are many outstanding questions regarding its implementation in this heterogeneous patient group. Here we provide a critical overview of the available evidence on the use of non-invasive electrical brain stimulation, focussing on transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), to improve neglect and associated attentional deficits after right-hemispheric stroke. At present, there is insufficient robust evidence supporting the clinical use of tDCS to alleviate symptoms of neglect. Future research would benefit from careful study design, enhanced precision of electrical montages, multi-modal approaches exploring predictors of response, tailored dose-control applications and increased efforts to evaluate standalone tDCS versus its incorporation into combination therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Olgiati
- Department of Brain Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK.,Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, London, UK
| | - Paresh A Malhotra
- Department of Brain Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK.,Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, London, UK.,UK Dementia Research Institute, Care Research & Technology Centre, Imperial College London and University of Surrey, London, UK
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10
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Qiao J, Li X, Wang Y, Wang Y, Li G, Lu P, Wang S. The Infraslow Frequency Oscillatory Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation Over the Left Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex Enhances Sustained Attention. Front Aging Neurosci 2022; 14:879006. [PMID: 35431889 PMCID: PMC9009338 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2022.879006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2022] [Accepted: 02/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The vigilance fluctuation and decrement of sustained attention have large detrimental consequences to most tasks in daily life, especially among the elderly. Non-invasive brain stimulations (e.g., transcranial direct current stimulation, tDCS) have been widely applied to improve sustained attention, however, with mixed results. Objective An infraslow frequency oscillatory tDCS approach was designed to improve sustained attention. Methods The infraslow frequency oscillatory tDCS (O-tDCS) over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex at 0.05 Hz was designed and compared with conventional tDCS (C-tDCS) to test whether this new protocol improves sustained attention more effectively. The sustained attention was evaluated by reaction time and accuracy. Results Compared with the C-tDCS and sham, the O-tDCS significantly enhanced sustained attention by increasing response accuracy, reducing response time, and its variability. These effects were predicted by the evoked oscillation of response time at the stimulation frequency. Conclusion Similar to previous studies, the modulation effect of C-tDCS on sustained attention is weak and unstable. In contrast, the O-tDCS effectively and systematically enhances sustained attention by optimizing vigilance fluctuation. The modulation effect of O-tDCS is probably driven by neural oscillations at the infraslow frequency range.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingwen Qiao
- Academy for Engineering and Technology, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xinyu Li
- Department of Electronic Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Youhao Wang
- Academy for Engineering and Technology, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yifeng Wang
- Institute of Brain and Psychological Sciences, Sichuan Normal University, Chengdu, China
| | - Gen Li
- Institute of Brain and Psychological Sciences, Sichuan Normal University, Chengdu, China
| | - Ping Lu
- Institute of Brain and Psychological Sciences, Sichuan Normal University, Chengdu, China
| | - Shouyan Wang
- Academy for Engineering and Technology, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Institute of Science and Technology for Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
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11
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Brosnan MB, Shalev N, Ramduny J, Sotiropoulos SN, Chechlacz M. Right fronto-parietal networks mediate the neurocognitive benefits of enriched environments. Brain Commun 2022; 4:fcac080. [PMID: 35474852 PMCID: PMC9035529 DOI: 10.1093/braincomms/fcac080] [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: 09/06/2021] [Revised: 01/10/2022] [Accepted: 03/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Exposure to enriched environments throughout a lifetime, providing so-called reserve, protects against cognitive decline in later years. It has been hypothesized that high levels of alertness necessitated by enriched environments might strengthen the right fronto-parietal networks to facilitate this neurocognitive resilience. We have previously shown that enriched environments offset age-related deficits in selective attention by preserving grey matter within right fronto-parietal regions. Here, using neurite orientation dispersion and density imaging, we examined the relationship between enriched environments, microstructural properties of fronto-parietal white matter association pathways (three branches of the superior longitudinal fasciculus), structural brain health (atrophy), and attention (alertness, orienting and executive control) in a group of older adults. We show that exposure to enriched environments is associated with a lower orientation dispersion index within the right superior longitudinal fasciculus 1 which in turn mediates the relationship between enriched environments and alertness, as well as grey and white matter atrophy. This suggests that enriched environments may induce white matter plasticity (and prevent age-related dispersion of axons) within the right fronto-parietal networks to facilitate the preservation of neurocognitive health in later years.
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Affiliation(s)
- Méadhbh B. Brosnan
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Oxford Centre for Human Brain Activity, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Nir Shalev
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Oxford Centre for Human Brain Activity, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Jivesh Ramduny
- School of Psychology, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
- Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
- Sir Peter Mansfield Imaging Centre, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
| | - Stamatios N. Sotiropoulos
- Sir Peter Mansfield Imaging Centre, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
- National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), Nottingham Biomedical Research Centre, Queen’s Medical Centre, Nottingham, UK
| | - Magdalena Chechlacz
- Centre for Human Brain Health, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
- School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
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12
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Gan T, Huang Y, Hao X, Hu L, Zheng Y, Yang Z. Anodal tDCS Over the Left Frontal Eye Field Improves Sustained Visual Search Performance. Perception 2022; 51:263-275. [PMID: 35275023 DOI: 10.1177/03010066221086446] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Monotonous and repetitive tasks cause vigilance, or sustained attention decrement, which possibly leads to irreparable accident consequences in the aerospace and nuclear industry. Buffering the decrement of vigilance in visual search tasks is essential for cognitive enhancement and ergonomic research. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of anodal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) applied to the left frontal eye field (FEF) to improve the performance of the sustained visual search. Twenty-seven healthy participants received anodal and sham tDCS of 2 mA for 28.8 min and completed a visual search task lasting for approximately 40 min without any break. For the online effect, results showed that the d' hit rate and accuracy under anodal tDCS were significantly higher than those under sham conditions during 0-19.2 min time intervals. For the after-effect, compared with sham, anodal tDCS caused significantly higher d' in the 10 min after completing the tDCS. Our findings suggest that anodal tDCS over the left FEF could effectively mitigate the decline of visual vigilance performance by buffering cognitive resource depletion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tian Gan
- 12646Department of Psychology, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yanyan Huang
- 12646Department of Psychology, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xin Hao
- 12646Department of Psychology, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Lina Hu
- 12646Department of Psychology, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yan Zheng
- 12646Department of Psychology, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Zhen Yang
- 12646Department of Psychology, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou, China
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13
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Abstract
OBJECTIVES Mental fatigue, 'brain fog', and difficulties maintaining engagement are commonly reported issues in a range of neurological and psychiatric conditions. Traditional sustained attention tasks commonly measure this capacity as the ability to detect target stimuli based on sensory features in the auditory or visual domains. However, with this approach, discrete target stimuli may exogenously capture attention to aid detection, thereby masking deficits in the ability to endogenously sustain attention over time. METHODS To address this, we developed the Continuous Temporal Expectancy Task (CTET) where individuals continuously monitor a stream of patterned stimuli alternating at a fixed temporal interval (690 ms) and detect an infrequently occurring target stimulus defined by a prolonged temporal duration (1020 ms or longer). As such, sensory properties of target and non-target stimuli are perceptually identical and differ only in temporal duration. Using the CTET, we assessed stroke survivors with unilateral right hemisphere damage (N = 14), a cohort in which sustained attention deficits have been extensively reported. RESULTS Stroke survivors had overall lower target detection accuracy compared with neurologically healthy age-matched older controls (N = 18). Critically, stroke survivors performance was characterised by significantly steeper within-block performance decrements, which occurred within short temporal windows (˜3 ½ min), and were restored by the break periods between blocks. CONCLUSIONS These findings suggest that continuous temporal monitoring taxes sustained attention processes to capture clinical deficits in this capacity over time, and outline a precise measure of the endogenous processes hypothesised to underpin sustained attention deficits following right hemisphere stroke.
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14
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Martínez-Pérez V, Tortajada M, Palmero LB, Campoy G, Fuentes LJ. Effects of transcranial alternating current stimulation over right-DLPFC on vigilance tasks depend on the arousal level. Sci Rep 2022; 12:547. [PMID: 35017631 PMCID: PMC8752588 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-04607-8] [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: 07/26/2021] [Accepted: 12/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Current theoretical accounts on the oscillatory nature of sustained attention predict that entrainment via transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) at alpha and theta frequencies on specific areas of the prefrontal cortex could prevent the drops in vigilance across time-on-task. Nonetheless, most previous studies have neglected both the fact that vigilance comprises two dissociable components (i.e., arousal and executive vigilance) and the potential role of differences in arousal levels. We examined the effects of theta- and alpha-tACS over the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex in both components of vigilance and in participants who differed in arousal level according to their chronotype and time of testing. Intermediate-types performed the vigilance tasks when their arousal level was optimal, whereas evening-types performed the vigilance tasks when their arousal levels were non-optimal. Both theta- and alpha-tACS improved arousal vigilance in the psychomotor vigilance task (PVT), whereas alpha-tACS, but not theta-tACS, improved executive vigilance in the sustained attention to response task (SART), and counteracted the typical vigilance decrement usually observed in this task. Importantly, these stimulation effects were only found when arousal was low (i.e., with evening-types performing the tasks at their non-optimal time of day). The results support the multicomponent view of vigilance, the relevance of heeding individual differences in arousal, and the role of alpha oscillations as a long-range cortical scale synchronization mechanism that compensates the decrements in performance as a function of time-on-task by exerting and maintaining cognitive control attributed to activation of the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Víctor Martínez-Pérez
- Facultad de Psicología, Universidad de Murcia, Campus de Espinardo, 30100, Murcia, Spain.
| | - Miriam Tortajada
- Facultad de Psicología, Universidad de Murcia, Campus de Espinardo, 30100, Murcia, Spain
| | - Lucía B Palmero
- Facultad de Psicología, Universidad de Murcia, Campus de Espinardo, 30100, Murcia, Spain
| | - Guillermo Campoy
- Facultad de Psicología, Universidad de Murcia, Campus de Espinardo, 30100, Murcia, Spain
| | - Luis J Fuentes
- Facultad de Psicología, Universidad de Murcia, Campus de Espinardo, 30100, Murcia, Spain.
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15
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Esposito M, Mauri P, Panizza L, Mazza V, Miniussi C, Brignani D. Baseline levels of alertness influence tES effects along different age-related directions. Neuropsychologia 2021; 160:107966. [PMID: 34303718 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2021.107966] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2021] [Revised: 06/25/2021] [Accepted: 07/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Normal aging is usually accompanied by several structural and functional physiological changes of the brain, which are closely related to alterations of cognitive functions (e.g., visual short-term memory). As the average age of the population increases, it has become crucial to identify cognitive-behavioural interventions to maintain a healthy level of cognitive performance. Among a variety of approaches, the targeting of specific intrinsic alertness mechanisms has shown a solid rationale and beneficial effects in both healthy and pathological ageing. In a similar vein, the use of non-invasive transcranial electrical stimulation (tES) represents another promising approach to induce an alerting state that can produce advantages in the information processing in the brain and therefore behaviour. Here, we investigated whether time-locked bursts of tES (i.e., transcranial random noise stimulation) were effective in inducing behavioural and physiological changes, consistently with an alertness increase, in both young and older healthy adults. Namely, we expected to find a beneficial alerting effect on visual short-term memory performance as a function of stimulus perceptual salience and tES. The initial results showed that the performance of younger adults was not affected by tES, while older adults scored lower correct responses for high-salience stimuli during real tES with respect to sham stimulation. However, after including a baseline measure of subjective level of alertness in the analyses, a tES-induced memory improvement did emerge in the less alerted younger adults, while only the more alerted older adults were subject to the worsening effect by tES. We discuss these results in consideration of the evidence on critical age-related differences as well as the interaction between neurostimulation and baseline alerting mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Esposito
- IRCCS Istituto Centro San Giovanni di Dio Fatebenefratelli, 25125, Brescia, Italy
| | - Piercarlo Mauri
- IRCCS Istituto Centro San Giovanni di Dio Fatebenefratelli, 25125, Brescia, Italy
| | | | - Veronica Mazza
- Centre for Mind/Brain Sciences CIMeC, University of Trento, 38068, Rovereto, TN, Italy
| | - Carlo Miniussi
- Centre for Mind/Brain Sciences CIMeC, University of Trento, 38068, Rovereto, TN, Italy
| | - Debora Brignani
- IRCCS Istituto Centro San Giovanni di Dio Fatebenefratelli, 25125, Brescia, Italy.
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16
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Laera G, Arcara G, Gajewski PD, Kliegel M, Hering A. Age-related modulation of EEG time-frequency responses in prospective memory retrieval. Neuropsychologia 2021; 155:107818. [PMID: 33675856 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2021.107818] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2020] [Revised: 01/29/2021] [Accepted: 02/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Prospective memory involves remembering to execute an intention at the appropriate moment (prospective component) as well as retrieving the intended action (retrospective component). Several electrophysiological studies showed that neural activity associated with the prospective and the retrospective component differed between older and younger adults. However, these studies mainly reported event-related potentials (ERP), without considering other oscillatory parameters of age-related neural modulations that might be associated with the two components. OBJECTIVE In the present study, we analysed electrophysiological data to describe the age-related patterns of brain oscillations associated with the prospective and the retrospective components of prospective memory. METHODS The prospective and the retrospective components were manipulated in two experiments. In experiment 1, the prospective component was manipulated by varying the cue distinctiveness (i.e., how easy it was to detect the cue based on colour). In experiment 2, the retrospective component was manipulated by varying the number of intentions to be remembered (i.e., one or two intentions). We used time-frequency analysis to characterise the EEG oscillatory activity in younger and older adults. RESULTS The prospective component was associated with age differences in alpha and beta frequency bands. Compared to younger adults, older adults showed a decrease of parietal alpha activity when they detected distinct prospective memory cues, and a decrease of parietal beta when they detected less distinct cues. Moreover, older adults showed less beta activity compared to the younger adults across experimental manipulations. No age differences emerged with respect to the retrospective component. CONCLUSIONS The specific pattern of oscillatory activity associated with the prospective component in older adults could underlie the dynamic deployment of different attentional resources supporting cue detection. Moreover, beta activity in both experiments might support an attempt exerted by older adults to enhance task coordination processes. Overall, cluster-based permutation analyses provided a first description of the changes of the EEG time-frequency responses related to intention retrieval in older adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gianvito Laera
- Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Université de Genève, Geneva, Switzerland; Center for the Interdisciplinary Study of Gerontology and Vulnerability, Université de Genève, Geneva, Switzerland; Swiss National Centre of Competence in Research: LIVES - Overcoming Vulnerability: Life Course Perspectives', Lausanne and Geneva, Switzerland.
| | | | - Patrick D Gajewski
- Leibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors (IfADo), Dortmund, Germany
| | - Matthias Kliegel
- Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Université de Genève, Geneva, Switzerland; Center for the Interdisciplinary Study of Gerontology and Vulnerability, Université de Genève, Geneva, Switzerland; Swiss National Centre of Competence in Research: LIVES - Overcoming Vulnerability: Life Course Perspectives', Lausanne and Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Alexandra Hering
- Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Université de Genève, Geneva, Switzerland; Center for the Interdisciplinary Study of Gerontology and Vulnerability, Université de Genève, Geneva, Switzerland; Department of Developmental Psychology, Tilburg University, Tilburg, the Netherlands
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17
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Perrotta D, Bianco V, Berchicci M, Quinzi F, Perri RL. Anodal tDCS over the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex reduces Stroop errors. A comparison of different tasks and designs. Behav Brain Res 2021; 405:113215. [PMID: 33662440 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2021.113215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2020] [Revised: 02/25/2021] [Accepted: 02/25/2021] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
In the present work, we evaluated the possibility to induce changes in the inhibitory control through non-invasive excitatory stimulation of the prefrontal cortex (PFC). To this aim, different montages of the transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) were adopted in three separate experiments, wherein different cognitive tasks were performed before and after the stimulation. In the first experiment, participants performed a visual Go/no-go task, and a bilateral anodic or sham stimulation was provided over the scalp area corresponding to the inferior frontal gyrus (IFG). In the second experiment, the IFG was stimulated unilaterally over the right hemisphere, and participants performed a Stroop task combined with a concurrent n-back task, which was aimed at overloading PFC activity. Since no behavioral effects of tDCS were observed in both experiments, we conducted a third experiment with different montage and paradigm. Stimulation was provided bilaterally over the dorsolateral PFC (DLPFC) in the context of a classic Stroop task: results indicated that anodal stimulation favored a reduction of errors. Present findings suggest that the bihemispheric stimulation of the DLPFC might be effective to increase inhibition in healthy subjects, and that this effect might be mediated by the implementation of sustained attention, as predicted by the attentional account of the inhibitory control.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Valentina Bianco
- IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, Rome, Italy; Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Languages and Literatures, Communication, Education and Society, University of Udine, Udine, Italy
| | - Marika Berchicci
- Dept. of Movement, Human and Health Sciences, University of Rome "Foro Italico", Rome, Italy
| | - Federico Quinzi
- Dept. of Movement, Human and Health Sciences, University of Rome "Foro Italico", Rome, Italy
| | - Rinaldo Livio Perri
- University "Niccolò Cusano", Italy; Dept. of Movement, Human and Health Sciences, University of Rome "Foro Italico", Rome, Italy
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18
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Indahlastari A, Hardcastle C, Albizu A, Alvarez-Alvarado S, Boutzoukas EM, Evangelista ND, Hausman HK, Kraft J, Langer K, Woods AJ. A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation to Remediate Age-Related Cognitive Decline in Healthy Older Adults. Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat 2021; 17:971-990. [PMID: 33824591 PMCID: PMC8018377 DOI: 10.2147/ndt.s259499] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2020] [Accepted: 03/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has been proposed as a possible method for remediating age-associated cognitive decline in the older adult population. While tDCS has shown potential for improving cognitive functions in healthy older adults, stimulation outcomes on various cognitive domains have been mixed. METHODS A systematic search was performed in four databases: PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, and PsychInfo. Search results were then screened for eligibility based on inclusion/exclusion criteria to only include studies where tDCS was applied to improve cognition in healthy older adults 65 years and above. Eligible studies were reviewed and demographic characteristics, tDCS dose parameters, study procedures, and cognitive outcomes were extracted. Reported effect sizes for active compared to sham group in representative cognitive domain were converted to Hedges' g. MAIN RESULTS A total of thirteen studies involving healthy older adults (n=532, mean age=71.2+5.3 years) were included in the meta-analysis. The majority of included studies (94%) targeted the prefrontal cortex with stimulation intensity 1-2 mA using various electrode placements with anodes near the frontal region. Across all studies, we found Hedges' g values ranged from -0.31 to 1.85 as reported group effect sizes of active stimulation compared to sham. CONCLUSION While observed outcomes varied, overall findings indicated promising effects of tDCS to remediate cognitive aging and thus deserves further exploration. Future characterization of inter-individual variability in tDCS dose response and applications in larger cohorts are warranted to further validate benefits of tDCS for cognition in healthy older adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aprinda Indahlastari
- Center for Cognitive Aging and Memory, McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.,Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Cheshire Hardcastle
- Center for Cognitive Aging and Memory, McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.,Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Alejandro Albizu
- Center for Cognitive Aging and Memory, McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.,Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Stacey Alvarez-Alvarado
- Center for Cognitive Aging and Memory, McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.,Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Emanuel M Boutzoukas
- Center for Cognitive Aging and Memory, McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.,Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Nicole D Evangelista
- Center for Cognitive Aging and Memory, McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.,Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Hanna K Hausman
- Center for Cognitive Aging and Memory, McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.,Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Jessica Kraft
- Center for Cognitive Aging and Memory, McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.,Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Kailey Langer
- Center for Cognitive Aging and Memory, McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.,Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Adam J Woods
- Center for Cognitive Aging and Memory, McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.,Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.,Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
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19
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Shalev N, Brosnan MB, Chechlacz M. Right Lateralized Brain Reserve Offsets Age-Related Deficits in Ignoring Distraction. Cereb Cortex Commun 2020; 1:tgaa049. [PMID: 33073236 PMCID: PMC7545855 DOI: 10.1093/texcom/tgaa049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2020] [Revised: 07/11/2020] [Accepted: 08/07/2020] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Age-related deterioration of attention decreases the ability to stay focused on the task at hand due to less efficient selection of relevant information and increased distractibility in the face of irrelevant, but salient stimuli. While older (compared with younger) adults may have difficulty suppressing salient distractors, the extent of these challenges differs vastly across individuals. Cognitive reserve measured by proxies of cognitively enriching life experiences, such as education, occupation, and leisure activities, is thought to mitigate the effects of the aging process and account for variability in trajectories of cognitive decline. Based on combined behavioral and neuroimaging (voxel-based morphometry) analyses of demographic, cognitive, and neural markers of aging and cognitive reserve proxy measures, we examine here predictors of variability in the age-related changes in attention function, indexed by ability to suppress salient distraction. Our findings indicate that in healthy (neurotypical), aging gray matter volume within several right lateralized fronto-parietal brain regions varies according to both levels of cognitive reserve (education) and the capacity to effectively select visual stimuli amid salient distraction. Thus, we provide here novel experimental evidence supporting Robertson's theory of a right lateralized neural basis for cognitive reserve.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nir Shalev
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX2 6GG, UK
| | - Méadhbh B Brosnan
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX2 6GG, UK
| | - Magdalena Chechlacz
- Centre for Human Brain Health, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK
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20
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Zhao S, Bury G, Milne A, Chait M. Pupillometry as an Objective Measure of Sustained Attention in Young and Older Listeners. Trends Hear 2020; 23:2331216519887815. [PMID: 31775578 PMCID: PMC6883360 DOI: 10.1177/2331216519887815] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
The ability to sustain attention on a task-relevant sound source while avoiding
distraction from concurrent sounds is fundamental to listening in crowded
environments. We aimed to (a) devise an experimental paradigm with which this
aspect of listening can be isolated and (b) evaluate the applicability of
pupillometry as an objective measure of sustained attention in young and older
populations. We designed a paradigm that continuously measured behavioral
responses and pupillometry during 25-s trials. Stimuli contained a number of
concurrent, spectrally distinct tone streams. On each trial, participants
detected gaps in one of the streams while resisting distraction from the others.
Behavior demonstrated increasing difficulty with time-on-task and with
number/proximity of distractor streams. In young listeners
(N = 20; aged 18 to 35 years), pupil diameter (on the group and
individual level) was dynamically modulated by instantaneous task difficulty:
Periods where behavioral performance revealed a strain on sustained attention
were accompanied by increased pupil diameter. Only trials on which participants
performed successfully were included in the pupillometry analysis so that the
observed effects reflect task demands as opposed to failure to attend. In line
with existing reports, we observed global changes to pupil dynamics in the older
group (N = 19; aged 63 to 79 years) including decreased pupil
diameter, limited dilation range, and reduced temporal variability. However,
despite these changes, older listeners showed similar effects of attentive
tracking to those observed in the young listeners. Overall, our results
demonstrate that pupillometry can be a reliable and time-sensitive measure of
attentive tracking over long durations in both young and (with caveats) older
listeners.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sijia Zhao
- Ear Institute, University College London, UK
| | | | - Alice Milne
- Ear Institute, University College London, UK
| | - Maria Chait
- Ear Institute, University College London, UK
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21
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Abstract
Shift work is an inconsistent and atypical work schedule. This study aimed to investigate the influence of shift work on the Quality of Sleep (QOS) and Executive Functions (EF). Thirty shift workers and thirty day workers first completed a demographic questionnaire. They then were tested using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and EF tests, including the Corsi Block-Tapping Task (CBTT), Berg's Card Sorting Task (BCST), and the Continuous Performance Task (CPT). Results were subjected to non-parametric Chi-Square Tests, the Mann-Whitney U Test, and Independent T-Tests. Shift workers had significantly poorer sleep quality than day workers, which was shown in PSQI global scale (p = 0.001), sleep duration (p = 0.042), habitual sleep efficiency (p = 0.021), and sleep disturbance (p = 0.021). Concerning EF tests, shift workers performed significantly poorer on CBTT (p = 0.019) and BCST (p = 0.015, 0.047) compared with day workers. Significant differences were also observed between shift workers and day workers in terms of variables of omission errors (p = 0.037) and commission errors (p = 0.041) on CPT, but no significant difference was found between shift workers and day workers in reaction time (p = 0.561). Shift work impaired EF. These findings are related to shift workers' poorer sleep and its detrimental effects on areas of the brain, which are critical for EF, such as the prefrontal area. Our results suggest the evaluation and implication of practices and policies to assuage the consequences of working in shifts.
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22
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Luna FG, Román-Caballero R, Barttfeld P, Lupiáñez J, Martín-Arévalo E. A High-Definition tDCS and EEG study on attention and vigilance: Brain stimulation mitigates the executive but not the arousal vigilance decrement. Neuropsychologia 2020; 142:107447. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2020.107447] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2019] [Revised: 03/24/2020] [Accepted: 03/27/2020] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
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23
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Evidence accumulation during perceptual decisions in humans varies as a function of dorsal frontoparietal organization. Nat Hum Behav 2020; 4:844-855. [PMID: 32313233 DOI: 10.1038/s41562-020-0863-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2019] [Accepted: 03/16/2020] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Animal neurophysiological studies have identified neural signals within dorsal frontoparietal areas that trace a perceptual decision by accumulating sensory evidence over time and trigger action upon reaching a threshold. Although analogous accumulation-to-bound signals are identifiable on extracranial human electroencephalography, their cortical origins remain unknown. Here neural metrics of human evidence accumulation, predictive of the speed of perceptual reports, were isolated using electroencephalography and related to dorsal frontoparietal network (dFPN) connectivity using diffusion and resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging. The build-up rate of evidence accumulation mediated the relationship between the white matter macrostructure of dFPN pathways and the efficiency of perceptual reports. This association between steeper build-up rates of evidence accumulation and the dFPN was recapitulated in the resting-state networks. Stronger connectivity between dFPN regions is thus associated with faster evidence accumulation and speeded perceptual decisions. Our findings identify an integrated network for perceptual decisions that may be targeted for neurorehabilitation in cognitive disorders.
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