Transcranial Electrical Stimulation Offers the Possibility of Improving Teamwork Among Military Pilots: A Review

Using interbrain synchrony to study teamwork: A systematic review and meta-analysis

It has been proposed that interbrain synchrony (IBS) may help to elucidate the neural mechanisms underpinning teamwork. As hyperscanning studies have provided abundant findings on IBS in team environments, the current review aims to synthesize the findings of hyperscanning studies in a way that is relevant to the teamwork research. A systematic review was conducted. Included studies were classified according to the IPO (i.e. input, process, output) model of teamwork. Three multi-level meta-analyses were performed to quantify the associations between IBS and the three IPO variables. The methodology followed PRISMA guidelines and the protocol was pre-registered (https://osf.io/7h8sa/). Of the 229 studies, 41 were included, representing 1326 teams. The three meta-analyses found statistically significant positive effects, indicating a positive association between IBS and the three IPO teamwork variables. This study provides evidence that IBS is a relevant measure of the teamwork process and argues for the continued use of IBS to study teamwork.

Neuromodulation techniques - From non-invasive brain stimulation to deep brain stimulation

Over the past 30 years, the field of neuromodulation has witnessed remarkable advancements. These developments encompass a spectrum of techniques, both non-invasive and invasive, that possess the ability to both probe and influence the central nervous system. In many cases neuromodulation therapies have been adopted into standard care treatments. Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), and transcranial ultrasound stimulation (TUS) are the most common non-invasive methods in use today. Deep brain stimulation (DBS), spinal cord stimulation (SCS), and vagus nerve stimulation (VNS), are leading surgical methods for neuromodulation. Ongoing active clinical trials using are uncovering novel applications and paradigms for these interventions.

A new perspective for evaluating the efficacy of tACS and tDCS in improving executive functions: A combined tES and fNIRS study

BACKGROUND

Executive function enhancement is considered necessary for improving the quality of life of patients with neurological or psychiatric disorders, such as attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder and Alzheimer's disease. Transcranial electrical stimulation (tES) has been shown to have some beneficial effects on executive functioning, but the quantification of these improvements remains controversial. We aimed to explore the potential beneficial effects on executive functioning induced by the use of transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS)/transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on the right inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) and the accompanying brain function variations in the resting state.

METHODS

We recruited 229 healthy adults to participate in Experiments 1 (105 participants) and 2 (124 participants). The participants in each experiment were randomly divided into tACS, tDCS, and sham groups. The participants completed cognitive tasks to assess behavior related to three core components of executive functions. Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) was used to monitor the hemodynamic changes in crucial cortical regions in the resting state.

RESULTS

Inhibition and cognitive flexibility (excluding working memory) were significantly increased after tACS/tDCS, but there were no significant behavioral differences between the tACS and tDCS groups. fNIRS revealed that tDCS induced decreases in the functional connectivity (increased neural efficiency) of the relevant cortices.

CONCLUSIONS

Enhancement of executive function was observed after tES, and the beneficial effects of tACS/tDCS may need to be precisely evaluated via brain imaging indicators at rest. tDCS revealed better neural benefits than tACS during the stimulation phase. These findings might provide new insights for selecting intervention methods in future studies and for evaluating the clinical efficacy of tES.