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Tabari F, Patron C, Cryer H, Johari K. HD-tDCS over left supplementary motor area differentially modulated neural correlates of motor planning for speech vs. limb movement. Int J Psychophysiol 2024; 201:112357. [PMID: 38701898 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2024.112357] [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: 12/03/2023] [Revised: 04/15/2024] [Accepted: 04/30/2024] [Indexed: 05/05/2024]
Abstract
The supplementary motor area (SMA) is implicated in planning, execution, and control of speech production and limb movement. The SMA is among putative generators of pre-movement EEG activity which is thought to be neural markers of motor planning. In neurological conditions such as Parkinson's disease, abnormal pre-movement neural activity within the SMA has been reported during speech production and limb movement. Therefore, this region can be a potential target for non-invasive brain stimulation for both speech and limb movement. The present study took an initial step in examining the application of high-definition transcranial direct current stimulation (HD-tDCS) over the left SMA in 24 neurologically intact adults. Subsequently, event-related potentials (ERPs) were recorded while participants performed speech and limb movement tasks. Participants' data were collected in three counterbalanced sessions: anodal, cathodal and sham HD-tDCS. Relative to sham stimulation, anodal, but not cathodal, HD-tDCS significantly attenuated ERPs prior to the onset of the speech production. In contrast, neither anodal nor cathodal HD-tDCS significantly modulated ERPs prior to the onset of limb movement compared to sham stimulation. These findings showed that neural correlates of motor planning can be modulated using HD-tDCS over the left SMA in neurotypical adults, with translational implications for neurological conditions that impair speech production. The absence of a stimulation effect on ERPs prior to the onset of limb movement was not expected in this study, and future studies are warranted to further explore this effect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fatemeh Tabari
- Human Neurophysiology and Neuromodulation Lab, Communication Sciences and Disorders, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, USA
| | - Celeste Patron
- Human Neurophysiology and Neuromodulation Lab, Communication Sciences and Disorders, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, USA
| | - Hope Cryer
- Human Neurophysiology and Neuromodulation Lab, Communication Sciences and Disorders, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, USA
| | - Karim Johari
- Human Neurophysiology and Neuromodulation Lab, Communication Sciences and Disorders, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, USA.
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Hafezi S, Doustan M, Saemi E. The Effect of Brain Anodal and Cathodal Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation on Psychological Refractory Period at Different Stimulus-Onset Asynchrony in Non-Fatigue and Mental Fatigue Conditions. Brain Sci 2024; 14:477. [PMID: 38790455 PMCID: PMC11118837 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci14050477] [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: 04/08/2024] [Revised: 05/04/2024] [Accepted: 05/07/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
The psychological refractory period (PRP) effect occurs when two stimuli that require separate responses are presented sequentially, particularly with a short and variable time interval between them. Fatigue is a suboptimal psycho-physiological state that leads to changes in strategies. In recent years, numerous studies have investigated the effects of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on motor control. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of two tDCS methods, anodal and cathodal, on PRP in ten different conditions of stimulus-onset asynchronies (SOAs) under non-fatigue and mental fatigue conditions. The participants involved 39 male university students aged 19 to 25 years. In the pre-test, they were assessed using the PRP measurement tool under both non-fatigue and mental fatigue conditions. The mental fatigue was induced by a 30-min Stroop task. The test consisted of two stimuli with different SOAs (50, 75, 100, 150, 300, 400, 600, 900, 1200, and 1500 ms). The first was a visual stimulus with three choices (letters A, B, and C). After a random SOA, the second stimulus, a visual stimulus with three choices (colors red, yellow, and blue), was presented. Subsequently, participants were randomly assigned to the anodal, cathodal, and sham stimulation groups and underwent four consecutive sessions of tDCS stimulation. In the anodal and cathodal stimulation groups, 20 min of tDCS stimulation were applied to the PLPFC area in each session, while in the sham group, the stimulation was artificially applied. All participants were assessed using the same measurement tools as in the pre-test phase, in a post-test phase one day after the last stimulation session, and in a follow-up phase four days after that. Inferential statistics include mixed ANOVA, one-way ANOVA, independent, and dependent t-tests. The findings indicated that the response time to the second stimulus was longer at lower SOAs. However, there was no significant difference between the groups in this regard. Additionally, there was no significant difference in response time to the second stimulus between the fatigue and non-fatigue conditions, or between the groups. Therefore, tDCS had no significant effect. There was a significant difference between mental fatigue and non-fatigue conditions in the psychological refractory period. Moreover, at lower SOAs, the PRP was longer than at higher SOAs. In conditions of fatigue, the active stimulation groups (anodal and cathodal) performed better than the sham stimulation group at higher SOAs. Considering the difference in response to both stimuli at different SOAs, some central aspects of the response can be simultaneously parallel. Fatigue also affects parallel processing. This study supports the response integration phenomenon in PRP, which predicts that there will be an increase in response time to the first stimulus as the interval between the presentation of the two stimuli increases. This finding contradicts the bottleneck model. In this study, the effectiveness of cathodal and anodal tDCS on response time to the second stimulus and PRP was found to be very small.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Mohammadreza Doustan
- Department of Motor Behavior and Sport Psychology, Faculty of Sport Sciences, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Ahvaz 6135783151, Iran; (S.H.); (E.S.)
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Dai J, Xiao Y, Chen G, Gu Z, Xu K. Anodal transcranial direct current stimulation enhances response inhibition and attention allocation in fencers. PeerJ 2024; 12:e17288. [PMID: 38699193 PMCID: PMC11064870 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.17288] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2023] [Accepted: 04/02/2024] [Indexed: 05/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Background The aim of this study is to investigate the acute effects of anodal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on reaction time, response inhibition and attention in fencers. Methods Sixteen professional female fencers were recruited, and subjected to anodal tDCS and sham stimulation in the primary motor area (M1) one week apart in a randomized, crossover, single-blind design. A two-factor analysis of variance with repeated measures was used to analyze the effects of stimulation conditions (anodal stimulation, sham stimulation) and time (pre-stimulation, post-stimulation) on reaction time, response inhibition, and attention in fencers. Results The study found a significant improvement in response inhibition and attention allocation from pre-stimulation to post-stimulation following anodal tDCS but not after sham stimulation. There was no statistically significant improvement in reaction time and selective attention. Conclusions A single session of anodal tDCS could improve response inhibition, attention allocation in female fencers. This shows that tDCS has potential to improve aspects of an athlete's cognitive performance, although we do not know if such improvements would transfer to improved performance in competition. However, more studies involving all genders, large samples, and different sports groups are needed in the future to further validate the effect of tDCS in improving the cognitive performance of athletes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiansong Dai
- Department of Sport and Health Sciences, Nanjing Sport Institute, Nanjing, China
| | - Yang Xiao
- Department of Graduate, Nanjing Sport Institute, Nanjing, China
| | - Gangrui Chen
- Department of Sport Research, Nanjing Sport Institute, Nanjing, China
| | - Zhongke Gu
- Department of Sport and Health Sciences, Nanjing Sport Institute, Nanjing, China
| | - Kai Xu
- Department of Sport and Health Sciences, Nanjing Sport Institute, Nanjing, China
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Chen R, Huang L, Wang R, Fei J, Wang H, Wang J. Advances in Non-Invasive Neuromodulation Techniques for Improving Cognitive Function: A Review. Brain Sci 2024; 14:354. [PMID: 38672006 PMCID: PMC11048722 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci14040354] [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: 03/05/2024] [Revised: 03/27/2024] [Accepted: 03/30/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Non-invasive neuromodulation techniques are widely utilized to study and improve cognitive function, with the aim of modulating different cognitive processes. For workers performing high-intensity mental and physical tasks, extreme fatigue may not only affect their working efficiency but may also lead to cognitive decline or cognitive impairment, which, in turn, poses a serious threat to their physical health. The use of non-invasive neuromodulation techniques has important research value for improving and enhancing cognitive function. In this paper, we review the research status, existing problems, and future prospects of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS), transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), and transcutaneous acupoint stimulation (TAS), which are the most studied physical methods in non-invasive neuromodulation techniques to improve and enhance cognition. The findings presented in this paper will be of great reference value for the in-depth study of non-invasive neuromodulation techniques in the field of cognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruijuan Chen
- School of Life Sciences, Tiangong University, Tianjin 300387, China; (R.C.); (H.W.)
| | - Lengjie Huang
- School of Electronics & Information Engineering, Tiangong University, Tianjin 300387, China; (L.H.); (R.W.); (J.F.)
| | - Rui Wang
- School of Electronics & Information Engineering, Tiangong University, Tianjin 300387, China; (L.H.); (R.W.); (J.F.)
| | - Jieying Fei
- School of Electronics & Information Engineering, Tiangong University, Tianjin 300387, China; (L.H.); (R.W.); (J.F.)
| | - Huiquan Wang
- School of Life Sciences, Tiangong University, Tianjin 300387, China; (R.C.); (H.W.)
| | - Jinhai Wang
- School of Life Sciences, Tiangong University, Tianjin 300387, China; (R.C.); (H.W.)
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Friehs MA, Schmalbrock P, Merz S, Dechant M, Hartwigsen G, Frings C. A touching advantage: cross-modal stop-signals improve reactive response inhibition. Exp Brain Res 2024; 242:599-618. [PMID: 38227008 PMCID: PMC10894768 DOI: 10.1007/s00221-023-06767-7] [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: 09/16/2023] [Accepted: 12/13/2023] [Indexed: 01/17/2024]
Abstract
The ability to inhibit an already initiated response is crucial for navigating the environment. However, it is unclear which characteristics make stop-signals more likely to be processed efficiently. In three consecutive studies, we demonstrate that stop-signal modality and location are key factors that influence reactive response inhibition. Study 1 shows that tactile stop-signals lead to better performance compared to visual stop-signals in an otherwise visual choice-reaction task. Results of Study 2 reveal that the location of the stop-signal matters. Specifically, if a visual stop-signal is presented at a different location compared to the visual go-signal, then stopping performance is enhanced. Extending these results, study 3 suggests that tactile stop-signals and location-distinct visual stop-signals retain their performance enhancing effect when visual distractors are presented at the location of the go-signal. In sum, these results confirm that stop-signal modality and location influence reactive response inhibition, even in the face of concurrent distractors. Future research may extend and generalize these findings to other cross-modal setups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maximilian A Friehs
- Psychology of Conflict, Risk and Safety, Department of Technology, Human and Institutional Behaviour, Faculty of Behavioural, Management and Social Sciences, University of Twente, Enschede, The Netherlands.
- School of Psychology, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.
- Lise-Meitner Research Group Cognition and Plasticity, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany.
| | - Philipp Schmalbrock
- Department of General Psychology and Methodology, Trier University, Trier, Germany
| | - Simon Merz
- Department of General Psychology and Methodology, Trier University, Trier, Germany
| | - Martin Dechant
- UCLIC, University College London, London, UK
- ZEISS Vision Science Lab, Carl Zeiss Vision International GmbH, Turnstrasse 27, 73430, Aalen, Germany
| | - Gesa Hartwigsen
- Lise-Meitner Research Group Cognition and Plasticity, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
- Wilhelm Wundt Institute for Psychology, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Christian Frings
- Department of General Psychology and Methodology, Trier University, Trier, Germany
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Laskov O, Biačková N, Stuchlíková Z, Kostýlková L, Klírová M. Inhibitory Control in Young Healthy Adults - a tDCS Study. Physiol Res 2023; 72:633-644. [PMID: 38015762 PMCID: PMC10751056 DOI: 10.33549/physiolres.935066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2023] [Accepted: 06/08/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Inhibitory control plays a role in the behavior selection and detection of conflicts. Defects in inhibitory control are an integral part of many neuropsychiatric disorders and the possibilities of influencing it are the subject of active study. Studies have shown and confirmed the activation of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) during the Stroop task and other tests involving response inhibition. Non-invasive brain stimulation is an emerging and actively developing group of methods used in cognitive research. In the present study, we used non-invasive, painless, and delicate transcranial direct stimulation (tDCS) for the study of inhibitory control, and to explore the effect of impulsivity on response inhibition ability in young healthy participants. We conducted a cross-over study with cross-hemispheric application of 2 mA tDCS with electrodes placed on the right - cathode, and left - anode - DLPFC. Participants performed a classic Stroop test before and after stimulation. Impulsivity was measured via the personal impulsiveness questionnaire. There was no significant difference in interference score alteration between active and sham stimulations, anodal and sham tDCS both induced slight improvement in Stroop test results. Individual impulsivity in healthy participants showed no influence on their results. Our study adds to the picture and helps to deepen knowledge about the impact of different stimulation parameters on cognitive functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- O Laskov
- National Institute of Mental Health, Klecany, Czech Republic.
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Abdollahzade Z, Hadian MR, Khanmohammadi R, Talebian S. Efficacy of stretching exercises versus transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on task performance, kinematic and electroencephalography (EEG) spectrum in subjects with slump posture: a study protocol. Trials 2023; 24:351. [PMID: 37221565 DOI: 10.1186/s13063-023-07359-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2022] [Accepted: 05/05/2023] [Indexed: 05/25/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Slump sitting is a common posture in workplaces. There is limited evidence that poor posture impacts the mental state. This study aims to investigate whether slump posture results in more mental fatigue during computer typing, compared with normal posture and also to compare the effectiveness of stretching exercises with tDCS in fatigue monitoring. METHODS The sample size for this study is set at 36 participants with slump posture and 36 participants with normal posture. In the first step, to find out the differences between normal and poor posture, they will be asked to perform the typewriting task for 60 min. During the first and last 3 min of typing, mental fatigue as the primary outcome using EEG signals and further measures including kinematic behavior of neck, visual analog fatigue scale, and musculoskeletal discomfort will be assessed. Post-experiment task performance will be calculated based on typing speed and typing errors. In the next step, to compare the effect of tDCS and stretching exercises on the outcome measures, the slump posture group will receive these interventions in two separate sessions before the typing task. DISCUSSION With the assumption of showing significant differences in terms of outcome measures between slump and normal posture groups and also by showing the possible changes of the measures, by using either tDCS as a central modality or stretching exercises as a peripheral modality; the findings may provide evidence to indicate that poor posture has adverse effect on mental state and to introduce the effective method to overcome mental fatigue and promote work productivity. TRIAL REGISTRATION Registered on the Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials on 21 September 2022, IRCT Identifier: IRCT20161026030516N2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zahra Abdollahzade
- Department of Physiotherapy, School of Rehabilitation, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mohammad Reza Hadian
- Department of Physiotherapy, School of Rehabilitation, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Roya Khanmohammadi
- Department of Physiotherapy, School of Rehabilitation, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Saeed Talebian
- Department of Physiotherapy, School of Rehabilitation, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
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8
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Shiga K, Miyaguchi S, Inukai Y, Otsuru N, Onishi H. Transcranial direct current stimulation over the right intraparietal sulcus improves response inhibition. Behav Brain Res 2023; 437:114110. [PMID: 36096458 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2022.114110] [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: 06/03/2022] [Revised: 08/16/2022] [Accepted: 09/08/2022] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
Abstract
Various situations in our everyday life call for response inhibition, mechanisms deputed to outright stop an ongoing course of action. This function reportedly involves the activity of the right intraparietal sulcus (rIPS). This study aimed to determine whether transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) intervention to the rIPS alters response inhibition. We investigated 15 healthy adults performing a stop signal task before and after tDCS intervention. We applied tDCS with 1.5 mA to the rIPS directly above (P4) and the left supraorbital area for 20 min. The stimulation conditions involved Anodal, cathodal, and pseudo-stimulation. Each participant performed a stop signal task under all stimulation conditions. The changes in response inhibition function were evaluated by comparing the stop signal reaction times (SSRT) before and after the tDCS intervention. Under the Anodal condition, SSRT was significantly shorter after than before the intervention (p = 0.014). Under the Anodal and Cathodal conditions, we could observe a significantly positive correlation between the SSRT before the tDCS intervention and the difference in SSRT before and after tDCS intervention (Anodal condition: r = 0.823, p < 0.001; Cathodal condition: r = 0.831, p < 0.001). No such correlation could be found under the Sham condition. In summary, this study demonstrated that Anodal-tDCS intervention for rIPS improves response-inhibitory function and the stimulus effect depends on the response-inhibitory function of the participant prior to stimulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyosuke Shiga
- Graduate School, Niigata University of Health and Welfare, Niigata 950-3198, Japan.
| | - Shota Miyaguchi
- Institute for Human Movement and Medical Sciences, Niigata University of Health and Welfare, Niigata 950-3198, Japan
| | - Yasuto Inukai
- Institute for Human Movement and Medical Sciences, Niigata University of Health and Welfare, Niigata 950-3198, Japan
| | - Naofumi Otsuru
- Institute for Human Movement and Medical Sciences, Niigata University of Health and Welfare, Niigata 950-3198, Japan
| | - Hideaki Onishi
- Institute for Human Movement and Medical Sciences, Niigata University of Health and Welfare, Niigata 950-3198, Japan
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9
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Friehs MA, Dechant M, Schäfer S, Mandryk RL. More than skin deep: about the influence of self-relevant avatars on inhibitory control. Cogn Res Princ Implic 2022; 7:31. [PMID: 35394227 PMCID: PMC8993990 DOI: 10.1186/s41235-022-00384-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2021] [Accepted: 03/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
One important aspect of cognitive control is the ability to stop a response in progress and motivational aspects, such as self-relevance, which may be able to influence this ability. We test the influence of self-relevance on stopping specifically if increased self-relevance enhances reactive response inhibition. We measured stopping capabilities using a gamified version of the stop-signal paradigm. Self-relevance was manipulated by allowing participants to customize their game avatar (Experiment 1) or by introducing a premade, self-referential avatar (Experiment 2). Both methods create a motivational pull that has been shown to increase motivation and identification. Each participant completed one block of trials with enhanced self-relevance and one block without enhanced self-relevance, with block order counterbalanced. In both experiments, the manipulation of self-relevance was effective in a majority of participants as indicated by self-report on the Player-Identification-Scale, and the effect was strongest in participants that completed the self-relevance block first. In those participants, the degree of subjectively experienced that self-relevance was associated with improvement in stopping performance over the course of the experiment. These results indicate that increasing the degree to which people identify with a cognitive task may induce them to exert greater, reactive inhibitory control. Consequently, self-relevant avatars may be used when an increase in commitment is desirable such as in therapeutic or training settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maximilian A Friehs
- The Interaction Lab, Department of Computer Science, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada.
- School of Psychology, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.
| | - Martin Dechant
- The Interaction Lab, Department of Computer Science, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada
| | - Sarah Schäfer
- Department of General Psychology and Methodology, University of Trier, Trier, Germany
| | - Regan L Mandryk
- The Interaction Lab, Department of Computer Science, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada
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10
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Piretti L, Pappaianni E, Gobbo S, Rumiati RI, Job R, Grecucci A. Dissociating the role of dACC and dlPFC for emotion appraisal and mood regulation using cathodal tDCS. COGNITIVE, AFFECTIVE & BEHAVIORAL NEUROSCIENCE 2022; 22:304-315. [PMID: 34676495 DOI: 10.3758/s13415-021-00952-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/02/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Several neuroimaging studies have shown that a distributed network of brain regions is involved in our ability to appraise the emotions we experience in daily life. In particular, scholars suggested that the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC) may play a role in the appraisal of emotional stimuli together with subcortical regions, especially when stimuli are negatively valenced, and the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) may play a role in regulating emotions. However, proofs of the causal role of these regions are lacking. In the present study, we aim at testing this model by stimulating both the dACC and the left dlPFC via cathodal tDCS. Twenty-four participants were asked to attend and rate the arousal and valence of negative and neutral emotional stimuli (pictures and words) in three different experimental sessions: cathodal stimulation of dACC, left dlPFC, or sham. In addition to the experimental task, the baseline affective state was measured before and after the stimulation to further assess the effect of stimulation over the baseline affective state after the experimental session. Results showed that cathodal stimulation of dACC, but not the left dlPFC, was associated with reduced arousal ratings of emotional stimuli, both compared with the sham condition. Moreover, cathodal stimulation of left dlPFC decreased participant's positive affective state after the session. These findings suggest for the first time, a dissociation between the dACC and dlPFC, with the former more involved in emotion appraisal, and the latter more involved in mood modulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- L Piretti
- Department of Psychology and Cognitive Sciences - DipSCo, University of Trento, Corso Bettini 33, Rovereto, Italy.
- Marica De Vincenzi onlus Foundation, Rovereto, Italy.
| | - E Pappaianni
- Department of Psychology and Cognitive Sciences - DipSCo, University of Trento, Corso Bettini 33, Rovereto, Italy
| | - S Gobbo
- University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | - R I Rumiati
- Neuroscience and Society Lab, Neuroscience Area, SISSA, Trieste, Italy
| | - R Job
- Department of Psychology and Cognitive Sciences - DipSCo, University of Trento, Corso Bettini 33, Rovereto, Italy
- Marica De Vincenzi onlus Foundation, Rovereto, Italy
- Center for Medical Sciences - CISMed, University of Trento, Trento, Italy
| | - A Grecucci
- Department of Psychology and Cognitive Sciences - DipSCo, University of Trento, Corso Bettini 33, Rovereto, Italy
- Center for Medical Sciences - CISMed, University of Trento, Trento, Italy
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Schroeder PA, Seewald A, Svaldi J. Spotlight on the Left Frontal Cortex: No Evidence for Response Inhibition from Cathodal High-Definition tDCS over Left IFG or Left DLPFC. J Cogn Neurosci 2022; 34:1090-1102. [PMID: 35303094 DOI: 10.1162/jocn_a_01849] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
Inhibitory control functions draw on a fronto-basal network with central cortical hubs at the right inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) and the pre-SMA. However, few neuropsychological studies investigated the role of brain regions in the left frontal cortex and some previous evidence from bilateral studies remained inconclusive. This study presents a systematic investigation with high-definition transcranial direct current stimulation (HD tDCS) in a focal 4 × 1 configuration, which was used to target the left IFG or the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) with 1-mA active or sham cathodal HD tDCS. Healthy participants were randomized into three groups. We analyzed performance in an adaptive stop-signal task to quantify inhibitory control before (baseline), during cathodal HD tDCS (on-line), and after cathodal HD tDCS (off-line) to either left IFG, left DLPFC, or sham. Results from 67 participants and Bayesian analyses indicated moderate evidence against an effect of cathodal tDCS (left DLPFC and left IFG compared with sham) regardless of timing, that is, on-line or off-line cathodal HD tDCS. The study results are examined in view of previous neuropsychological and neurostimulation studies with bilateral and unilateral cathodal tDCS in healthy and patient samples. Theoretically, our results are compatible with a right-lateralization of response inhibition functions and suggest a negligible role of the left frontal hemisphere in healthy participants, but more stimulation parameters can be still explored in the left hemisphere. In line with previous studies, right inferior frontal gyrus seems a more promising target to investigate or alleviate response inhibition with tDCS.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Anna Seewald
- University of Tübingen, Germany.,University of Marburg, Germany
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12
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Initial performance modulates the effects of cathodal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) over the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex on inhibitory control. Brain Res 2022; 1774:147722. [PMID: 34774867 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2021.147722] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2021] [Revised: 10/22/2021] [Accepted: 11/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has received considerable attention as a new option to facilitate cognitive ability or rehabilitation in healthy populations or in individuals with neuropsychiatric disorders. However, the tDCS effect varies widely, possibly because individual differences in initial performance have frequently been ignored in previous research. Here, we aimed to examine the influence of initial performance on inhibitory control after tDCS. Fifty-six participants were randomly divided into three groups: anodal, cathodal and sham stimulation. The go/no-go task, stop-signal task and Stroop task were performed to measure inhibitory control before and immediately after tDCS. tDCS was applied to the F4 site (international 10-20 system), corresponding to the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (rDLPFC), for 20 min with an intensity of 1.5 mA. Neither anodal nor cathodal stimulation had significant effects on the performance of these three tasks at the group level in comparison with sham stimulation. However, the analyses at the individual level only showed a negative relationship between baseline performance and the magnitude of change in go/no-go task performance following cathodal tDCS, indicating the dependence of the change amount on initial performance, with greater gains (or losses) observed in individuals with poorer (or better) initial performance. Together, the initial performance modulates the proactive inhibitory effect of cathodal tDCS of the rDLPFC. Additionally, the rDLPFC plays a crucial role in proactive inhibition.
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Ke L, Lanlan Z, Jian Z, Jianing W. Comparison of open-skill and closed-skill exercises in improving the response inhibitory ability of the elderly: a protocol for a randomised controlled clinical trial. BMJ Open 2021; 11:e051966. [PMID: 34815282 PMCID: PMC8611442 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2021-051966] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION As people age, they are more likely to experience a decline in their response inhibition ability, which interferes with daily life. Previous studies have shown that exercise intervention can improve the cognitive ability of the elderly, but research on open-skill and closed-skill exercises to improve the response inhibition in this age group is still limited. This study will explore the advantages of long-term intervention of table tennis (open-skill exercise) compared with fit aerobics (closed-skill exercise) on the response inhibitory ability of the elderly. METHODS AND ANALYSIS A single-blind randomised controlled trial will be conducted. A total of 90 elderly subjects will be recruited and allocated randomly to the following groups: table tennis, fit aerobics and control. The interventions for the table tennis group and the fit aerobics group will be implemented in three 60 min sessions per week for 6 months; the control group will receive no exercise intervention. The primary assessment will be behavioural indicators of response inhibitory ability in the elderly based on the stop signal task. The secondary outcomes will include cognitive ability, mental status and depression in the elderly. Assessments will be conducted at baseline, 3 months, 6 months and 12 months. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION This study was approved by the Shanghai University of Sport Research Ethics Committee (102772019RT012) and will provide reference for the advantages of table tennis compared with other types of sports in improving the response inhibitory ability of the elderly. The results of this study will provide a theoretical basis for choosing the best exercise programme to improve the response inhibitory ability of the elderly. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER This study has been registered prospectively in the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR2100043616, 23 February 2021).
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Affiliation(s)
- Liu Ke
- Shanghai Punan Hospital, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhang Lanlan
- School of Leisure Sport and Management, Guangzhou Sport University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhang Jian
- School of Psychology, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai, China
| | - Wei Jianing
- School of Psychology, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai, China
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14
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Peckham AD, Sandler JP, Dattolico D, McHugh RK, Johnson DS, Björgvinsson T, Pizzagalli DA, Beard C. Cognitive control training for urgency: A pilot randomized controlled trial in an acute clinical sample. Behav Res Ther 2021; 146:103968. [PMID: 34562728 PMCID: PMC8555999 DOI: 10.1016/j.brat.2021.103968] [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: 05/21/2021] [Revised: 08/09/2021] [Accepted: 09/13/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Urgency - rash action in the context of strong emotion - is a facet of impulsivity closely related to many psychological disorders. Deficits in working memory and response inhibition are potential mechanisms underlying urgency, and a previous study showed that cognitive training targeting these domains is efficacious in reducing urgency. However, the feasibility and efficacy of this intervention has not yet been tested in a clinical sample or naturalistic treatment setting. To fill this gap, we conducted a pilot study of cognitive training for individuals reporting high levels of urgency in a partial hospitalization program. We evaluated this intervention in an open trial (n = 20), followed by a randomized controlled trial (n = 46) comparing cognitive training plus treatment as usual to treatment as usual. Results supported the feasibility and acceptability of cognitive training. Participants in the training group showed significant improvement on cognitive tasks, but groups did not differ in urgency. In pooled analyses combining the open trial and RCT, there was a significant reduction in distress intolerance in the training group only. Results indicate the potential benefit of cognitive training for distress intolerance, but do not support the use of cognitive training for urgency in acute clinical settings. The study conducted in the RCT phase of this manuscript is registered on ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT: NCT03527550). The full trial protocol is available on ClinicalTrials.gov.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew D Peckham
- McLean Hospital, 115 Mill Street, Belmont, MA, 02478, USA; Harvard Medical School, 25 Shattuck Street, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
| | - Jenna P Sandler
- McLean Hospital, 115 Mill Street, Belmont, MA, 02478, USA; Brandeis University, 415 South Street, Waltham, MA, 02453, USA.
| | | | - R Kathryn McHugh
- McLean Hospital, 115 Mill Street, Belmont, MA, 02478, USA; Harvard Medical School, 25 Shattuck Street, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
| | | | - Thröstur Björgvinsson
- McLean Hospital, 115 Mill Street, Belmont, MA, 02478, USA; Harvard Medical School, 25 Shattuck Street, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
| | - Diego A Pizzagalli
- McLean Hospital, 115 Mill Street, Belmont, MA, 02478, USA; Harvard Medical School, 25 Shattuck Street, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
| | - Courtney Beard
- McLean Hospital, 115 Mill Street, Belmont, MA, 02478, USA; Harvard Medical School, 25 Shattuck Street, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
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15
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Fehring DJ, Samandra R, Haque ZZ, Jaberzadeh S, Rosa M, Mansouri FA. Investigating the sex-dependent effects of prefrontal cortex stimulation on response execution and inhibition. Biol Sex Differ 2021; 12:47. [PMID: 34404467 PMCID: PMC8369781 DOI: 10.1186/s13293-021-00390-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2021] [Accepted: 08/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Context-dependent execution or inhibition of a response is an important aspect of executive control, which is impaired in neuropsychological and addiction disorders. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) has been considered a remedial approach to address deficits in response control; however, considerable variability has been observed in tDCS effects. These variabilities might be related to contextual differences such as background visual-auditory stimuli or subjects' sex. In this study, we examined the interaction of two contextual factors, participants' sex and background acoustic stimuli, in modulating the effects of tDCS on response inhibition and execution. In a sham-controlled and cross-over (repeated-measure) design, 73 participants (37 females) performed a Stop-Signal Task in different background acoustic conditions before and after tDCS (anodal or sham) was applied over the DLPFC. Participants had to execute a speeded response in Go trials but inhibit their response in Stop trials. Participants' sex was fully counterbalanced across all experimental conditions (acoustic and tDCS). We found significant practice-related learning that appeared as changes in indices of response inhibition (stop-signal reaction time and percentage of successful inhibition) and action execution (response time and percentage correct). The tDCS and acoustic stimuli interactively influenced practice-related changes in response inhibition and these effects were uniformly seen in both males and females. However, the effects of tDCS on response execution (percentage of correct responses) were sex-dependent in that practice-related changes diminished in females but heightened in males. Our findings indicate that participants' sex influenced the effects of tDCS on the execution, but not inhibition, of responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel J Fehring
- Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Department of Physiology, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, 3800, Australia
- ARC Centre of Excellence in Integrative Brain Function, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, 3800, Australia
| | - Ranshikha Samandra
- Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Department of Physiology, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, 3800, Australia
| | - Zakia Z Haque
- Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Department of Physiology, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, 3800, Australia
| | - Shapour Jaberzadeh
- Department of Physiotherapy, Non-Invasive Brain Stimulation & Neuroplasticity Laboratory, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, 3199, Australia
| | - Marcello Rosa
- ARC Centre of Excellence in Integrative Brain Function, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, 3800, Australia
- Department of Physiology, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, 3800, Australia
| | - Farshad A Mansouri
- Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Department of Physiology, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, 3800, Australia.
- ARC Centre of Excellence in Integrative Brain Function, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, 3800, Australia.
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16
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Imbernón JJ, Aguirre C, Gómez-Ariza CJ. Selective directed forgetting is mediated by the lateral prefrontal cortex: Preliminary evidence with transcranial direct current stimulation. Cogn Neurosci 2021; 13:77-86. [PMID: 34283693 DOI: 10.1080/17588928.2021.1953973] [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: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Recent research has shown that providing a cue to selectively forget one subset of previously learned facts may result in specific forgetting of this information. Behavioral evidence suggests that this selective directed forgetting effect relies on executive control and is a direct consequence of active, rather than passive, mechanisms. To date, however, no previous research has addressed the neural underpinnings of selective directed forgetting. Since the lateral prefrontal cortex is thought to mediate motivated forgetting by exerting top-down control over the brain structures that underpin memory representations, the present study aimed to test the hypothesis that selective directed forgetting is prefrontally driven. Specifically, we used transcranial direct current stimulation to disrupt activity in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, using a stimulation protocol that has already been shown to be effective in this regard. Our results reveal that, in contrast to sham stimulation, real stimulation abolished selective directed forgetting. Additionally, real stimulation hindered performance in an updating working memory task thought to recruit the lateral prefrontal cortex. These findings, complementing others obtained with a variety of memory control tasks, support the hypothesis that memory downregulation is achieved by control processes mediated by the right lateral prefrontal cortex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan J Imbernón
- Departamento de Psicología, Universidad de Jaén, Jaén, Spain
| | - Carmen Aguirre
- Departamento de Psicología Experimental, Universidad de Granada, Granada, Spain
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17
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Friehs MA, Frings C, Hartwigsen G. Effects of single-session transcranial direct current stimulation on reactive response inhibition. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2021; 128:749-765. [PMID: 34271027 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.07.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2021] [Revised: 06/30/2021] [Accepted: 07/11/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is widely used to explore the role of various cortical regions for reactive response inhibition. In recent years, tDCS studies reported polarity-, time- and stimulation-site dependent effects on response inhibition. Given the large parameter space in which study designs, tDCS procedures and task procedures can differ, it is crucial to systematically explore the existing tDCS literature to increase the current understanding of potential modulatory effects and limitations of different approaches. We performed a systematic review on the modulatory effects of tDCS on response inhibition as measured by the Stop-Signal Task. The final dataset shows a large variation in methodology and heterogeneous effects of tDCS on performance. The most consistent result across studies is a performance enhancement due to anodal tDCS over the right prefrontal cortex. Partially sub-optimal choices in study design, methodology and lacking consistency in reporting procedures may impede valid conclusions and obscured the effects of tDCS on response inhibition in some previous studies. Finally, we outline future directions and areas to improve research.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Christian Frings
- Trier University, Department of Cognitive Psychology and Methodology, Trier, Germany
| | - Gesa Hartwigsen
- Lise Meitner Research Group Cognition and Plasticity, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
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18
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Machado S, Travassos B, Teixeira DS, Rodrigues F, Cid L, Monteiro D. Could tDCS Be a Potential Performance-Enhancing Tool for Acute Neurocognitive Modulation in eSports? A Perspective Review. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:ijerph18073678. [PMID: 33916018 PMCID: PMC8037790 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18073678] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2021] [Revised: 03/27/2021] [Accepted: 03/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Competitive sports involve physical and cognitive skills. In traditional sports, there is a greater dependence on the development and performance of both motor and cognitive skills, unlike electronic sports (eSports), which depend much more on neurocognitive skills for success. However, little is known about neurocognitive functions and effective strategies designed to develop and optimize neurocognitive performance in eSports athletes. One such strategy is transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), characterized as a weak electric current applied on the scalp to induce prolonged changes in cortical excitability. Therefore, our objective is to propose anodal (a)-tDCS as a performance-enhancing tool for neurocognitive functions in eSports. In this manuscript, we discussed the neurocognitive processes that underlie exceptionally skilled performances in eSports and how tDCS could be used for acute modulation of these processes in eSports. Based on the results from tDCS studies in healthy people, professional athletes, and video game players, it seems that tDCS is applied over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) as a potential performance-enhancing tool for neurocognition in eSports.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sergio Machado
- Laboratory of Physical Activity Neuroscience, Physical Activity Sciences Postgraduate Program, Salgado de Oliveira University, Niterói 24456-570, Brazil;
- Department of Sports Science, University of Beira Interior, 6201-001 Covilhã, Portugal;
- Laboratory of Physical Activity Neuroscience, Neurodiversity Institute, Queimados 26325-020, Brazil
| | - Bruno Travassos
- Department of Sports Science, University of Beira Interior, 6201-001 Covilhã, Portugal;
- Research Center in Sport, Health and Human Development (CIDESD), 5000-558 Vila Real, Portugal;
- Portugal Football School, Portuguese Football Federation, 1495-433 Cruz Quebrada, Portugal
| | - Diogo S. Teixeira
- Faculty of Physical Education and Sport, Lusófona University, 1749-024 Lisbon, Portugal;
- Research Center in Sport, Physical Education, and Exercise and Health (CIDEFES), (CIDEFES), 1749-024 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Filipe Rodrigues
- Sport Science School of Rio Maior, ESDRM-IPSantarém, 2040-413 Rio Maio, Portugal;
- Life Quality Research Center (CIEQV), 2040-413 Rio Maior, Portugal
| | - Luis Cid
- Research Center in Sport, Health and Human Development (CIDESD), 5000-558 Vila Real, Portugal;
- Sport Science School of Rio Maior, ESDRM-IPSantarém, 2040-413 Rio Maio, Portugal;
| | - Diogo Monteiro
- Research Center in Sport, Health and Human Development (CIDESD), 5000-558 Vila Real, Portugal;
- ESECS, Polytechnic of Leiria, 2411-901 Leiria, Portugal
- Correspondence:
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19
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Chen T, Wang H, Wang X, Zhu C, Zhang L, Wang K, Yu F. Transcranial direct current stimulation of the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex improves response inhibition. Int J Psychophysiol 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2021.01.014
expr 874926689 + 897791409] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/16/2023]
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20
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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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21
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Chen T, Wang H, Wang X, Zhu C, Zhang L, Wang K, Yu F. Transcranial direct current stimulation of the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex improves response inhibition. Int J Psychophysiol 2021; 162:34-39. [PMID: 33497765 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2021.01.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2020] [Revised: 01/15/2021] [Accepted: 01/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND A number of functional magnetic resonance imaging studies have shown that the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) is a critical brain region for response inhibition. However, how it exerts this function remains unclear. This study investigated whether stimulating the right dlPFC by transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) affects performance on stop signal task. METHODS A total of 92 healthy subjects were enrolled in the study and randomly divided into three groups. The anode group received anodal stimulation over the right dlPFC and cathodal stimulation over the left supraorbital; the cathode group received cathodal stimulation over the right dlPFC and anodal stimulation over the left supraorbital; and the sham group received sham tDCS. All subjects performed a computer-based stop-signal task before and after tDCS. RESULT Performance on the response inhibition task after tDCS was improved in groups with both anodal and cathodal stimulation. Specifically, there was a decrease in the stop-signal reaction time in these subjects, whereas no difference was observed in the sham group. Consistent with signal detection theory, discrimination and decision bias was improved by anode tDCS relative to the sham group, while discrimination was also improved in the cathode group. CONCLUSION Anode and cathode tDCS of the right dlPFC improves response inhibition, with the right dlPFC may playing a key role in this process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tingting Chen
- School of Mental Health and Psychological Sciences, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China; Collaborative Innovation Centre of Neuropsychiatric Disorder and Mental Health, Anhui Province, China; Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Cognition and Neuropsychiatric Disorders, Hefei, China; Anhui Mental Health Center, Hefei, China
| | - Huihui Wang
- School of Mental Health and Psychological Sciences, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Xin Wang
- School of Mental Health and Psychological Sciences, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China; Collaborative Innovation Centre of Neuropsychiatric Disorder and Mental Health, Anhui Province, China; Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Cognition and Neuropsychiatric Disorders, Hefei, China; Anhui Mental Health Center, Hefei, China
| | - Chunyan Zhu
- School of Mental Health and Psychological Sciences, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China; Department of Neurology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China; Collaborative Innovation Centre of Neuropsychiatric Disorder and Mental Health, Anhui Province, China; Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Cognition and Neuropsychiatric Disorders, Hefei, China; Anhui Mental Health Center, Hefei, China
| | - Lei Zhang
- School of Mental Health and Psychological Sciences, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China; Department of Neurology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China; Collaborative Innovation Centre of Neuropsychiatric Disorder and Mental Health, Anhui Province, China; Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Cognition and Neuropsychiatric Disorders, Hefei, China; Anhui Mental Health Center, Hefei, China
| | - Kai Wang
- School of Mental Health and Psychological Sciences, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China; Department of Neurology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China; Collaborative Innovation Centre of Neuropsychiatric Disorder and Mental Health, Anhui Province, China; Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Cognition and Neuropsychiatric Disorders, Hefei, China; Anhui Mental Health Center, Hefei, China.
| | - Fengqiong Yu
- School of Mental Health and Psychological Sciences, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China; Collaborative Innovation Centre of Neuropsychiatric Disorder and Mental Health, Anhui Province, China; Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Cognition and Neuropsychiatric Disorders, Hefei, China; Anhui Mental Health Center, Hefei, China.
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22
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The effect of non-invasive brain stimulation on executive functioning in healthy controls: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2021; 125:122-147. [PMID: 33503477 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.01.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2020] [Revised: 12/07/2020] [Accepted: 01/11/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
In recent years, there has been a heightened interest in the effect of non-invasive brain stimulation on executive functioning. However, there is no comprehensive overview of its effects on different executive functioning domains in healthy individuals. Here, we assessed the state of the field by conducting a systematic review and meta-analysis on the effectiveness of non-invasive brain stimulation (i.e. repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation and transcranial direct current stimulation) over prefrontal regions on tasks assessing working memory, inhibition, flexibility, planning and initiation performance. Our search yielded 63 studies (n = 1537), and the effectiveness of excitatory and inhibitory non-invasive brain stimulation were assessed per executive functioning task. Our analyses showed that excitatory non-invasive brain stimulation had a small but positive effect on Stop Signal Task and Go/No-Go Task performance, and that inhibitory stimulation had a small negative effect on Flanker Task performance. Non-invasive brain stimulation did not affect performance on working memory and flexibility tasks, and effects on planning tasks were inconclusive.
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Dual-tDCS over the right prefrontal cortex does not modulate stop-signal task performance. Exp Brain Res 2021; 239:811-820. [PMID: 33392696 DOI: 10.1007/s00221-020-05995-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2020] [Accepted: 11/19/2020] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Stopping an already initiated action is crucial for human everyday behavior and empirical evidence points toward the prefrontal cortex playing a key role in response inhibition. Two regions that have been consistently implicated in response inhibition are the right inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) and the more superior region of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC). The present study targets both regions with non-invasive brain stimulation to investigate their role in response inhibition. Thus dual-prefrontal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) was applied to both IFG and DLPFC in a repeated measures design and compared to sham tDCS. Specifically, 9 cm2 electrodes were positioned over both IFG and DLPFC in all groups. The active stimulation groups received off-line, anodal or cathodal tDCS over the IFG and opposite polarity tDCS of the DLPFC, while the sham stimulation group received short stimulation at the start, middle and end of the supposed 20-min stimulation period. Before and after tDCS, subjects' inhibition capabilities were probed using the stop-signal task (SST). In a final sample of N = 45, participants were randomly split into three groups and received three different stimulation protocols. Results indicated that dual-frontal tDCS did not influence performance as compared to sham stimulation. This null result was confirmed using Bayesian analysis. This result is discussed against the background of the limitations of the present study as well as the potential theoretical implications.
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Friehs MA, Klaus J, Singh T, Frings C, Hartwigsen G. Perturbation of the right prefrontal cortex disrupts interference control. Neuroimage 2020; 222:117279. [PMID: 32828926 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2020.117279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2020] [Revised: 08/11/2020] [Accepted: 08/14/2020] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Resolving cognitive interference is central for successful everyday cognition and behavior. The Stroop task is a classical measure of cognitive interference. In this task, participants have to resolve interference on a trial-by-trial basis and performance is also influenced by the trial history, as reflected in sequence effects. Previous neuroimaging studies have associated the left and right prefrontal cortex with successful performance in the Stroop task. Yet, the causal relevance of both regions for interference processing remains largely unclear. We probed the functional relevance of the left and right prefrontal cortex for interference control. In three sessions, 25 healthy participants received online repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) over the left and right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, and sham stimulation over the vertex. During each session, participants completed a verbal-response Stroop task. Relative to sham rTMS and rTMS over the left prefrontal cortex, rTMS over the right prefrontal cortex selectively disrupted the Stroop sequence effect (i.e., the congruency sequence effect; CSE). This effect was specific to sequential modulations of interference since rTMS did not affect the Stroop performance in the ongoing trial. Our results demonstrate the functional relevance of the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex for the processing of interference control. This finding points towards process-specific lateralization within the prefrontal cortex. The observed process- and site-specific TMS effect provides new insights into the neurophysiological underpinnings of Stroop task performance and more general, the role of the prefrontal cortex in the processing of interference control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maximilian A Friehs
- Department of Cognitive Psychology and Methodology, Trier University, Germany.
| | - Jana Klaus
- Department of Experimental Psychology, Utrecht University, the Netherlands
| | - Tarini Singh
- Department of Experimental Psychology, Halle University, Germany
| | - Christian Frings
- Department of Cognitive Psychology and Methodology, Trier University, Germany
| | - Gesa Hartwigsen
- Lise Meitner Research Group Cognition and Plasticity, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Germany
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25
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Borgomaneri S, Serio G, Battaglia S. Please, don't do it! Fifteen years of progress of non-invasive brain stimulation in action inhibition. Cortex 2020; 132:404-422. [PMID: 33045520 DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2020.09.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2020] [Revised: 09/02/2020] [Accepted: 09/04/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
The ability to inhibit prepotent responses is critical for survival. Action inhibition can be investigated using a stop-signal task (SST), designed to provide a reliable measure of the time taken by the brain to suppress motor responses. Here we review the major research advances using the combination of this paradigm with the use of non-invasive brain stimulation techniques in the last fifteen years. We highlight new methodological approaches to understanding and exploiting several processes underlying action control, which is critically impaired in several psychiatric disorders. In this review we present and discuss existing literature demonstrating i) the importance of the use of non-invasive brain stimulation in studying human action inhibition, unveiling the neural network involved ii) the critical role of prefrontal areas, including the pre-supplementary motor area (pre-SMA) and the inferior frontal gyrus (IFG), in inhibitory control iii) the neural and behavioral evidence of proactive and reactive action inhibition. As the main result of this review, the specific literature demonstrated the crucial role of pre-SMA and IFG as evidenced from the field of noninvasive brain stimulation studies. Finally, we discuss the critical questions that remain unanswered about how such non-invasive brain stimulation protocols can be translated to therapeutic treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Borgomaneri
- Centro studi e ricerche in Neuroscienze Cognitive, Dipartimento di Psicologia, Università di Bologna, Campus di Cesena, Cesena, Italy; IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, Rome, Italy.
| | - Gianluigi Serio
- Centro studi e ricerche in Neuroscienze Cognitive, Dipartimento di Psicologia, Università di Bologna, Campus di Cesena, Cesena, Italy
| | - Simone Battaglia
- Centro studi e ricerche in Neuroscienze Cognitive, Dipartimento di Psicologia, Università di Bologna, Campus di Cesena, Cesena, Italy
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Friehs MA, Dechant M, Vedress S, Frings C, Mandryk RL. Effective Gamification of the Stop-Signal Task: Two Controlled Laboratory Experiments. JMIR Serious Games 2020; 8:e17810. [PMID: 32897233 PMCID: PMC7509611 DOI: 10.2196/17810] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2020] [Revised: 06/16/2020] [Accepted: 06/25/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Background A lack of ability to inhibit prepotent responses, or more generally a lack of impulse control, is associated with several disorders such as attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and schizophrenia as well as general damage to the prefrontal cortex. A stop-signal task (SST) is a reliable and established measure of response inhibition. However, using the SST as an objective assessment in diagnostic or research-focused settings places significant stress on participants as the task itself requires concentration and cognitive effort and is not particularly engaging. This can lead to decreased motivation to follow task instructions and poor data quality, which can affect assessment efficacy and might increase drop-out rates. Gamification—the application of game-based elements in nongame settings—has shown to improve engaged attention to a cognitive task, thus increasing participant motivation and data quality. Objective This study aims to design a gamified SST that improves participants’ engagement and validate this gamified SST against a standard SST. Methods We described the design of our gamified SST and reported on 2 separate studies that aim to validate the gamified SST relative to a standard SST. In study 1, a within-subject design was used to compare the performance of the SST and a stop-signal game (SSG). In study 2, we added eye tracking to the procedure to determine if overt attention was affected and aimed to replicate the findings from study 1 in a between-subjects design. Furthermore, in both studies, flow and motivational experiences were measured. Results In contrast, the behavioral performance was comparable between the tasks (P<.87; BF01=2.87), and the experience of flow and intrinsic motivation were rated higher in the SSG group, although this difference was not significant. Conclusions Overall, our findings provide evidence that the gamification of SST is possible and that the SSG is enjoyed more. Thus, when participant engagement is critical, we recommend using the SSG instead of the SST.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Martin Dechant
- Human-Computer-Interaction Lab, Department of Computer Science, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada
| | - Sarah Vedress
- Human-Computer-Interaction Lab, Department of Computer Science, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada
| | - Christian Frings
- Department of Cognitive Psychology and Methodology, Trier University, Trier, Germany
| | - Regan Lee Mandryk
- Human-Computer-Interaction Lab, Department of Computer Science, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada
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Schroeder PA, Schwippel T, Wolz I, Svaldi J. Meta-analysis of the effects of transcranial direct current stimulation on inhibitory control. Brain Stimul 2020; 13:1159-1167. [DOI: 10.1016/j.brs.2020.05.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2019] [Revised: 04/17/2020] [Accepted: 05/04/2020] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
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Effects of transcranial direct current stimulation of left and right inferior frontal gyrus on creative divergent thinking are moderated by changes in inhibition control. Brain Struct Funct 2020; 225:1691-1704. [PMID: 32556475 PMCID: PMC7321900 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-020-02081-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2019] [Accepted: 05/04/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Divergent thinking (DT) as one component of creativity is the ability to search for multiple solutions to a single problem and is reliably tested with the Alternative Uses Task (AUT). DT depends on activity in the inferior frontal gyrus (IFG), a prefrontal region that has also been associated with inhibitory control (IC). Experimentally manipulating IC through transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) led to alterations in DT. Here, we aimed at further examining such potential mediating effects of IC on DT (measured as flexibility, fluency, and originality in the AUT) by modulating IC tDCS. Participants received either cathodal tDCS (c-tDCS) of the left IFG coupled with anodal tDCS (a-tDCS) of the right IFG (L−R + ; N = 19), or the opposite treatment (L + R−; N = 21). We hypothesized that L + R− stimulation would enhance IC assessed with the Go NoGo task (GNGT), and that facilitated IC would result in lower creativity scores. The reversed stimulation arrangement (i.e., L− R +) should result in higher creativity scores. We found that tDCS only affected the originality component of the AUT but not flexibility or fluency. We also found no effects on IC, and thus, the mediation effect of IC could not be confirmed. However, we observed a moderation effect: inhibition of left and facilitation of right IFG (L−R +) resulted in enhanced flexibility and originality scores, only when IC performance was also improved. We conclude that inducing a right-to-left gradient in IFG activity by tDCS is efficient in enhancing DT, but only under conditions where tDCS is sufficient to alter IC performance as well.
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Thunberg C, Messel MS, Raud L, Huster RJ. tDCS over the inferior frontal gyri and visual cortices did not improve response inhibition. Sci Rep 2020; 10:7749. [PMID: 32385323 PMCID: PMC7210274 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-62921-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2019] [Accepted: 12/03/2019] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The ability to cancel an already initiated response is central to flexible behavior. While several different behavioral and neural markers have been suggested to quantify the latency of the stopping process, it remains unclear if they quantify the stopping process itself, or other supporting mechanisms such as visual and/or attentional processing. The present study sought to investigate the contributions of inhibitory and sensory processes to stopping latency markers by combining transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), electroencephalography (EEG) and electromyography (EMG) recordings in a within-participant design. Active and sham tDCS were applied over the inferior frontal gyri (IFG) and visual cortices (VC), combined with both online and offline EEG and EMG recordings. We found evidence that neither of the active tDCS condition affected stopping latencies relative to sham stimulation. Our results challenge previous findings suggesting that anodal tDCS over the IFG can reduce stopping latency and demonstrates the necessity of adequate control conditions in tDCS research. Additionally, while the different putative markers of stopping latency showed generally positive correlations with each other, they also showed substantial variation in the estimated latency of inhibition, making it unlikely that they all capture the same construct exclusively.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina Thunberg
- Multimodal Imaging and Cognitive Control Lab, Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Mari S Messel
- Multimodal Imaging and Cognitive Control Lab, Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
- Sunnaas Rehabilitation Hospital, Nesodden, Norway
| | - Liisa Raud
- Multimodal Imaging and Cognitive Control Lab, Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
- Cognitive Electrophysiology Cluster, Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - René J Huster
- Multimodal Imaging and Cognitive Control Lab, Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.
- Cognitive Electrophysiology Cluster, Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.
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Cathodal transcranial direct current stimulation over the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex cancels out the cost of selective retrieval on subsequent analogical reasoning. Neuropsychologia 2020; 141:107431. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2020.107431] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2019] [Revised: 02/18/2020] [Accepted: 03/07/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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31
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Schroeder PA, Artemenko C, Cipora K, Svaldi J. Regional specificity of cathodal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) effects on spatial-numerical associations: Comparison of four stimulation sites. J Neurosci Res 2019; 98:655-667. [PMID: 31785042 DOI: 10.1002/jnr.24559] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2019] [Revised: 10/16/2019] [Accepted: 10/30/2019] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Based on a theory of impulsive and reflective human behavior, we test the effects of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) targeting either prefrontal or parietal cortex in either hemisphere. In a confirmatory registered report, cathodal tDCS is administered to conceptually reproduce tDCS modulations of implicit spatial-numerical associations, numerical distance effects, and response inhibition. Those cognitive operations are hypothesized to draw on left prefrontal, parietal, and right prefrontal activations, respectively, thereby susceptible to inhibitory, cathodal tDCS across those regions. Vice versa, the mutual regional and behavioral specificity of tDCS effects on these behavioral indices is examined and expected to produce double dissociations. In a mixed within-subjects (baseline, during tDCS, post-tDCS) and between-subjects (target electrode: left/right prefrontal cortex/posterior parietal cortex, or sham tDCS) design, we collect (a) confirmatory data on the robustness of cathodal tDCS effects on three behavioral effects and (b) differential data on the specificity of regional targets in male and female human participants. Results will provide crucial tests of theories of cortical organization implied by implicit associations and explicit regulation, which can direct future brain stimulation studies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Christina Artemenko
- Department of Psychology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.,LEAD Research Network, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Krzysztof Cipora
- Department of Psychology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.,LEAD Research Network, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Jennifer Svaldi
- Department of Psychology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
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