No changes in event-related potentials with estrogen or estrogen plus progesterone treatment in healthy older hysterectomized women: results from a double-blind, placebo-controlled study

We aim to measure the postintervention effects of A-tDCS (anodal-tDCS) on brain potentials commonly used in BCI applications, namely, Event-Related Desynchronization (ERD), Event-Related Synchronization (ERS), and P300. Ten subjects were given sham and 1.5 mA A-tDCS for 15 minutes on two separate experiments in a double-blind, randomized order. Postintervention EEG was recorded while subjects were asked to perform a spelling task based on the “oddball paradigm” while P300 power was measured. Additionally, ERD and ERS were measured while subjects performed mental motor imagery tasks. ANOVA results showed that the absolute P300 power exhibited a statistically significant difference between sham and A-tDCS when measured over channel Pz (p=0.0002). However, the difference in ERD and ERS power was found to be statistically insignificant, in controversion of the the mainstay of the litrature on the subject. The outcomes confirm the possible postintervention effect of tDCS on the P300 response. Heightening P300 response using A-tDCS may help improve the accuracy of P300 spellers for neurologically impaired subjects. Additionally, it may help the development of neurorehabilitation methods targeting the parietal lobe.

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Effects of a Green Oat Herb Extract on Cognitive Performance and Neurophysiological Activity: A Randomized Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Study

Frontiers in Neuroscience ◽

10.3389/fnins.2021.748188 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 15 ◽

Author(s):

Saul Martinez-Horta ◽

Eran Ivanir ◽

Tania Perrinjaquet-Moccetti ◽

Matthias Heinrich Keuter ◽

Jaime Kulisevsky

Keyword(s):

Task Performance ◽

Cognitive Performance ◽

Processing Speed ◽

Performance Monitoring ◽

Event Related Potentials ◽

Controlled Study ◽

Acute Administration ◽

Double Blind ◽

Related Potentials ◽

And Performance

Green oat extracts have been used for centuries in traditional medicine in view of their supposed beneficial effects on cognition and mood. Recently, a specific green oat formulation (Neuravena®) showed to have significant bioactive compounds potentially associated with the enhancement of processing speed, working memory and attention. The main aim of the current study was to compare the potential effect of acute administration of 800 mg of Neuravena® with placebo on a set of neurophysiological correlates of processing speed, attention, performance-monitoring and inhibitory control. Twenty healthy participants were randomized to receive either Neuravena® or placebo. Electroencephalographic (EEG) signal acquisition was obtained while participants carried out the modified Eriksen flanker and oddball tasks. Both groups were compared on measures of behavioral task performance, and a set of event-related potentials (ERPs) components related to performance monitoring (the error-related negativity; ERN and the N2), target detection, and attention (P3a/P3b). Following active-intervention N2, ERN, and P3a/P3b were significantly reduced and performance was faster, with no loss of accuracy. Conversely, no neurophysiological differences were found in the placebo group before and after treatment and performance worsened significantly in terms of reaction time and accuracy. Acute administration of 800 mg of Neuravena® appears to enhance the optimization of neural resources and positively influences cognitive performance in tasks associated with executive functions, processing speed and attention. Moreover, Neuravena® prevents the deleterious effects of tiredness during task performance.

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tDCS targeting the vmPFC modulates reactive aggression and electrophysiological responses: an EEG-tDCS study in a forensic population.

10.31234/osf.io/cjgdt ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Carmen S. Sergiou ◽

Emiliano Santarnecchi ◽

Ingmar H.A. Franken ◽

Eric Rassin ◽

Nico van Beveren ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Violent Behavior ◽

Reactive Aggression ◽

Mental Healthcare ◽

Event Related Potentials ◽

Controlled Study ◽

High Definition ◽

Double Blind ◽

Forensic Patients ◽

Electrophysiological Responses ◽

Related Potentials

BACKGROUND: Studies have shown that impairments in the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) in forensic patients who also abuse cocaine and alcohol play a crucial role in aggression. However, current treatment in forensic patients is found not to be effective. A promising intervention is to modulate the vmPFC by transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS). This study aimed to investigate high definition (HD)-tDCS as an intervention to increase empathic abilities in order to reduce violent behavior in forensic patients. In addition, using electroencephalography (EEG), we examined the effects of tDCS on the event-related potentials P3 and LPP in reaction to situations that depict victims of aggression (i.e. empathy). METHODS: Fifty male forensic substance use patients (25 in the active and 25 in the sham condition) were tested in a double-blind placebo-controlled study. The patients received HD-tDCS two times a day for 20 min for five consecutive days. Before and after the intervention, the patients completed self-reports, performed the Point Subtraction Aggression Paradigm (PSAP), and EEG was recorded while patients performed an empathy task.RESULTS: Results showed a significant decrease in aggressive responses on the PSAP and a decrease in self-reported reactive aggression in the active tDCS group. Additionally, we found an increase in LPP amplitude after tDCS intervention in the active tDCS group compared to the sham group. No effects on the P3 were found.CONCLUSION: Current findings are the first to find effects of tDCS modulating aggression and electrophysiological responses in forensic patients, thereby showing the potential for tDCS as an intervention in forensic mental healthcare.

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