scholarly journals Enhancing Memory for Relationship Actions by Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation of the Superior Temporal Sulcus

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (8) ◽  
pp. 497
Author(s):  
Hipólito Marrero ◽  
Sara Nila Yagual ◽  
Enrique García-Marco ◽  
Elena Gámez ◽  
David Beltrán ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Direct Current ◽  
Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation ◽  
Memory Task ◽  
Superior Temporal Sulcus ◽  
Behavioral Approach ◽  
False Alarms ◽  
Behavioral Inhibition System ◽  
Approach And Avoidance ◽  
Direct Current Stimulation ◽  
Anodal Stimulation

We examine the effect of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) of right superior temporal sulcus (rSTS) in memorization of approach/avoidance relationship-action sentences; for example, “Alejandro accepted/rejected Marta in his group.” Sixty-five university students participated in a tDCS study, in which a between-subjects design was adopted. Sixty-four participants were also given the behavioral approach system (BAS) and behavioral inhibition system (BIS) scales. Participants were subjected to 20 min of stimulation: anodal (N = 24), cathodal (N = 21), or sham (N = 20); subsequently, they were given a list of 40 sentences (half approach and half avoidance) and told to try to memorize them. Finally, they performed a changed/same memory task (half the sentences were the “same” and half were “changed”). Previously, we had examined performance in the memory task without tDCS with another group of participants (N = 20). We found that anodal stimulation improved d’ index of discriminability (hits-false alarms) compared to sham and cathodal conditions for both approach and avoidance sentences. Moreover, the comparison between anodal and task-alone performance showed that stimulation improved d’ index of approach sentences more, as task-alone performance showed better discrimination for avoidance than for approach. Likewise, we explored a potential modulation of tDCS effect by (BAS) and (BIS) traits. We found that d’ index improvement in anodal stimulation condition only benefited low BAS and low BIS participants. Implications of these results are discussed in the context of rSTS function in encoding and memorizing verbally described intentional relationship-actions and the role of individual differences on modulating tDCS effect.

scholarly journals Personality Traits Modulate the Effect of tDCS on Reading Speed of Social Sentences

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (11) ◽  
pp. 1464
Author(s):  
Cristian Reyes ◽  
Iván Padrón ◽  
Sara Nila Yagual ◽  
Hipólito Marrero
Keyword(s):  
Direct Current ◽  
Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation ◽  
Behavioral Inhibition ◽  
Reading Speed ◽  
Behavioral Approach ◽  
Behavioral Inhibition System ◽  
Approach And Avoidance ◽  
Affective Traits ◽  
Anodal Stimulation ◽  
Approach Avoidance

In this case, 62 university students participated in the study, in which a between-subjects design was adopted. Participants were also given the behavioral approach system (BAS) and behavioral inhibition system (BIS) scales. Participants had to read a list of 60 sentences with interpersonal and neutral content: 20 approach (“Pedro accepted Rosa in Whatsapp”), 20 avoidance (“Pedro Blocked Rosa in Whatsapp”) and 20 neutral (“Marta thought about the causes of the problem”). After reading them, they were subjected to 20 min of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) in one of the two conditions: anodal (31) or sham (31). After tDCS, they had to read other list of 60 sentences matched in approach, avoidance and neutral contents with the former list. We found significant improvement in reading speed after anodal stimulation for social and neutral sentences. Regarding affective traits, we found that anodal stimulation benefitted reading speed in low-BIS and low-BAS participants and had no effect in either high BAS or high BIS participants. In addition, tDCS improvement in reading speed was significantly lower in avoidance sentences in low-BIS (avoidance) participants. We discuss these results at the light of previous research and highlight the importance of approach and avoidance traits as moderators of tDCS effects.

scholarly journals Effects of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation on effort during a working-memory task

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
David Framorando ◽  
Tianlan Cai ◽  
Yi Wang ◽  
Alan J. Pegna
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Direct Current ◽  
Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation ◽  
Memory Task ◽  
Time Interval ◽  
Direct Current Stimulation ◽  
Anodal Stimulation ◽  
Dorsolateral Prefrontal ◽  
Systolic Time ◽  
Task Mastery

AbstractTranscranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) has shown that stimulation of Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex (DLPFC) facilitates task performance in working-memory tasks. However, little is known about its potential effects on effort. This study examined whether tDCS affects effort during a working-memory task. Participants received anodal, cathodal and sham stimulation over DLPFC across three sessions before carrying out a 2-back task. During the task, effort-related cardiovascular measures were recorded—especially the Initial Systolic Time Interval (ISTI). Results showed that anodal stimulation produced a shorter ISTI, indicating a greater effort compared to cathodal and sham conditions, where effort was lower. These findings demonstrate that anodal stimulation helps participants to maintain engagement in a highly demanding task (by increasing task mastery), without which they would otherwise disengage. This study is the first to show that tDCS impacts the extent of effort engaged by individuals during a difficult task.

Converging Evidence That Neural Plasticity Underlies Transcranial Direct-Current Stimulation

2021 ◽  
Vol 33 (1) ◽  
pp. 146-157
Author(s):  
Chong Zhao ◽  
Geoffrey F. Woodman
Keyword(s):  
Visual Search ◽  
Direct Current ◽  
Neural Plasticity ◽  
Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation ◽  
Time Course ◽  
Memory Task ◽  
Long Term Memory ◽  
Visual Stream ◽  
Direct Current Stimulation ◽  
The Brain

It is not definitely known how direct-current stimulation causes its long-lasting effects. Here, we tested the hypothesis that the long time course of transcranial direct-current stimulation (tDCS) is because of the electrical field increasing the plasticity of the brain tissue. If this is the case, then we should see tDCS effects when humans need to encode information into long-term memory, but not at other times. We tested this hypothesis by delivering tDCS to the ventral visual stream of human participants during different tasks (i.e., recognition memory vs. visual search) and at different times during a memory task. We found that tDCS improved memory encoding, and the neural correlates thereof, but not retrieval. We also found that tDCS did not change the efficiency of information processing during visual search for a certain target object, a task that does not require the formation of new connections in the brain but instead relies on attention and object recognition mechanisms. Thus, our findings support the hypothesis that direct-current stimulation modulates brain activity by changing the underlying plasticity of the tissue.

scholarly journals Polarity Specific Suppression Effects of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation for Tinnitus

2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kathleen Joos ◽  
Dirk De Ridder ◽  
Paul Van de Heyning ◽  
Sven Vanneste
Keyword(s):  
Auditory Cortex ◽  
Direct Current ◽  
Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation ◽  
Rating Scale ◽  
Suppressive Effect ◽  
Numeric Rating Scale ◽  
Direct Current Stimulation ◽  
Specific Effects ◽  
Anodal Stimulation ◽  
Effect Of Treatment

Tinnitus is the perception of a sound in the absence of an external auditory stimulus and affects 10–15% of the Western population. Previous studies have demonstrated the therapeutic effect of anodal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) over the left auditory cortex on tinnitus loudness, but the effect of this presumed excitatory stimulation contradicts with the underlying pathophysiological model of tinnitus. Therefore, we included 175 patients with chronic tinnitus to study polarity specific effects of a single tDCS session over the auditory cortex (39 anodal, 136 cathodal). To assess the effect of treatment, we used the numeric rating scale for tinnitus loudness and annoyance. Statistical analysis demonstrated a significant main effect for tinnitus loudness and annoyance, but for tinnitus annoyance anodal stimulation has a significantly more pronounced effect than cathodal stimulation. We hypothesize that the suppressive effect of tDCS on tinnitus loudness may be attributed to a disrupting effect of ongoing neural hyperactivity, independent of the inhibitory or excitatory effects and that the reduction of annoyance may be induced by influencing adjacent or functionally connected brain areas involved in the tinnitus related distress network. Further research is required to explain why only anodal stimulation has a suppressive effect on tinnitus annoyance.

scholarly journals Individual Differences and Long-term Consequences of tDCS-augmented Cognitive Training

2017 ◽  
Vol 29 (9) ◽  
pp. 1498-1508 ◽  
Author(s):  
Benjamin Katz ◽  
Jacky Au ◽  
Martin Buschkuehl ◽  
Tessa Abagis ◽  
Chelsea Zabel ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Individual Differences ◽  
Cognitive Training ◽  
Direct Current ◽  
Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation ◽  
Memory Task ◽  
Memory Training ◽  
Direct Current Stimulation ◽  
Sham Condition

A great deal of interest surrounds the use of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) to augment cognitive training. However, effects are inconsistent across studies, and meta-analytic evidence is mixed, especially for healthy, young adults. One major source of this inconsistency is individual differences among the participants, but these differences are rarely examined in the context of combined training/stimulation studies. In addition, it is unclear how long the effects of stimulation last, even in successful interventions. Some studies make use of follow-up assessments, but very few have measured performance more than a few months after an intervention. Here, we utilized data from a previous study of tDCS and cognitive training [Au, J., Katz, B., Buschkuehl, M., Bunarjo, K., Senger, T., Zabel, C., et al. Enhancing working memory training with transcranial direct current stimulation. Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience, 28, 1419–1432, 2016] in which participants trained on a working memory task over 7 days while receiving active or sham tDCS. A new, longer-term follow-up to assess later performance was conducted, and additional participants were added so that the sham condition was better powered. We assessed baseline cognitive ability, gender, training site, and motivation level and found significant interactions between both baseline ability and motivation with condition (active or sham) in models predicting training gain. In addition, the improvements in the active condition versus sham condition appear to be stable even as long as a year after the original intervention.

scholarly journals Constraint-Induced Movement Therapy Combined with Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation over Premotor Cortex Improves Motor Function in Severe Stroke: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial

2017 ◽  
Vol 2017 ◽  
pp. 1-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Suellen M. Andrade ◽  
Larissa M. Batista ◽  
Lídia L. R. F. Nogueira ◽  
Eliane A. de Oliveira ◽  
Antonio G. C. de Carvalho ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Motor Function ◽  
Direct Current ◽  
Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation ◽  
Therapy Group ◽  
Premotor Cortex ◽  
Movement Therapy ◽  
Functional Independence ◽  
Direct Current Stimulation ◽  
Constraint Induced Movement Therapy ◽  
Anodal Stimulation

Objective.We compared the effects of transcranial direct current stimulation at different cortical sites (premotor and motor primary cortex) combined with constraint-induced movement therapy for treatment of stroke patients.Design.Sixty patients were randomly distributed into 3 groups: Group A, anodal stimulation on premotor cortex and constraint-induced movement therapy; Group B, anodal stimulation on primary motor cortex and constraint-induced movement therapy; Group C, sham stimulation and constraint-induced movement therapy. Evaluations involved analysis of functional independence, motor recovery, spasticity, gross motor function, and muscle strength.Results.A significant improvement in primary outcome (functional independence) after treatment in the premotor group followed by primary motor group and sham group was observed. The same pattern of improvement was highlighted among all secondary outcome measures regarding the superior performance of the premotor group over primary motor and sham groups.Conclusions.Premotor cortex can contribute to motor function in patients with severe functional disabilities in early stages of stroke. This study was registered in ClinicalTrials.gov database (NCT 02628561).

scholarly journals The effects of cerebellar transcranial direct current stimulation on the cognitive stage of sequence learning

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hannah K. Ballard ◽  
James R. M. Goen ◽  
Ted Maldonado ◽  
Jessica A. Bernard
Keyword(s):  
Direct Current ◽  
Sequence Learning ◽  
Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation ◽  
Motor Behavior ◽  
Motor Sequence ◽  
Direct Current Stimulation ◽  
Cerebellar Function ◽  
Specific Effects ◽  
Anodal Stimulation

AbstractThough the cerebellum has been previously implicated in explicit sequence learning, the exact role of this structure in the acquisition of motor skills is not completely clear. The cerebellum contributes to both motor and non-motor behavior. Thus, this structure may contribute not only to the motoric aspects of sequence learning, but may also play a role in the cognitive components of these learning paradigms. Therefore, we investigated the consequence of both disrupting and facilitating cerebellar function using high definition transcranial direct current stimulation (HD-tDCS) prior to the completion of an explicit motor sequence learning paradigm. Using a mixed within- and between-subjects design, we employed cathodal (n=21) and anodal (n=23) tDCS (relative to sham), targeting the lateral posterior cerebellum, to temporarily modulate function and investigate the resulting effects on the acquisition of a sequential pattern of finger movements. Results indicate that cathodal stimulation has a positive influence on learning while anodal stimulation has the opposite effect, relative to sham. Though the cerebellum is presumed to be primarily involved in motor function and movement coordination, our results support a cognitive contribution that may come into play during the initial stages of learning. Using tDCS targeting the right posterior cerebellum, which communicates with the prefrontal cortex via closed-loop circuits, we found polarity-specific effects of cathodal and anodal stimulation on sequence learning. Thus, our results substantiate the role of the cerebellum in the cognitive aspect of motor learning and provide important new insights into the polarity-specific effects of tDCS in this area.New & NoteworthyThe cerebellum contributes to motor and cognitive processes. Investigating the cognitive contributions of the cerebellum in explicit sequence learning stands to provide new insights into this learning domain, and cerebellar function more generally. Using HD-tDCS, we demonstrated polarity-specific effects of stimulation on explicit sequence learning. We speculate that this is due to facilitation of working memory processes. This provides new evidence supporting a role for the cerebellum in the cognitive aspects of sequence learning.

scholarly journals Augmenting ideational fluency in a creativity task across multiple transcranial direct current stimulation montages

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Evangelia G. Chrysikou ◽  
Hannah M. Morrow ◽  
Austin Flohrschutz ◽  
Lauryn Denney
Keyword(s):  
Direct Current ◽  
Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation ◽  
Creative Thinking ◽  
Short Term Memory ◽  
Memory Task ◽  
Idea Generation ◽  
Occipital Cortex ◽  
Bilateral Stimulation ◽  
Direct Current Stimulation ◽  
Stimulation Of

AbstractNeuroimaging and transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) research has revealed that generating novel ideas is associated with both reductions and increases in prefrontal cortex (PFC) activity, and engagement of posterior occipital cortex, among other regions. However, there is substantial variability in the robustness of these tDCS‐induced effects due to heterogeneous sample sizes, different creativity measures, and methodological diversity in the application of tDCS across laboratories. To address these shortcomings, we used twelve different montages within a standardized tDCS protocol to investigate how altering activity in frontotemporal and occipital cortex impacts creative thinking. Across four experiments, 246 participants generated either the common or an uncommon use for 60 object pictures while undergoing tDCS. Participants also completed a control short-term memory task. We applied active tDCS for 20 min at 1.5 mA through two 5 cm × 5 cm electrodes over left or right ventrolateral prefrontal (areas F7, F8) or occipital (areas O1, O2) cortex, concurrent bilateral stimulation of these regions across polarities, or sham stimulation. Cathodal stimulation of the left, but not right, ventrolateral PFC improved fluency in creative idea generation, but had no effects on originality, as approximated by measures of semantic distance. No effects were obtained for the control tasks. Concurrent bilateral stimulation of the ventrolateral PFC regardless of polarity direction, and excitatory stimulation of occipital cortex did not alter task performance. Highlighting the importance of cross-experimental methodological consistency, these results extend our past findings and contribute to our understanding of the role of left PFC in creative thinking.

scholarly journals Prefrontal Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation Globally Improves Learning but Does Not Selectively Potentiate the Benefits of Targeted Memory Reactivation on Awake Memory Consolidation

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (8) ◽  
pp. 1104
Author(s):  
Médhi Gilson ◽  
Michael A. Nitsche ◽  
Philippe Peigneux
Keyword(s):  
Direct Current ◽  
Memory Consolidation ◽  
Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation ◽  
Specific Effect ◽  
Memory Reactivation ◽  
Direct Current Stimulation ◽  
Beneficial Effects ◽  
Anodal Stimulation ◽  
The Right ◽  
Stimulation Of

Targeted memory reactivation (TMR) and transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) can enhance memory consolidation. It is currently unknown whether TMR reinforced by simultaneous tDCS has superior efficacy. In this study, we investigated the complementary effect of TMR and bilateral tDCS on the consolidation of emotionally neutral and negative declarative memories. Participants learned neutral and negative word pairs. Each word pair was presented with an emotionally compatible sound. Following learning, participants spent a 20 min retention interval awake under four possible conditions: (1) TMR alone (i.e., replay of 50% of the associated sounds), (2) TMR combined with anodal stimulation of the left DLPFC, (3) TMR combined with anodal stimulation of the right DLPFC and (4) TMR with sham tDCS. Results evidenced selective memory enhancement for the replayed stimuli in the TMR-only and TMR-sham conditions, which confirms a specific effect of TMR on memory. However, memory was enhanced at higher levels for all learned items (irrespective of TMR) in the TMR-anodal right and TMR-anodal left tDCS conditions, suggesting that the beneficial effects of tDCS overshadow the specific effects of TMR. Emotionally negative memories were not modulated by tDCS hemispheric polarity. We conclude that electrical stimulation of the DLPFC during the post-learning period globally benefits memory consolidation but does not potentiate the specific benefits of TMR.

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