Cathodal tDCS improves task performance in participants high in Coldheartedness

Weidacker, Kathrin; Weidemann, Christoph T.; Boy, Frédéric; Johnston, Stephen

doi:10.1016/j.clinph.2016.05.274

Cited by 21 publications

(12 citation statements)

References 70 publications

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“…The profile of responses to tDCS observed in the WN task is consistent with the idea that inhibitory functions rely on the right balance between excitatory and inhibitory synapses (Jackson et al, ; Krause et al, ), and that tDCS can have an effect on either as appropriate (Boggio et al, ; Weidacker et al, ). This accounts for the improved performance induced by both anodal and cathodal stimulations.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 75%

“…These results in WN, where both anodal and cathodal stimulation improve performance, appear to better fit an inhibitory framework that views inhibitory functions as a result of a precise balance between excitatory and inhibitory synapses (Jackson et al, ; Krause et al, ). Direct current stimulation would have an effect on either inhibitory or excitatory synapses as appropriate to ensure satisfactory accomplishment of the task (Boggio et al, ; Weidacker et al, ). Cathodal stimulation might have had a dampening effect on excitatory synapses underlying activation of non‐target words, while anodal stimulation might have had an effect on inhibitory synapses, leading to a more efficient suppression of non‐target competing words.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In this case, there is a range of possible outcomes for tDCS, depending on where the imbalance is assumed to be and where tDCS exerts its effect—on the excitatory synapses or on the inhibitory synapses. For example, Weidacker, Weidemann, Boy, and Johnston () applied cathodal stimulation to the right DLPFC of participants with the psychopathic trait of coldheartedness during a task of cognitive control. The authors observed improvement in performance, which they attributed to the effect of cathodal stimulation in reducing the excessive excitatory activity of the target area.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Task load modulates tDCS effects on language performance

Almeida

Pope

Hansen

2019

J of Neuroscience Research

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Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) effects in cognition are inconsistent across studies. This study aimed to discuss why typical models might be insufficient to explain these effects, and to investigate a brain state factor, task load, with behavioral experiments on phonological processing. The motor theory of speech perception states that motor codes for articulation take part in speech perception, a view sharpened by neuroimaging findings, which show that the motor role in phonological processing is weighted by the nature of the tasks. Three groups of 20 participants, each under a different tDCS condition (anodal, cathodal, or sham), performed a categorical perception (CP), a lexical decision (LD), and a word naming (WN) task while stimulated on the pars opercularis of the left inferior frontal gyrus, a language area typically involved with the motor role. These tasks were assumed to be subserved by a network of nodes which included the target, believed to be increasingly relevant for performance from speech perception to speech production. A-tDCS facilitation and C-tDCS downregulation should directly increase with the relevance of the target for the task. Downregulation of a low relevance node could result in facilitation by compensation from other nodes. Overall, our brain stimulation findings support the neuroimaging literature in that motor participation in phonological processing depends on task nature and show that tDCS effects are modulated by task load relative to the target. Outcomes such as the improved performance following cathodal tDCS in CP and WN suggest that compensatory mechanisms may take place when the tasks involve more complex neuronal networks. K E Y W O R D Scognition, language, pars opercularis of the left inferior frontal gyrus (LIFGop), phonological processing, task load, transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) | 1431 RODRIGUES DE ALMEIDA Et AL.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 75%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Task load modulates tDCS effects on language performance

Almeida

Pope

Hansen

2019

J of Neuroscience Research

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“…Another study related effects of tDCS over the right dlPFC on response inhibition to psychopathic traits like coldheartedness, since there is an association between psychopathic personality traits and impaired response inhibition. Here, a positive correlation between the score rating the participants’ coldheartedness and an improvement due to cathodal tDCS in their performance was found in the PGNG task measuring response inhibition (Weidacker et al, 2016). This is particularly remarkable in the context of the studies indicating an interaction between the COMT Val108/158Met polymorphism and tDCS (Plewnia et al, 2013; Nieratschker et al, 2015).…”

Section: Tdcs and The Catechol-o-methyltransferase (Comt)mentioning

confidence: 78%

“…Therefore, the particular findings of this study might be based on a similar genetic profile particularly with respect to the COMT Val108/158Met polymorphism. However, the stimulation protocols used differed as Weidacker et al (2016) applied stimulation to the right dlPFC before task completion, whereas Nieratschker et al (2015) stimulated the left dlPFC during the task. Third, it will be important to also include genotype information from other polymorphisms.…”

Section: Tdcs and The Catechol-o-methyltransferase (Comt)mentioning

confidence: 99%

Genetic Modulation of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation Effects on Cognition

Wiegand

Nieratschker

Plewnia

2016

Front. Hum. Neurosci.

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High inter-individual variability substantially challenges the explanatory power of studies on the modulation of cognitive functions with transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS). These differences in responsivity have been linked with a critical state-dependency of stimulation effects. In general, genetic diversity is a decisive biological basis of variations in neuronal network functioning. Therefore, it is most likely that inter-individual variability of tDCS-induced changes in cognitive functions is due to specific interactions between genetically determined network properties and the specific type of stimulation. In this context, predominantly the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) Val66Met and the catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) Val108/158Met polymorphisms have been investigated. The studies on the interaction between the BDNF Val66Met polymorphism and the effect of brain stimulation indicate a critical but yet heterogeneous interaction. But up to now, data on the interplay between this polymorphism and tDCS on cognitive functioning are not available. However, recently, the functional Val(108/158)Met polymorphism in the COMT gene, that is particularly involved in the regulation of executive functions by means of the dopaminergic tone in frontal brain areas, has been demonstrated to specifically predict the effect of tDCS on cognitive control. Following an inverted U-shaped function, the high dopaminergic activity in Met allele homozygous individuals has been shown to be associated with a reduction of executive functioning by anodal tDCS to the prefrontal cortex. Consistently, Val homozygous individuals with lower dopaminergic tone show a clear reduction of response inhibition with cathodal tDCS. These findings exemplify the notion of a complex but neurophysiologically consistent interaction between genetically determined variations of neuronal activity and tDCS, particularly in the cognitive domain. Consequently, a systematic analysis and consideration of genetic modulators of tDCS effects will be helpful to improve the efficacy of brain stimulation and particularly tDCS in the investigation and treatment of cognitive functions.

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Augmenting the unified protocol with transcranial direct current stimulation: Effects on emotion regulation and executive dysfunction

Nasiri

Ellard

Մաշհադի

et al. 2022

Clin Psychology and Psychoth

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The aim of the current study was to compare the unified protocol for transdiagnostic treatment of emotional disorders (UP) with and without transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) for the treatment of emotion regulation and executive control dysfunction in individuals diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) and comorbid major depressive disorder (MDD). A total of 43 individuals with GAD and co‐morbid MDD were randomly assigned to three groups including UP with tDCS (UP+tDCS; n = 15), UP alone (UP; n = 13) or wait‐list control (n = 15). Difficulties in emotion regulation, reappraisal, suppression, inhibition and working memory were assessed at baseline, post‐treatment and 3‐month follow‐up. Treatment with both UP+tDCS and UP alone resulted in significant improvements in difficulties in emotion regulation, cognitive reappraisal, and working memory, and significant reductions in suppression and inhibition relative to wait‐list controls at post‐treatment and 3‐month follow‐up. Relative to UP alone, UP+tDCS showed significantly greater improvements in difficulties in emotion regulation, cognitive reappraisal, inhibition, and working memory at post‐treatment and 3‐month follow‐up. These results suggest combination of UP treatment with tDCS may be an efficacious intervention to improve emotion regulation and executive function in GAD with co‐morbid MDD. Trial registration reference is IRCT20140929019334N1 (see https://irct.ir/trial/27988).

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Cathodal tDCS improves task performance in participants high in Coldheartedness

Cited by 21 publications

References 70 publications

Task load modulates tDCS effects on language performance

Task load modulates tDCS effects on language performance

Genetic Modulation of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation Effects on Cognition

Augmenting the unified protocol with transcranial direct current stimulation: Effects on emotion regulation and executive dysfunction

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