Attention network modulation via tRNS correlates with attention gain

Abstract

Transcranial random noise stimulation (tRNS) can enhance vision in the healthy and diseased brain. Yet, the impact of multi-day tRNS on large-scale cortical networks is still unknown. We investigated the impact of tRNS coupled with behavioral training on resting-state functional connectivity and attention. We trained human subjects for 4 consecutive days on two attention tasks, while receiving tRNS over the intraparietal sulci, the middle temporal areas, or Sham stimulation. We measured resting-state functional connectivity of nodes of the dorsal and ventral attention network (DVAN) before and after training. We found a strong behavioral improvement and increased connectivity within the DVAN after parietal stimulation only. Crucially, behavioral improvement positively correlated with connectivity measures. We conclude changes in connectivity are a marker for the enduring effect of tRNS upon behavior. Our results suggest that tRNS has strong potential to augment cognitive capacity in healthy individuals and promote recovery in the neurological population.

Enhancement of visual perception by combining transcranial electrical stimulation and visual perceptual training

“…The enhanced performance could last up to at least six months after the training, which demonstrates the long-term persistence of tRNS-facilitated VPL. Similarly, the tRNS-facilitated VPL was also observed in other training tasks, from relatively simple tasks to complex tasks, such as the orientation discrimination task [ 104 ], numerosity judgment task or number acuity task [ 105 , 106 ], and peripheral letter identification in crowding condition [ 107 ].…”

The role of the parietal lobe in task-irrelevant suppression during learning

“…These results support the crucial role of the parietal lobe in driving a rapid improvement in attention-mediated perceptual learning within few training sessions. The importance of the parietal cortex in temporal attention task has been extensively demonstrated in previous neuropsychological and stimulation studies that found a direct involvement of these cortical areas in patients affected by visual neglect ([24], [54]–[58]). Our findings are consistent with the hypothesis that a behavioral task coupled with brain stimulation over the crucial cortical circuits facilitates learning ([23], [25], [38], [59]).…”

Improving visual attention following right hemisphere stroke: A preliminary study

“…First, how long does the intervention impact last, and can the length of the intervention impact be increased by multiple sessions? Although the goal of many treatments for cognitive change is to provide the longest impact of intervention over the shortest number of training sessions (Edwards et al, 2020; Contò et al, 2021), effective interventions often require multiple training days. Here, we only recorded the impact of the intervention over a ten-minute period directly after intervention.…”