Transcranial direct current stimulation of the prefrontal cortex modulates working memory performance: combined behavioural and electrophysiological evidence

Zaehle, Tino; Sandmann, Pascale; Thorne, Jeremy D.; Jäncke, Lutz; Herrmann, Christoph S.

doi:10.1186/1471-2202-12-2

Cited by 358 publications

(278 citation statements)

References 93 publications

(112 reference statements)

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“…In these studies researchers have applied anodal tDCS to the left prefrontal cortex with the consistent finding that stimulation improved verbal WM performance using 2-and 3-back WM tasks (Fregni et al, 2005a;Ohn et al, 2008;Andrews et al, 2011;Mulquiney et al, 2011;Zaehle et al, 2011). These results also showed that cathodal stimulation of the left prefrontal cortex did not improve accuracy on the task.…”

Section: Introductionsupporting

confidence: 53%

Parietal Contributions to Visual Working Memory Depend on Task Difficulty

Jones¹,

Crane²,

Feenstra³

et al. 2012

PsycEXTRA Dataset

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The nature of parietal contributions to working memory (WM) remain poorly understood but of considerable interest. We previously reported that posterior parietal damage selectively impaired WM probed by recognition (Berryhill and Olson, 2008a). Recent studies provided support using a neuromodulatory technique, transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) applied to the right parietal cortex (P4). These studies confirmed parietal involvement in WM because parietal tDCS altered WM performance: anodal current tDCS improved performance in a change detection task, and cathodal current tDCS impaired performance on a sequential presentation task. Here, we tested whether these complementary results were due to different degrees of parietal involvement as a function of WM task demands, WM task difficulty, and/or participants' WM capacity. In Experiment 1, we applied cathodal and anodal tDCS to the right parietal cortex and tested participants on both previously used WM tasks. We observed an interaction between tDCS (anodal, cathodal), WM task difficulty, and participants' WM capacity. When the WM task was difficult, parietal stimulation (anodal or cathodal) improved WM performance selectively in participants with high WM capacity. In the low WM capacity group, parietal stimulation (anodal or cathodal) impaired WM performance. These nearly equal and opposite effects were only observed when the WM task was challenging, as in the change detection task. Experiment 2 probed the interplay of WM task difficulty and WM capacity in a parametric manner by varying set size in the WM change detection task. Here, the effect of parietal stimulation (anodal or cathodal) on the high WM capacity group followed a linear function as WM task difficulty increased with set size. The low WM capacity participants were largely unaffected by tDCS. These findings provide evidence that parietal involvement in WM performance depends on both WM capacity and WM task demands. We discuss these findings in terms of alternative WM strategies employed by low and high WM capacity individuals. We speculate that low WM capacity individuals do not recruit the posterior parietal lobe for WM tasks as efficiently as high WM capacity individuals. Consequently, tDCS provides greater benefit to individuals with high WM capacity.

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Section: Introductionsupporting

confidence: 53%

Parietal Contributions to Visual Working Memory Depend on Task Difficulty

Jones¹,

Crane²,

Feenstra³

et al. 2012

PsycEXTRA Dataset

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“…In a related working memory task, the beneficial effects of anodal tDCS on performance accuracy developed during stimulation, and were stable for up to 30 min after the completion of stimulation [30] . Zaehle and co-workers [31] described similar positive effects of left prefrontal anodal tDCS on response accuracy in an n-back working memory task, while cathodal tDCS disturbed performance.…”

Section: Working Memorymentioning

confidence: 82%

“…Given the performancerelated alteration of oscillatory activity [31,40] , the contribution of theta activity to working memory performance was explored in subsequent studies. Left dorsolateral prefrontal oscillatory stimulation within the theta frequency range, as well as bilateral stimulation of the DLPFC, improved working memory [40,41] .…”

Section: Working Memorymentioning

confidence: 99%

Exploring prefrontal cortex functions in healthy humans by transcranial electrical stimulation

Kuo

Nitsche²

2015

Neurosci. Bull.

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The prefrontal cortex is involved in a multitude of cognitive, emotional, motivational, and social processes, so exploring its specifi c functions is crucial for understanding human experience and behavior. Functional imaging approaches have largely contributed to the enhancement of our understanding, but might have limitations in establishing causal relationships between physiology and the related psychological and behavioral processes. Non-invasive electrical stimulation with direct or alternating currents can help to enhance our understanding with regard to specific processes, and might provide future protocols able to improve them in case of malfunctions. We review the current state of the fi eld, and provide an outlook for future developments.

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“…Similarly, DBS can reverse hippocampal information processing deficits among in animals with a variety of developmental manipulations thought to model schizophrenia (Ewing and Grace, 2013;Klein et al, 2013;Perez et al, 2013). In humans, transcranial direct current stimulation has been used to induce changes in brain activity, suggesting that non-pharmacological approaches may also have promise in treating the abnormal underlying brain rhythms in the disorder (Zaehle et al, 2010(Zaehle et al, , 2011a(Zaehle et al, , 2011bKeeser et al, 2011;Jacobson et al, 2012). Patients are shown in blue and controls in red.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%