Transcranial random noise stimulation and cognitive training to improve learning and cognition of the atypically developing brain: A pilot study

Abstract

Learning disabilities that affect about 10% of human population are linked to atypical neurodevelopment, but predominantly treated by behavioural interventions. Behavioural interventions alone have shown little efficacy, indicating limited success in modulating neuroplasticity, especially in brains with neural atypicalities. Even in healthy adults, weeks of cognitive training alone led to inconsistent generalisable training gains, or “transfer effects” to non-trained materials. Meanwhile, transcranial random noise stimulation (tRNS), a painless and more direct neuromodulation method was shown to further promote cognitive training and transfer effects in healthy adults without harmful effects. It is unknown whether tRNS on the atypically developing brain might promote greater learning and transfer outcomes than training alone. Here, we show that tRNS over the bilateral dorsolateral prefrontal cortices (dlPFCs) improved learning and performance of children with mathematical learning disabilities (MLD) during arithmetic training compared to those who received sham (placebo) tRNS. Training gains correlated positively with improvement on a standardized mathematical diagnostic test, and this effect was strengthened by tRNS. These findings mirror those in healthy adults, and encourage replications using larger cohorts. Overall, this study offers insights into the concept of combining tRNS and cognitive training for improving learning and cognition of children with learning disabilities.

No Modulatory Effects when Stimulating the Right Inferior Frontal Gyrus with Continuous 6 Hz tACS and tRNS on Response Inhibition: A Behavioral Study

“…Effects of tDCS and tACS also depend on the orientation of both the stimulating and reference/return electrodes altering the electric field in the brain; electrode size determines the extent of the stimulated area under the electrodes [ 64 ]. Our study used smaller active electrodes with a noncircular surface compared to many previous studies that stimulated the same area of interest using tACS/tRNS with larger or circular stimulation electrodes [ 21 , 65 , 66 ].…”

Improvement in creativity after transcranial random noise stimulation (tRNS) over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex

“…However, there was also evidence of a lack of positive tRNS effects in numerical cognition after parietal tRNS 29 . tRNS has also been used among children with learning disabilities 30 , where tRNS over the bilateral DLPFC was found to improve learning and performance. Additional evidence of the difference between tDCS and tRNS has come from Antal et al's study 31 .…”

Neuroenhancement of High-Level Cognition: Evidence for Homeostatic Constraints of Non-invasive Brain Stimulation

“…Methods such as non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) can lead to long-term cognitive improvements, and enhance cognitive performance in healthy individuals (Dayan et al 2013;Santarnecchi et al 2015). NIBS is, nowadays, mostly aimed to improve abilities in individuals with neuropsychological deficits, including for instance, cognitive and motor impairments after stroke or atypical development (Costanzo et al 2016;Fiori et al 2011;Fridriksson et al 2011;Holland and Crinion 2012;Looi et al 2017;Reis and Fritsch 2011;You et al 2011). Low-performing individuals often appear to benefit most from such neuromodulation (Looi et al 2016;E.…”