Anodal Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation Promotes Frontal Compensatory Mechanisms in Healthy Elderly Subjects
Recent studies have demonstrated that transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is potentially useful to improve working memory. In the present study, young and elderly subjects performed a working memory task (n-back task) during an electroencephalogram recording before and after receiving ano...
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2017-12-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience |
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| Online Access: | http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fnagi.2017.00420/full |
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| author | Jesús Cespón Claudia Rodella Claudia Rodella Paolo M. Rossini Carlo Miniussi Carlo Miniussi Maria C. Pellicciari |
| author_facet | Jesús Cespón Claudia Rodella Claudia Rodella Paolo M. Rossini Carlo Miniussi Carlo Miniussi Maria C. Pellicciari |
| author_sort | Jesús Cespón |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Recent studies have demonstrated that transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is potentially useful to improve working memory. In the present study, young and elderly subjects performed a working memory task (n-back task) during an electroencephalogram recording before and after receiving anodal, cathodal, and sham tDCS over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC). We investigated modulations of behavioral performance and electrophysiological correlates of working memory processes (frontal and parietal P300 event-related potentials). A strong tendency to modulated working memory performance was observed after the application of tDCS. In detail, young, but not elderly, subjects benefited from additional practice in the absence of real tDCS, as indicated by their more accurate responses after sham tDCS. The cathodal tDCS had no effect in any group of participants. Importantly, anodal tDCS improved accuracy in elderly. Moreover, increased accuracy after anodal tDCS was correlated with a larger frontal P300 amplitude. These findings suggest that, in elderly subjects, improved working memory after anodal tDCS applied over the left DLPFC may be related to the promotion of frontal compensatory mechanisms, which are related to attentional processes. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-19T22:23:21Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-01052e5643f44c0485d340fa77516217 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1663-4365 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-19T22:23:21Z |
| publishDate | 2017-12-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience |
| spelling | doaj.art-01052e5643f44c0485d340fa775162172022-12-21T20:03:34ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience1663-43652017-12-01910.3389/fnagi.2017.00420289739Anodal Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation Promotes Frontal Compensatory Mechanisms in Healthy Elderly SubjectsJesús Cespón0Claudia Rodella1Claudia Rodella2Paolo M. Rossini3Carlo Miniussi4Carlo Miniussi5Maria C. Pellicciari6Cognitive Neuroscience Section, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico Centro San Giovanni di Dio Fatebenefratelli, Brescia, ItalyCognitive Neuroscience Section, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico Centro San Giovanni di Dio Fatebenefratelli, Brescia, ItalyInstitute of Neurology, Policlinico A. Gemelli, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Rome, ItalyInstitute of Neurology, Policlinico A. Gemelli, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Rome, ItalyCognitive Neuroscience Section, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico Centro San Giovanni di Dio Fatebenefratelli, Brescia, ItalyCenter for Mind/Brain Sciences, University of Trento, Rovereto, ItalyCognitive Neuroscience Section, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico Centro San Giovanni di Dio Fatebenefratelli, Brescia, ItalyRecent studies have demonstrated that transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is potentially useful to improve working memory. In the present study, young and elderly subjects performed a working memory task (n-back task) during an electroencephalogram recording before and after receiving anodal, cathodal, and sham tDCS over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC). We investigated modulations of behavioral performance and electrophysiological correlates of working memory processes (frontal and parietal P300 event-related potentials). A strong tendency to modulated working memory performance was observed after the application of tDCS. In detail, young, but not elderly, subjects benefited from additional practice in the absence of real tDCS, as indicated by their more accurate responses after sham tDCS. The cathodal tDCS had no effect in any group of participants. Importantly, anodal tDCS improved accuracy in elderly. Moreover, increased accuracy after anodal tDCS was correlated with a larger frontal P300 amplitude. These findings suggest that, in elderly subjects, improved working memory after anodal tDCS applied over the left DLPFC may be related to the promotion of frontal compensatory mechanisms, which are related to attentional processes.http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fnagi.2017.00420/fulltranscranial direct current stimulationworking memoryevent-related potentialsP300agingcompensatory mechanisms |
| spellingShingle | Jesús Cespón Claudia Rodella Claudia Rodella Paolo M. Rossini Carlo Miniussi Carlo Miniussi Maria C. Pellicciari Anodal Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation Promotes Frontal Compensatory Mechanisms in Healthy Elderly Subjects Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience transcranial direct current stimulation working memory event-related potentials P300 aging compensatory mechanisms |
| title | Anodal Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation Promotes Frontal Compensatory Mechanisms in Healthy Elderly Subjects |
| title_full | Anodal Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation Promotes Frontal Compensatory Mechanisms in Healthy Elderly Subjects |
| title_fullStr | Anodal Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation Promotes Frontal Compensatory Mechanisms in Healthy Elderly Subjects |
| title_full_unstemmed | Anodal Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation Promotes Frontal Compensatory Mechanisms in Healthy Elderly Subjects |
| title_short | Anodal Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation Promotes Frontal Compensatory Mechanisms in Healthy Elderly Subjects |
| title_sort | anodal transcranial direct current stimulation promotes frontal compensatory mechanisms in healthy elderly subjects |
| topic | transcranial direct current stimulation working memory event-related potentials P300 aging compensatory mechanisms |
| url | http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fnagi.2017.00420/full |
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