Modulation of mind wandering using transcranial direct current stimulation: A meta-analysis based on electric field modeling
Mind wandering (MW) is a heterogeneous construct involving task-unrelated thoughts. Recently, the interest in modulating MW propensity via non-invasive brain stimulation techniques has increased. Single-session transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) in healthy controls has led to mixed resul...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2023-05-01
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| Series: | NeuroImage |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1053811923001970 |
| _version_ | 1797847714552086528 |
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| author | Hema Nawani Matthias Mittner Gábor Csifcsák |
| author_facet | Hema Nawani Matthias Mittner Gábor Csifcsák |
| author_sort | Hema Nawani |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Mind wandering (MW) is a heterogeneous construct involving task-unrelated thoughts. Recently, the interest in modulating MW propensity via non-invasive brain stimulation techniques has increased. Single-session transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) in healthy controls has led to mixed results in modulating MW propensity, possibly due to methodological heterogeneity. Therefore, our aim was to conduct a systematic meta-analysis to examine the influence of left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (lDLPFC) and right inferior parietal lobule (rIPL) targeted tDCS on MW propensity. Importantly, by computational modeling of tDCS-induced electric fields, we accounted for differences in tDCS-dose across studies that varied strongly in their applied methodology.Fifteen single-session, sham-controlled tDCS studies published until October 2021 were included. All studies involved healthy adult participants and used cognitive tasks combined with MW thought-probes. Heterogeneity in tDCS electrode placement, stimulation polarity and intensity were controlled for by means of electric field simulations, while overall methodological quality was assessed via an extended risk of bias (RoB) assessment.We found that RoB was the strongest predictor of study outcomes. Moreover, the rIPL was the most promising cortical area for influencing MW, with stronger anodal electric fields in this region being negatively associated with MW propensity. Electric field strength in the lDLPFC was not related to MW propensity.We identified several severe methodological problems that could have contributed to overestimated effect sizes in this literature, an issue that needs urgent attention in future research in this area. Overall, there is no reliable evidence for tDCS influencing MW in the healthy. However, the analysis also revealed that increasing neural excitability in the rIPL via tDCS might be associated with reduced MW propensity. In an exploratory approach, we also found some indication that targeting prefrontal regions outside the lDLPFC with tDCS could lead to increased MW propensity. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-09T18:16:47Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-96607fbaff43477ea68f6edf10fdab1c |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1095-9572 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-09T18:16:47Z |
| publishDate | 2023-05-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | NeuroImage |
| spelling | doaj.art-96607fbaff43477ea68f6edf10fdab1c2023-04-13T04:26:05ZengElsevierNeuroImage1095-95722023-05-01272120051Modulation of mind wandering using transcranial direct current stimulation: A meta-analysis based on electric field modelingHema Nawani0Matthias Mittner1Gábor Csifcsák2Institute for Psychology, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, NorwayInstitute for Psychology, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, NorwayCorresponding author at: Institute for Psychology, UiT The Arctic University of Norway.; Institute for Psychology, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, NorwayMind wandering (MW) is a heterogeneous construct involving task-unrelated thoughts. Recently, the interest in modulating MW propensity via non-invasive brain stimulation techniques has increased. Single-session transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) in healthy controls has led to mixed results in modulating MW propensity, possibly due to methodological heterogeneity. Therefore, our aim was to conduct a systematic meta-analysis to examine the influence of left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (lDLPFC) and right inferior parietal lobule (rIPL) targeted tDCS on MW propensity. Importantly, by computational modeling of tDCS-induced electric fields, we accounted for differences in tDCS-dose across studies that varied strongly in their applied methodology.Fifteen single-session, sham-controlled tDCS studies published until October 2021 were included. All studies involved healthy adult participants and used cognitive tasks combined with MW thought-probes. Heterogeneity in tDCS electrode placement, stimulation polarity and intensity were controlled for by means of electric field simulations, while overall methodological quality was assessed via an extended risk of bias (RoB) assessment.We found that RoB was the strongest predictor of study outcomes. Moreover, the rIPL was the most promising cortical area for influencing MW, with stronger anodal electric fields in this region being negatively associated with MW propensity. Electric field strength in the lDLPFC was not related to MW propensity.We identified several severe methodological problems that could have contributed to overestimated effect sizes in this literature, an issue that needs urgent attention in future research in this area. Overall, there is no reliable evidence for tDCS influencing MW in the healthy. However, the analysis also revealed that increasing neural excitability in the rIPL via tDCS might be associated with reduced MW propensity. In an exploratory approach, we also found some indication that targeting prefrontal regions outside the lDLPFC with tDCS could lead to increased MW propensity.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1053811923001970Mind wanderingTask-unrelated thoughttDCSElectric field modelingRisk of biasSystematic review |
| spellingShingle | Hema Nawani Matthias Mittner Gábor Csifcsák Modulation of mind wandering using transcranial direct current stimulation: A meta-analysis based on electric field modeling NeuroImage Mind wandering Task-unrelated thought tDCS Electric field modeling Risk of bias Systematic review |
| title | Modulation of mind wandering using transcranial direct current stimulation: A meta-analysis based on electric field modeling |
| title_full | Modulation of mind wandering using transcranial direct current stimulation: A meta-analysis based on electric field modeling |
| title_fullStr | Modulation of mind wandering using transcranial direct current stimulation: A meta-analysis based on electric field modeling |
| title_full_unstemmed | Modulation of mind wandering using transcranial direct current stimulation: A meta-analysis based on electric field modeling |
| title_short | Modulation of mind wandering using transcranial direct current stimulation: A meta-analysis based on electric field modeling |
| title_sort | modulation of mind wandering using transcranial direct current stimulation a meta analysis based on electric field modeling |
| topic | Mind wandering Task-unrelated thought tDCS Electric field modeling Risk of bias Systematic review |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1053811923001970 |
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