Differential effects of remotely supervised transcranial direct current stimulation on recognition memory depending on task order

BackgroundPrior work has shown positive effects of High Definition transcranial direct current stimulation (HD-tDCS) over the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) on semantic memory performance and metamemory monitoring accuracy. However, HD-tDCS requires setup by a trained researcher, which is no...

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Main Authors: Casey M. Imperio, Elizabeth F. Chua
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2023-08-01
Series:Frontiers in Human Neuroscience
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnhum.2023.1239126/full
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author Casey M. Imperio
Casey M. Imperio
Elizabeth F. Chua
Elizabeth F. Chua
author_facet Casey M. Imperio
Casey M. Imperio
Elizabeth F. Chua
Elizabeth F. Chua
author_sort Casey M. Imperio
collection DOAJ
description BackgroundPrior work has shown positive effects of High Definition transcranial direct current stimulation (HD-tDCS) over the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) on semantic memory performance and metamemory monitoring accuracy. However, HD-tDCS requires setup by a trained researcher, which is not always feasible. Few studies have used remotely supervised (rs) tDCS in healthy populations, and remote supervision has strong practical benefits.Objective/hypothesisThe goal of the current study was to test if previously shown effects of HD-tDCS over the left DLPFC on semantic memory performance and metamemory monitoring accuracy extended to conventional rs-tDCS, which is less focal than HD-tDCS, and to episodic memory and metamemory tasks.Materials and methodsA total of 36 healthy participants completed 6 weeks of rs-tDCS sessions, with either active left or right anodal DLPFC stimulation, or sham. Participants completed semantic and episodic memory and metamemory tasks, which each lasted for three consecutive sessions, and session order was counterbalanced across participants.ResultsOverall, there were no main effects of rs-tDCS on metamemory monitoring accuracy or memory performance for either the semantic or the episodic tasks. However, there were effects of rs-tDCS that depended on the order of completing the episodic and semantic task sessions. When participants completed the semantic task sessions after the episodic task sessions, semantic recognition was greater in the left anodal DLPFC condition. In a parallel effect, when participants completed the episodic task sessions after the semantic task sessions, episodic recognition was greater in the right anodal DLPFC condition.ConclusionPrior experience with tDCS is a factor for effects of rs-tDCS on cognition. Additionally, the current experiment provides evidence for the feasibility of fully remotely supervised tDCS in healthy participants.
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spelling doaj.art-9e925906b61d4010adfbf223c1d9d8a12023-08-09T07:17:38ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Human Neuroscience1662-51612023-08-011710.3389/fnhum.2023.12391261239126Differential effects of remotely supervised transcranial direct current stimulation on recognition memory depending on task orderCasey M. Imperio0Casey M. Imperio1Elizabeth F. Chua2Elizabeth F. Chua3Department of Psychology, Brooklyn College, Brooklyn, NY, United StatesDepartment of Psychology, The Graduate Center of the City University of New York, New York, NY, United StatesDepartment of Psychology, Brooklyn College, Brooklyn, NY, United StatesDepartment of Psychology, The Graduate Center of the City University of New York, New York, NY, United StatesBackgroundPrior work has shown positive effects of High Definition transcranial direct current stimulation (HD-tDCS) over the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) on semantic memory performance and metamemory monitoring accuracy. However, HD-tDCS requires setup by a trained researcher, which is not always feasible. Few studies have used remotely supervised (rs) tDCS in healthy populations, and remote supervision has strong practical benefits.Objective/hypothesisThe goal of the current study was to test if previously shown effects of HD-tDCS over the left DLPFC on semantic memory performance and metamemory monitoring accuracy extended to conventional rs-tDCS, which is less focal than HD-tDCS, and to episodic memory and metamemory tasks.Materials and methodsA total of 36 healthy participants completed 6 weeks of rs-tDCS sessions, with either active left or right anodal DLPFC stimulation, or sham. Participants completed semantic and episodic memory and metamemory tasks, which each lasted for three consecutive sessions, and session order was counterbalanced across participants.ResultsOverall, there were no main effects of rs-tDCS on metamemory monitoring accuracy or memory performance for either the semantic or the episodic tasks. However, there were effects of rs-tDCS that depended on the order of completing the episodic and semantic task sessions. When participants completed the semantic task sessions after the episodic task sessions, semantic recognition was greater in the left anodal DLPFC condition. In a parallel effect, when participants completed the episodic task sessions after the semantic task sessions, episodic recognition was greater in the right anodal DLPFC condition.ConclusionPrior experience with tDCS is a factor for effects of rs-tDCS on cognition. Additionally, the current experiment provides evidence for the feasibility of fully remotely supervised tDCS in healthy participants.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnhum.2023.1239126/fullremotely supervised tDCSDLPFCmetamemoryepisodic memorysemantic memory
spellingShingle Casey M. Imperio
Casey M. Imperio
Elizabeth F. Chua
Elizabeth F. Chua
Differential effects of remotely supervised transcranial direct current stimulation on recognition memory depending on task order
Frontiers in Human Neuroscience
remotely supervised tDCS
DLPFC
metamemory
episodic memory
semantic memory
title Differential effects of remotely supervised transcranial direct current stimulation on recognition memory depending on task order
title_full Differential effects of remotely supervised transcranial direct current stimulation on recognition memory depending on task order
title_fullStr Differential effects of remotely supervised transcranial direct current stimulation on recognition memory depending on task order
title_full_unstemmed Differential effects of remotely supervised transcranial direct current stimulation on recognition memory depending on task order
title_short Differential effects of remotely supervised transcranial direct current stimulation on recognition memory depending on task order
title_sort differential effects of remotely supervised transcranial direct current stimulation on recognition memory depending on task order
topic remotely supervised tDCS
DLPFC
metamemory
episodic memory
semantic memory
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnhum.2023.1239126/full
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