The effects of offline and online prefrontal vs parietal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on verbal and spatial working memory
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2021
Authors
Živanović, Marko
Paunović, Dunja

Konstantinović, Uroš

Vulić, Katarina

Bjekić, Jovana

Filipović, Saša R.

Article (Published version)

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Show full item recordAbstract
Working memory (WM) is a limited-capacity system or set of processes that enables temporary storage and manipulation of information essential for complex cognitive processes. The WM performance is supported by a widespread neural network in which fronto-parietal functional connections have a pivotal role. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is rapidly emerging as a promising tool for understanding the role of various cortical areas and their functional networks on cognitive performance. Here we comprehensively evaluated the effects of tDCS on WM by conducting three cross-over counterbalanced sham-controlled experiments in which we contrasted the effects and interactions of the anodal (i.e. facilitatory) tDCS across anterior-posterior (i.e. DLPFC vs PPC) and left-right (i.e. the lateralization) axes, and across online and offline protocols using both verbal and spatial WM (3-back) tasks as outcomes. In the offline protocols, left DLPFC stimulation affected neither verbal nor ...spatial WM, while left PPC stimulation increased spatial WM. When applied offline over right DLPFC, tDCS improved verbal WM task and marginally enhanced spatial WM; while when tDCS was applied over the right PPC, facilitatory effects were observed on verbal WM. In the online protocol, tDCS did not modulate WM regardless of the task modality or stimulation loci. In summary, the study did not replicate the left DLPFC tDCS effect on WM, found in some of the previous studies, but demonstrated positive effects of stimulation of the right DLPFC as well as PPC bilaterally. The observed effects varied across modality of the 3-back task, and tDCS protocol applied. The results of this study argue for moving towards targeting the lesser-explored stimulation sites within the fronto-parietal network, such as PPC, to gain a better understanding of the usefulness of tDCS for WM neuromodulation.
Keywords:
Working memory / Updating / Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) / Task modality / Posterior parietal cortex (PPC) / N-back / Lateralization / Dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC)Source:
Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, 2021, 179Publisher:
- Academic Press Inc Elsevier Science, San Diego
Funding / projects:
- Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development of the Republic of Serbia
DOI: 10.1016/j.nlm.2021.107398
ISSN: 1074-7427
PubMed: 33540112
WoS: 000634960400006
Scopus: 2-s2.0-85100902590
Institution/Community
Psihologija / PsychologyTY - JOUR AU - Živanović, Marko AU - Paunović, Dunja AU - Konstantinović, Uroš AU - Vulić, Katarina AU - Bjekić, Jovana AU - Filipović, Saša R. PY - 2021 UR - http://reff.f.bg.ac.rs/handle/123456789/3345 AB - Working memory (WM) is a limited-capacity system or set of processes that enables temporary storage and manipulation of information essential for complex cognitive processes. The WM performance is supported by a widespread neural network in which fronto-parietal functional connections have a pivotal role. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is rapidly emerging as a promising tool for understanding the role of various cortical areas and their functional networks on cognitive performance. Here we comprehensively evaluated the effects of tDCS on WM by conducting three cross-over counterbalanced sham-controlled experiments in which we contrasted the effects and interactions of the anodal (i.e. facilitatory) tDCS across anterior-posterior (i.e. DLPFC vs PPC) and left-right (i.e. the lateralization) axes, and across online and offline protocols using both verbal and spatial WM (3-back) tasks as outcomes. In the offline protocols, left DLPFC stimulation affected neither verbal nor spatial WM, while left PPC stimulation increased spatial WM. When applied offline over right DLPFC, tDCS improved verbal WM task and marginally enhanced spatial WM; while when tDCS was applied over the right PPC, facilitatory effects were observed on verbal WM. In the online protocol, tDCS did not modulate WM regardless of the task modality or stimulation loci. In summary, the study did not replicate the left DLPFC tDCS effect on WM, found in some of the previous studies, but demonstrated positive effects of stimulation of the right DLPFC as well as PPC bilaterally. The observed effects varied across modality of the 3-back task, and tDCS protocol applied. The results of this study argue for moving towards targeting the lesser-explored stimulation sites within the fronto-parietal network, such as PPC, to gain a better understanding of the usefulness of tDCS for WM neuromodulation. PB - Academic Press Inc Elsevier Science, San Diego T2 - Neurobiology of Learning and Memory T1 - The effects of offline and online prefrontal vs parietal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on verbal and spatial working memory VL - 179 DO - 10.1016/j.nlm.2021.107398 ER -
@article{ author = "Živanović, Marko and Paunović, Dunja and Konstantinović, Uroš and Vulić, Katarina and Bjekić, Jovana and Filipović, Saša R.", year = "2021", abstract = "Working memory (WM) is a limited-capacity system or set of processes that enables temporary storage and manipulation of information essential for complex cognitive processes. The WM performance is supported by a widespread neural network in which fronto-parietal functional connections have a pivotal role. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is rapidly emerging as a promising tool for understanding the role of various cortical areas and their functional networks on cognitive performance. Here we comprehensively evaluated the effects of tDCS on WM by conducting three cross-over counterbalanced sham-controlled experiments in which we contrasted the effects and interactions of the anodal (i.e. facilitatory) tDCS across anterior-posterior (i.e. DLPFC vs PPC) and left-right (i.e. the lateralization) axes, and across online and offline protocols using both verbal and spatial WM (3-back) tasks as outcomes. In the offline protocols, left DLPFC stimulation affected neither verbal nor spatial WM, while left PPC stimulation increased spatial WM. When applied offline over right DLPFC, tDCS improved verbal WM task and marginally enhanced spatial WM; while when tDCS was applied over the right PPC, facilitatory effects were observed on verbal WM. In the online protocol, tDCS did not modulate WM regardless of the task modality or stimulation loci. In summary, the study did not replicate the left DLPFC tDCS effect on WM, found in some of the previous studies, but demonstrated positive effects of stimulation of the right DLPFC as well as PPC bilaterally. The observed effects varied across modality of the 3-back task, and tDCS protocol applied. The results of this study argue for moving towards targeting the lesser-explored stimulation sites within the fronto-parietal network, such as PPC, to gain a better understanding of the usefulness of tDCS for WM neuromodulation.", publisher = "Academic Press Inc Elsevier Science, San Diego", journal = "Neurobiology of Learning and Memory", title = "The effects of offline and online prefrontal vs parietal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on verbal and spatial working memory", volume = "179", doi = "10.1016/j.nlm.2021.107398" }
Živanović, M., Paunović, D., Konstantinović, U., Vulić, K., Bjekić, J.,& Filipović, S. R.. (2021). The effects of offline and online prefrontal vs parietal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on verbal and spatial working memory. in Neurobiology of Learning and Memory Academic Press Inc Elsevier Science, San Diego., 179. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nlm.2021.107398
Živanović M, Paunović D, Konstantinović U, Vulić K, Bjekić J, Filipović SR. The effects of offline and online prefrontal vs parietal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on verbal and spatial working memory. in Neurobiology of Learning and Memory. 2021;179. doi:10.1016/j.nlm.2021.107398 .
Živanović, Marko, Paunović, Dunja, Konstantinović, Uroš, Vulić, Katarina, Bjekić, Jovana, Filipović, Saša R., "The effects of offline and online prefrontal vs parietal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on verbal and spatial working memory" in Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, 179 (2021), https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nlm.2021.107398 . .