Exploring the Effects of Transcranial Alternating Current Stimulation (tCAS): An Innovative Approach to Assessing Working Memory

• Grant number: 25/00391-7
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Doctorate (Direct)
• Start date: September 01, 2025
• End date: August 31, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Medicine - Psychiatry
• Principal Investigator: Leandro da Costa Lane Valiengo
• Grantee: Bianca Silva Pinto
• Supervisor: Sandra Conceicao Ribeiro de Carvalho
• Host Institution: Instituto de Psiquiatria Doutor Antonio Carlos Pacheco e Silva (IPq). Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina da USP (HCFMUSP). Secretaria da Saúde (São Paulo - Estado). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: Universidade do Minho (UMinho), Portugal
• Associated to the scholarship: 22/15368-2 - Cognitive assessment of working memory in depression in the elderly after the use of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation by the theta-burst method: a randomized, double-blind clinical trial, BP.DD

Abstract

Transcranial alternating current stimulation (tCAS) is a non-invasive technique that is considered a promising approach in the field of neuromodulation, with the potential to improve cognitive performance, especially in demanding tasks of working memory, attention and executive functions. tCA modulates brain activity through oscillations of different frequencies, such as the alpha (8-12 Hz) and gamma (30-100 Hz) bands, which influence distinct neural networks associated with different cognitive functions. Research suggests that gamma tCA, associated with the prefrontal cortex, can improve neural synchrony and optimize executive cognition, while alpha tCA favors attention control and distraction management. This study aims to investigate the effects of gamma and alpha tCA combined with cognitive training (n-back) in healthy individuals, with the aim of evaluating how these frequencies affect cognitive performance and brain activity. The n-back task will be used to measure the effects of neuromodulation on working memory. The main hypothesis is that gamma ETCA may improve high-level cognitive functions, while alpha ETCA may favor attention maintenance and distraction control. In addition, demographic factors will be investigated to understand how individual variables may influence the response to stimulation. The study also aims to improve neuromodulation protocols, contributing to the personalization of treatments in populations with cognitive deficits.Descriptors: transcranial alternating current stimulation; cognition; healthy.