Transcranial direct current stimulation versus intermittent theta-burst stimulation for the improvement of working memory performance

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Razza, Lais B. ; Luethi, Matthias S. ; Zanao, Tamires ; De Smet, Stefanie ; Buchpiguel, Carlos ; Busatto, Geraldo ; Pereira, Juliana ; Klein, Izio ; Kappen, Mitchel ; Moreno, Marina ; Baeken, Chris ; Vanderhasselt, Marie-Anne ; Brunoni, Andre R.

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CLINICAL AND HEALTH PSYCHOLOGY; v. 23, n. 1, p. 8-pg., 2022-09-12.

Abstract

Non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) techniques have been increasingly used over the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) to enhance working memory (WM) performance. Not-withstanding, NIBS protocols have shown either small or inconclusive cognitive effects on healthy and neuropsychiatric samples. Therefore, we assessed working memory performance and safety of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), intermittent theta-burst stimulation (iTBS), and both therapies combined vs placebo over the neuronavigated left DLPFC of healthy participants. Twenty-four subjects were included to randomly undergo four sessions of NIBS, once a week: tDCS alone, iTBS alone, combined protocol and placebo. The 2-back task and an adverse effect scale were applied after each NIBS session. Results revealed a significantly faster response for iTBS (b=-21.49, p= 0.04), but not for tDCS and for the interaction tDCS vs. iTBS (b= 13.67, p= 0.26 and b= 40.5, p= 0.20, respectively). No changes were observed for accuracy and no serious adverse effects were found among protocols. Although tolerable, an absence of syner-gistic effects for the combined protocol was seen. Nonetheless, future trials accessing different outcomes for the combined protocols, as well as studies investigating iTBS over the left DLPFC for cognition and exploring sources of variability for tDCS are encouraged. (c) 2022 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC -ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 18/10861-7 - A Phase-I bilateral project using a sham-controlled, factorial design of transcranial direct current stimulation and theta-burst stimulation to investigate the effects on multimodal assessments of prefrontal cortex functioning
• Grantee: Andre Russowsky Brunoni
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• FAPESP's process: 19/07256-7 - Cerebral alteration perfusion induced by transcranial stimulation of the prefrontal cortex: a randomized, placebo-controlled study, using 99mTc SPECT
• Grantee: Lais Boralli Razza
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate (Direct)
• FAPESP's process: 19/06009-6 - Non-implantable neuromodulation therapies: a perspective for the depressed brain
• Grantee: Geraldo Busatto Filho
• Support Opportunities: Research Projects - Thematic Grants