Task-specific effect of transcranial direct current stimulation on motor learning
Task-specific effect of transcranial direct current stimulation on motor learning
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DOI：
10.3389/fnhum.2013.00333
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发表时间：
2013-07-01
影响因子：
2.9
通讯作者：
Wenderoth, Nicole
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Marquez, Cinthia Maria Saucedo;Zhang, Xue;Wenderoth, Nicole
经颅直流电刺激（tDCS）是一种相对较新的无创脑刺激技术，可以调节神经过程。当应用于人类初级运动皮层（M1）时，tDCS对健康对照者和患者的运动技能学习和巩固有有益的影响。然而，目前尚不清楚tDCS是否以一般方式改善运动学习，或者这些效果是否取决于获得的运动任务。在这里，我们比较了当同一个体获得(1)顺序手指敲击任务（SEQTAP）和(2)视觉等距捏力任务（Force）时，tDCS的效果是否不同。这两项任务都被证明对施加在M1上的tDCS敏感，然而，介导学习和记忆形成的潜在过程可能从阳极经颅直流电刺激（阳极-tDCS）中获益不同。将30名健康受试者随机分为正负两组和假组。采用双盲、假对照交叉设计，tDCS应用于M1，同时受试者在连续三天内获得每个运动任务，顺序在受试者之间随机分配。我们发现阳极- tdcs对每个任务的影响不同：SEQTAP任务在学习过程中受益于阳极- tdcs，而FORCE任务仅在记忆过程中有所改善。这些发现表明，在M1上应用阳极- tdcs似乎对学习和记忆形成有任务依赖的影响。
Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a relatively new non-invasive brain stimulation technique that modulates neural processes. When applied to the human primary motor cortex (M1), tDCS has beneficial effects on motor skill learning and consolidation in healthy controls and in patients. However, it remains unclear whether tDCS improves motor learning in a general manner or whether these effects depend on which motor task is acquired. Here we compare whether the effect of tDCS differs when the same individual acquires (1) a Sequential Finger Tapping Task (SEQTAP) and (2) a Visual Isometric Pinch Force Task (FORCE). Both tasks have been shown to be sensitive to tDCS applied over M1, however, the underlying processes mediating learning and memory formation might benefit differently from anodal transcranial direct current stimulation (anodal-tDCS). Thirty healthy subjects were randomly assigned to an anodal-tDCS group or sham-group. Using a double-blind, sham-controlled cross-over design, tDCS was applied over M1 while subjects acquired each of the motor tasks over three consecutive days, with the order being randomized across subjects. We found that anodal-tDCS affected each task differently: the SEQTAP task benefited from anodal-tDCS during learning, whereas the FORCE task showed improvements only at retention. These findings suggest that anodal-tDCS applied over M1 appears to have a task-dependent effect on learning and memory formation.