Causal underpinnings of working memory and Stroop interference control: Testing the effects of anodal and cathodal tDCS over the left DLPFC
Causal underpinnings of working memory and Stroop interference control: Testing the effects of anodal and cathodal tDCS over the left DLPFC
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DOI：
10.3758/s13415-019-00726-y
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发表时间：
2020-02-01
影响因子：
2.9
通讯作者：
Schmitt, Manfred
中科院分区：
文献类型：
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作者：
Baumert, Anna;Buchholz, Nita;Schmitt, Manfred
通过对左背外侧前额叶皮层施加经颅直流电刺激，我们研究了该脑区兴奋性增加或减少对工作记忆和Stroop干扰控制两个方面执行功能的因果作用。我们测试了1)在刺激结束后15分钟和没有直接任务练习的情况下，左DLPFC的阳极tDCS是否增强了工作记忆；2)从Stroop性能和Stroop序列效应来看，左DLPFC的阳极tDCS是否增强了干扰控制；3)与阳极刺激相比，阴极tDCS是否会导致执行功能受损。在88名健康的心理学学生的受试者间设计中，我们比较了在假性条件下，阳极和阴极刺激对Stroop任务（在积极刺激期间）和n-back任务（在积极刺激结束后15分钟完成）的影响。我们发现，与假手术相比，经阳极刺激后n-back任务的准确性显著提高，并且与试验类型无关的Stroop任务的反应速度也显著提高。相比之下，我们发现没有调制的Stroop干涉效应或Stroop序列效应。未观察到阴极刺激的抑制作用。这些结果支持左DLPFC在工作记忆中的因果作用，但不支持其参与Stroop干扰控制。
By means of transcranial direct current stimulation applied to the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, we investigated the causal role of increased or decreased excitability of this brain region for two facets of executive functions: working memory and Stroop interference control. We tested 1) whether anodal tDCS of the left DLPFC enhances working memory 15 minutes after termination of stimulation and in the absence of direct task practice under stimulation; 2) whether anodal tDCS of the left DLPFC enhances interference control, as evidenced by Stroop performance and Stroop sequence effects; and 3) whether cathodal tDCS leads to compromised executive functioning compared to anodal stimulation. In a between-subject design with 88 healthy psychology students, we compared the impact of anodal and cathodal stimulation against a sham condition, on performance on a Stroop task (during active stimulation) and on an n-back task (completed 15 minutes after active stimulation ended). We found significantly enhanced accuracy in the n-back task after anodal stimulation compared with sham, as well as speeded reactions in the Stroop tasks independent of trial type. By contrast, we found no modulation of Stroop interference effects or Stroop sequence effects. No inhibitory effects of cathodal stimulation were observed. These results support the causal role of the left DLPFC in working memory but lend no support to its involvement in Stroop interference control.