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Frequency-Unspecific Effects of θ-tACS Related to a Visuospatial Working Memory Task

Overview of attention for article published in Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, July 2017
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Title
Frequency-Unspecific Effects of θ-tACS Related to a Visuospatial Working Memory Task
Published in
Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, July 2017
DOI 10.3389/fnhum.2017.00367
Pubmed ID
Authors

Maria-Lisa Kleinert, Caroline Szymanski, Viktor Müller

Abstract

Working memory (WM) is crucial for intelligent cognitive functioning, and synchronization phenomena in the fronto-parietal network have been suggested as an underlying neural mechanism. In an attempt to provide causal evidence for this assumption, we applied transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) at theta frequency over fronto-parietal sites during a visuospatial match-to-sample (MtS) task. Depending on the stimulation protocol, i.e., in-phase, anti-phase or sham, we anticipated a differential impact of tACS on behavioral WM performance as well as on the EEG (electroencephalography) during resting state before and after stimulation. We hypothesized that in-phase tACS of the fronto-parietal theta network (stimulation frequency: 5 Hz; intensity: 1 mA peak-to-peak) would result in performance enhancement, whereas anti-phase tACS would cause performance impairment. Eighteen participants (nine female) received in-phase, anti-phase, and sham stimulation in balanced order. While being stimulated, subjects performed the MtS task, which varied in executive demand (two levels: low and high). EEG analysis of power peaks within the delta (0.5-4 Hz), theta (4-8 Hz), alpha (8-12 Hz), and beta (12-30 Hz) frequency bands was carried out. No significant differences were observed between in-phase and anti-phase stimulation regarding both behavioral and EEG measurements. Yet, with regard to the alpha frequency band, we observed a statistically significant drop of peak power from pre to post in the sham condition, whereas alpha power remained on a similar level in the actively stimulated conditions. Our results indicate a frequency-unspecific modulation of neuronal oscillations by tACS. However, the closer participants' individual theta peak frequencies were to the stimulation frequency of 5 Hz after anti-phase tACS, the faster they responded in the MtS task. This effect did not reach statistical significance during in-phase tACS and was not present during sham. A lack of statistically significant behavioral results in the MtS task and frequency-unspecific effects on the electrophysiological level question the effectiveness of tACS in modulating cortical oscillations in a frequency-specific manner.

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Mendeley readers

Mendeley readers

The data shown below were compiled from readership statistics for 139 Mendeley readers of this research output. Click here to see the associated Mendeley record.

Geographical breakdown

Country Count As %
Unknown 139 100%

Demographic breakdown

Readers by professional status Count As %
Student > Ph. D. Student 25 18%
Student > Master 21 15%
Researcher 19 14%
Student > Doctoral Student 14 10%
Student > Bachelor 14 10%
Other 16 12%
Unknown 30 22%
Readers by discipline Count As %
Psychology 40 29%
Neuroscience 29 21%
Medicine and Dentistry 7 5%
Unspecified 6 4%
Engineering 5 4%
Other 10 7%
Unknown 42 30%
Attention Score in Context

Attention Score in Context

This research output has an Altmetric Attention Score of 1. This is our high-level measure of the quality and quantity of online attention that it has received. This Attention Score, as well as the ranking and number of research outputs shown below, was calculated when the research output was last mentioned on 22 July 2017.
All research outputs
#18,556,449
of 22,982,639 outputs
Outputs from Frontiers in Human Neuroscience
#6,087
of 7,182 outputs
Outputs of similar age
#239,300
of 312,615 outputs
Outputs of similar age from Frontiers in Human Neuroscience
#139
of 151 outputs
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