Working memory training coupled with transcranial direct current stimulation in older adults: A randomized controlled experiment

Detalhes bibliográficos
Autor(a) principal: Teixeira-Santos, Ana C.
Data de Publicação: 2022
Outros Autores: Moreira, Célia S., Pereira, Diana R., Pinal, Diego, Fregni, Felipe, Leite, Jorge, Carvalho, Sandra, Sampaio, Adriana
Tipo de documento: Artigo
Idioma: eng
Título da fonte: Repositório Científico de Acesso Aberto de Portugal (Repositórios Cientìficos)
Texto Completo: http://hdl.handle.net/11328/4458
Resumo: Background: Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has been employed to boost working memory training (WMT) effects. Nevertheless, there is limited evidence on the efficacy of this combination in older adults. The present study is aimed to assess the delayed transfer effects of tDCS coupled with WMT in older adults in a 15-day follow-up. We explored if general cognitive ability, age, and educational level predicted the effects. Methods: In this single-center, double-blind randomized sham-controlled experiment, 54 older adults were randomized into three groups: anodal-tDCS (atDCS)+WMT, sham-tDCS (stDCS)+WMT, and double-sham. Five sessions of tDCS (2 mA) were applied over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC). Far transfer was measured by Raven’s Advanced Progressive Matrices (RAPM), while the near transfer effects were assessed through Digit Span. A frequentist linear mixed model (LMM) was complemented by a Bayesian approach in data analysis. Results: Working memory training improved dual n-back performance in both groups submitted to this intervention but only the group that received atDCS+WMT displayed a significant improvement from pretest to follow-up in transfer measures of reasoning (RAPM) and short-term memory (forward Digit Span). Near transfer improvements predicted gains in far transfer, demonstrating that the far transfer is due to an improvement in the trained construct of working memory. Age, formal education, and vocabulary score seem to predict the gains in reasoning. However, Bayesian results do not provide substantial evidence to support this claim. Conclusion: This study will help to consolidate the incipient but auspicious field of cognitive training coupled with tDCS in healthy older adults. Our findings demonstrated that atDCS may potentialize WMT by promoting transfer effects in short-term memory and reasoning in older adults, which are observed especially at follow-up.
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spelling Working memory training coupled with transcranial direct current stimulation in older adults: A randomized controlled experimenttDCSCognitive trainingWorking memoryNeuroplasticityOlder adultsReasoningTransfer effectsBackground: Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has been employed to boost working memory training (WMT) effects. Nevertheless, there is limited evidence on the efficacy of this combination in older adults. The present study is aimed to assess the delayed transfer effects of tDCS coupled with WMT in older adults in a 15-day follow-up. We explored if general cognitive ability, age, and educational level predicted the effects. Methods: In this single-center, double-blind randomized sham-controlled experiment, 54 older adults were randomized into three groups: anodal-tDCS (atDCS)+WMT, sham-tDCS (stDCS)+WMT, and double-sham. Five sessions of tDCS (2 mA) were applied over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC). Far transfer was measured by Raven’s Advanced Progressive Matrices (RAPM), while the near transfer effects were assessed through Digit Span. A frequentist linear mixed model (LMM) was complemented by a Bayesian approach in data analysis. Results: Working memory training improved dual n-back performance in both groups submitted to this intervention but only the group that received atDCS+WMT displayed a significant improvement from pretest to follow-up in transfer measures of reasoning (RAPM) and short-term memory (forward Digit Span). Near transfer improvements predicted gains in far transfer, demonstrating that the far transfer is due to an improvement in the trained construct of working memory. Age, formal education, and vocabulary score seem to predict the gains in reasoning. However, Bayesian results do not provide substantial evidence to support this claim. Conclusion: This study will help to consolidate the incipient but auspicious field of cognitive training coupled with tDCS in healthy older adults. Our findings demonstrated that atDCS may potentialize WMT by promoting transfer effects in short-term memory and reasoning in older adults, which are observed especially at follow-up.Frontiers Media SA.2022-09-09T16:43:55Z2022-04-12T00:00:00Z2022-04-12info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersioninfo:eu-repo/semantics/articleapplication/pdfhttp://hdl.handle.net/11328/4458eng1663-4365 (Electronic)https://doi.org/10.3389/fnagi.2022.827188Teixeira-Santos, Ana C.Moreira, Célia S.Pereira, Diana R.Pinal, DiegoFregni, FelipeLeite, JorgeCarvalho, SandraSampaio, Adrianainfo:eu-repo/semantics/openAccessreponame:Repositório Científico de Acesso Aberto de Portugal (Repositórios Cientìficos)instname:Agência para a Sociedade do Conhecimento (UMIC) - FCT - Sociedade da Informaçãoinstacron:RCAAP2023-06-15T02:13:09ZPortal AgregadorONG
dc.title.none.fl_str_mv Working memory training coupled with transcranial direct current stimulation in older adults: A randomized controlled experiment
title Working memory training coupled with transcranial direct current stimulation in older adults: A randomized controlled experiment
spellingShingle Working memory training coupled with transcranial direct current stimulation in older adults: A randomized controlled experiment
Teixeira-Santos, Ana C.
tDCS
Cognitive training
Working memory
Neuroplasticity
Older adults
Reasoning
Transfer effects
title_short Working memory training coupled with transcranial direct current stimulation in older adults: A randomized controlled experiment
title_full Working memory training coupled with transcranial direct current stimulation in older adults: A randomized controlled experiment
title_fullStr Working memory training coupled with transcranial direct current stimulation in older adults: A randomized controlled experiment
title_full_unstemmed Working memory training coupled with transcranial direct current stimulation in older adults: A randomized controlled experiment
title_sort Working memory training coupled with transcranial direct current stimulation in older adults: A randomized controlled experiment
author Teixeira-Santos, Ana C.
author_facet Teixeira-Santos, Ana C.
Moreira, Célia S.
Pereira, Diana R.
Pinal, Diego
Fregni, Felipe
Leite, Jorge
Carvalho, Sandra
Sampaio, Adriana
author_role author
author2 Moreira, Célia S.
Pereira, Diana R.
Pinal, Diego
Fregni, Felipe
Leite, Jorge
Carvalho, Sandra
Sampaio, Adriana
author2_role author
author
author
author
author
author
author
dc.contributor.author.fl_str_mv Teixeira-Santos, Ana C.
Moreira, Célia S.
Pereira, Diana R.
Pinal, Diego
Fregni, Felipe
Leite, Jorge
Carvalho, Sandra
Sampaio, Adriana
dc.subject.por.fl_str_mv tDCS
Cognitive training
Working memory
Neuroplasticity
Older adults
Reasoning
Transfer effects
topic tDCS
Cognitive training
Working memory
Neuroplasticity
Older adults
Reasoning
Transfer effects
description Background: Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has been employed to boost working memory training (WMT) effects. Nevertheless, there is limited evidence on the efficacy of this combination in older adults. The present study is aimed to assess the delayed transfer effects of tDCS coupled with WMT in older adults in a 15-day follow-up. We explored if general cognitive ability, age, and educational level predicted the effects. Methods: In this single-center, double-blind randomized sham-controlled experiment, 54 older adults were randomized into three groups: anodal-tDCS (atDCS)+WMT, sham-tDCS (stDCS)+WMT, and double-sham. Five sessions of tDCS (2 mA) were applied over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC). Far transfer was measured by Raven’s Advanced Progressive Matrices (RAPM), while the near transfer effects were assessed through Digit Span. A frequentist linear mixed model (LMM) was complemented by a Bayesian approach in data analysis. Results: Working memory training improved dual n-back performance in both groups submitted to this intervention but only the group that received atDCS+WMT displayed a significant improvement from pretest to follow-up in transfer measures of reasoning (RAPM) and short-term memory (forward Digit Span). Near transfer improvements predicted gains in far transfer, demonstrating that the far transfer is due to an improvement in the trained construct of working memory. Age, formal education, and vocabulary score seem to predict the gains in reasoning. However, Bayesian results do not provide substantial evidence to support this claim. Conclusion: This study will help to consolidate the incipient but auspicious field of cognitive training coupled with tDCS in healthy older adults. Our findings demonstrated that atDCS may potentialize WMT by promoting transfer effects in short-term memory and reasoning in older adults, which are observed especially at follow-up.
publishDate 2022
dc.date.none.fl_str_mv 2022-09-09T16:43:55Z
2022-04-12T00:00:00Z
2022-04-12
dc.type.status.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion
dc.type.driver.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/article
format article
status_str publishedVersion
dc.identifier.uri.fl_str_mv http://hdl.handle.net/11328/4458
url http://hdl.handle.net/11328/4458
dc.language.iso.fl_str_mv eng
language eng
dc.relation.none.fl_str_mv 1663-4365 (Electronic)
https://doi.org/10.3389/fnagi.2022.827188
dc.rights.driver.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
eu_rights_str_mv openAccess
dc.format.none.fl_str_mv application/pdf
dc.publisher.none.fl_str_mv Frontiers Media SA.
publisher.none.fl_str_mv Frontiers Media SA.
dc.source.none.fl_str_mv reponame:Repositório Científico de Acesso Aberto de Portugal (Repositórios Cientìficos)
instname:Agência para a Sociedade do Conhecimento (UMIC) - FCT - Sociedade da Informação
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reponame_str Repositório Científico de Acesso Aberto de Portugal (Repositórios Cientìficos)
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