Attention bias modification through transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS): A review

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Cognitive Psychology
• Psychiatry

Background:

• Attention bias, the preferential processing of emotional stimuli, is implicated in psychiatric disorders.
• Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is explored for modulating attention bias in healthy and clinical populations.
• Previous reviews have not comprehensively examined factors influencing tDCS effects on attention bias.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review the effects of tDCS on attention bias.
• To identify determinants of tDCS efficacy across various tasks, stimulation parameters, and health states.

Main Methods:

• Systematic literature search adhering to PRISMA guidelines.
• Inclusion of 22 original experimental studies investigating tDCS and attention bias.
• Analysis of factors including cortical target areas, task characteristics, stimulation parameters, and psychopathology.

Main Results:

• Dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) and ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) are key cortical areas for tDCS-induced attention bias modulation.
• Heterogeneity in tDCS effects is explained by stimulation area, stimulus valence, task type, and stimulation intensity.
• tDCS shows potential for altering attention bias in both healthy individuals and those with psychiatric conditions.

Conclusions:

• tDCS parameters and individual factors significantly influence attention bias modulation.
• Targeting dlPFC and vmPFC with tDCS offers a promising avenue for addressing attention biases in clinical settings.
• Further research is needed to optimize tDCS protocols for specific attention bias-related conditions.