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M1 transcranial direct current stimulation augments laparoscopic surgical skill acquisition
Daniel Galvin1, Adam J Toth2,3, Barry O'Reilly1
1ASSERT Centre, College of Medicine and Health, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.
Scientific Reports
|August 23, 2023
Summary
Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) enhanced laparoscopic surgical skill training for a bead transfer task but not a more complex threading task. This suggests task complexity may influence neurostimulation
Area of Science:
- Medical Education
- Neuroscience
- Surgical Training
Background:
- Laparoscopic surgical skill acquisition is crucial for medical trainees.
- Simulation box trainers are common but access is limited.
- Transcranial electric stimulation (tES) may enhance motor skill learning.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the effect of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on laparoscopic surgical skill acquisition and retention.
- To investigate if tDCS improves performance metrics in simulated surgical tasks.
- To explore the influence of task complexity on tDCS efficacy.
Main Methods:
- Forty-nine medical students participated in 5 training sessions.
- Participants were randomized into a tDCS or sham stimulation group.
- Performance was assessed using time and kinematic metrics for bead transfer and threading tasks.
Main Results:
- Both groups showed significant improvements in performance after training.
- M1 tDCS group demonstrated enhanced performance on the bead transfer task compared to sham.
- No significant effect of tDCS was observed for the threading task.
Conclusions:
- tDCS may augment training-induced improvements in simpler laparoscopic tasks.
- Motor task complexity appears to influence the effectiveness of neurostimulation.
- Further research is needed on neurostimulation's role in sensory-motor skill enhancement for surgery.
