The Effect of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (TDCS) on Cognitive Functioning in Individuals with Attention...

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Cognitive Psychology
• Clinical Psychology

Background:

• Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common neurodevelopmental disorder affecting children and adults.
• ADHD is characterized by inattention and impulsivity, linked to neural and cognitive deficits.
• Current treatments for ADHD have limitations, necessitating exploration of novel therapeutic approaches.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effects of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on cognitive functions in adults with ADHD.
• To examine tDCS targeting the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) for ADHD-related inattention and impulsivity.
• To compare the impact of tDCS on cognitive performance in adults with ADHD versus typically developed controls.

Main Methods:

• A pre-registered clinical trial involving 55 participants (25 with ADHD).
• Participants underwent cognitive tasks before and after receiving either active tDCS or sham treatment.
• tDCS was applied to the left DLPFC, a region implicated in executive functions.

Main Results:

• tDCS treatment significantly improved cognitive measures associated with inattention in the ADHD group.
• No significant improvements were observed in measures of impulsivity in the ADHD group following tDCS.
• The control group did not show any cognitive benefits from tDCS treatment.

Conclusions:

• The differential response to tDCS between inattentive and impulsive symptoms provides insights into ADHD neurobiology.
• Findings support the efficacy of tDCS in enhancing cognitive functions related to inattention in adults with ADHD.
• tDCS represents a promising non-invasive neuromodulation technique for managing specific ADHD-related cognitive deficits.