Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 28, 2026
Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation and Simultaneous Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Published on: April 27, 2014
The Effect of a Single Session of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation on Attention in Pediatric Acquired Brain
Athena Stein1, Kevin A Caulfield2, Mervyn Singh3
1Acquired Brain Injury in Children Research Program, Faculty of Medicine, Child Health Research Centre, The University of Queensland, South Brisbane, QLD, Australia.
Insights
A single session of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) did not improve attention in children with acquired brain injury (ABI). However, baseline brain connectivity and attention levels influenced individual responses to tDCS.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Neurology
- Biomedical Engineering
Background:
- Attention difficulties are common in children with acquired brain injury (ABI), impacting daily life.
- Dysfunction in attention networks is a key factor contributing to these difficulties.
- Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is explored as a potential intervention.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if a single tDCS session improves attention in children with ABI.
- To determine if baseline factors like brain connectivity, attention, and simulated electric fields predict response to tDCS.
Main Methods:
- A randomized, single-blind, within-subject, sham-controlled trial involving children with ABI and healthy controls.
- Participants received tDCS targeting the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) or inferior frontal gyrus (IFG), or sham stimulation, during attention training.
- Multimodal analyses including HD-EEG, diffusion tensor imaging, and MRI were used to assess baseline connectivity and electric fields.
Main Results:
- No overall improvement in attention was observed with active versus sham tDCS.
- Individuals with lower theta or higher gamma default mode network connectivity and poorer baseline attention showed greater response to tDCS.
- Higher simulated electric fields correlated with a greater treatment response.
Conclusions:
- A single tDCS session did not enhance attention in pediatric ABI.
- HD-EEG based connectivity can personalize tDCS interventions.
- Future research should focus on personalized and repeated tDCS sessions for attention improvement in pediatric ABI.
Background:
Approximately one in four children who sustain an acquired brain injury (ABI) have attention difficulties impacting education, employment, and community participation. These difficulties arise from dysfunction in attention-related brain networks, incentivizing the use of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS). We investigated whether a single tDCS session improved attention following childhood ABI and whether baseline structural connectivity (sc), functional connectivity (fc), attention, and/or simulated electric fields (E-fields) explained variability in response.
Methods:
In a randomized, single-blind, within-subject, sham-controlled trial, 15 children with ABI (mean 12.7 years) and 15 healthy controls (HCs) received three single tDCS sessions (1 mA dorsolateral prefrontal cortex [dlPFC], 1 mA inferior frontal gyrus [IFG], sham; 20 min) during gamified attention training. We examined postintervention changes in attention according to flanker and stop signal reaction time (RT). We used multimodal analyses (high-density electroencephalography [HD-EEG], diffusion tensor imaging, magnetic resonance imaging) to investigate interindividual variability in tDCS response, according to associations between RT change and baseline fc, sc, attention, and E-fields.
Results:
Although no effect of active versus sham tDCS was found overall, participants with lower theta or higher gamma default mode network connectivity and poorer attention at baseline showed greater response to tDCS. Higher E-fields were associated with greater response. No serious adverse effects occurred.
Conclusions:
A single tDCS session targeting dlPFC or IFG did not improve attention following pediatric ABI. We demonstrated how HD-EEG source-based connectivity may be used to personalize tDCS. Future research should explore whether personalization and/or repeated tDCS sessions can improve attention following pediatric ABI.
