Non-invasive Electrical Brain Stimulation with a Phase lag: an fMRI Study
Poster No:
39
Submission Type:
Abstract Submission
Authors:
Jeehye Seo1, Jehyeop Lee1, Yukyung Kim1, Je-Choon Park1, Jeongwook Kwon1, Byoung-Kyong Min1
Institutions:
1Korea University, Seoul, NA
First Author:
Co-Author(s):
Introduction:
Working memory is a cognitive function crucial for a wide range of everyday tasks, including problem-solving, decision-making, and learning. Recent advances in non-invasive brain stimulation techniques have offered a promising avenue for investigating the neural mechanisms underlying working memory and its modulation. Specifically, transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) is one of the efficient neuromodulation techniques to improve cognitive abilities non-invasively. This study aimed to examine the effects of non-invasive electrical brain stimulation using tACS, coupled with phase modulation between the central executive network (CEN) and default mode network (DMN), on working-memory performance using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI).
Methods:
Twenty-six healthy adult participants were recruited for this study. We conducted an fMRI experiment to investigate whether a cross-frequency coupled tACS protocol with a phase lag (45 and 180 degree) between CEN and DMN modulated working-memory performance. Participants performed the Sternberg working-memory task with tACS during the entire 9-s retention period of every trial. High-resolution structural and functional MRI scans were obtained to measure the blood-oxygen-level-dependent (BOLD) response during task performance. BOLD signal changes were analyzed to assess functional connectivity within the CEN and DMN and their interaction with task-related activation.
Results:
We found that the phase lag between the CEN and DMN during tACS modulates working-memory performance. We observed that the 180-phase-lag tACS condition in the fast group showed a significant increase in reaction times. Additionally, the right hippocampus was significantly more activated in the 180-phase-lag tACS condition. Functional connectivity analyses revealed altered network interactions under these two different phase lags between the CEN and DMN.
Conclusions:
Our findings suggest that non-invasive electrical brain stimulation, with phase modulation between the CEN and DMN, can effectively enhance working-memory performance. These results shed light on the potential for targeted neuromodulation techniques to optimize cognitive function and may have implications for the development of interventions aimed at improving working-memory abilities. Further investigations are warranted to elucidate the precise neural mechanisms underlying these effects.
Brain Stimulation:
Non-invasive Electrical/tDCS/tACS/tRNS 1
Learning and Memory:
Working Memory 2
Keywords:
FUNCTIONAL MRI
Memory
Other - tACS
1|2Indicates the priority used for review
Provide references using author date format
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