TY - JOUR
T1 - Does intermittent theta burst stimulation improve working memory capacity? A randomized controlled cross-over experiment
AU - Feng, Yali
AU - Zhang, Jack Jiaqi
AU - Zhu, Jiaqi
AU - Tan, Xiaobing
AU - Huang, Sanyue
AU - Bai, Zhongfei
AU - Yin, Ying
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 Elsevier B.V.
PY - 2023/1/5
Y1 - 2023/1/5
N2 - Objective: It has been hypothesized that intermittent theta burst stimulation (iTBS) can produce a memory-enhancing effect by inducing long-term potentiation (LTP)-like plasticity in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC). However, the hemispheric difference by which iTBS modulates working memory in healthy adults has not been well investigated. The objective of the present study is to investigate the effects of iTBS on the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (LDLPFC) and right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (RDLPFC) on working memory performance in healthy adults. Methods: In this randomized cross-over experiment, 31 right-hand dominant healthy adults received a single-session of iTBS to their LDLPFC, RDLPFC and sham stimulation, in three different visits separated by a seven-day waiting period. Working memory capacity was assessed before and immediately after stimulation, by using 2-and 3-back tasks. Results: After stimulation, significant time effects were found in overall accuracy when performing both 2- (p = 0.013) and 3-back tasks (p = 0.027), as well as the total reaction time during 3-back tasks (p = 0.021). Analysis of secondary outcomes showed an increase in the number of correction rejections in 2-back tasks (p = 0.009). However, all of the time-by-group interaction effects were not significant. Conclusion: This experiment did not find any additional memory-enhancing effects with a single-session of iTBS to either the RDLPFC or the LDLPFC in healthy adults beyond the practice effects.
AB - Objective: It has been hypothesized that intermittent theta burst stimulation (iTBS) can produce a memory-enhancing effect by inducing long-term potentiation (LTP)-like plasticity in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC). However, the hemispheric difference by which iTBS modulates working memory in healthy adults has not been well investigated. The objective of the present study is to investigate the effects of iTBS on the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (LDLPFC) and right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (RDLPFC) on working memory performance in healthy adults. Methods: In this randomized cross-over experiment, 31 right-hand dominant healthy adults received a single-session of iTBS to their LDLPFC, RDLPFC and sham stimulation, in three different visits separated by a seven-day waiting period. Working memory capacity was assessed before and immediately after stimulation, by using 2-and 3-back tasks. Results: After stimulation, significant time effects were found in overall accuracy when performing both 2- (p = 0.013) and 3-back tasks (p = 0.027), as well as the total reaction time during 3-back tasks (p = 0.021). Analysis of secondary outcomes showed an increase in the number of correction rejections in 2-back tasks (p = 0.009). However, all of the time-by-group interaction effects were not significant. Conclusion: This experiment did not find any additional memory-enhancing effects with a single-session of iTBS to either the RDLPFC or the LDLPFC in healthy adults beyond the practice effects.
KW - Dorsolateral prefrontal cortex
KW - Intermittent theta burst stimulation
KW - Plasticity
KW - Working memory
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85137647174&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.bbr.2022.114086
DO - 10.1016/j.bbr.2022.114086
M3 - Journal article
C2 - 36055440
AN - SCOPUS:85137647174
SN - 0166-4328
VL - 436
JO - Behavioural Brain Research
JF - Behavioural Brain Research
M1 - 114086
ER -