Working memory performance with online-tDCS in schizophrenia: A randomized, double-blinded, sham-controlled, partial cross-over proof-of-concept study.

Working memory performance with online-tDCS in schizophrenia: A randomized, double-blinded, sham-controlled, partial cross-over proof-of-concept study. Asian J Psychiatr. 2020 Feb 11;50:101946 Authors: Sreeraj VS, Bose A, Chhabra H, Shivakumar V, Agarwal SM, Narayanaswamy JC, Rao NP, Kesavan M, Varambally S, Venkatasubramanian G Abstract Combining cognitive retraining with transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has been hypothesized to improve cognitive deficits in schizophrenia. The effect of combining a neuropsychological/psychophysiological task with tDCS, called "online-tDCS" for cognitive enhancement in schizophrenia is not rigorously assessed. In this proof-of-concept study, we aimed at evaluating the effect of a single session online-tDCS on working memory(WM) and its transferability to other cognitive functions. Numerical n-back(NNB), digit symbol substitution test(DSST), emotional matching and labelling test(E-MALT), and anti-saccade eye movement beeforefore and after 20 min tDCS (anode: left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and cathode: left temporoparietal junction) applied during Sternberg's task(WM-task) were assessed. Twenty-three schizophrenia patients with cognitive deficits were randomized to receive either online-tDCS or offline-tDCS (without simultaneous Sternberg's task) sessions. All patients received one session each of active and sham tDCS in a randomized counterbalanced double-blind cross-over design. RM...
Source: Asian Journal of Psychiatry - Category: Psychiatry Tags: Asian J Psychiatr Source Type: research