Transcranial direct current stimulation of the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex can reduce the detrimental effect of stress on working memory.
Résumé
Recent studies have shown that stress affects working memory, a phenomenon observed together with a decrease in the activity of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC). Neurostimulation techniques, such as transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), now make it possible to influence the activity of the cortex. The present study explores the possibility that exogenous stimulation targeting the dlPFC may alleviate the detrimental effect of stress on working memory. Thirty-four participants took part in 2 experimental sessions, during which they performed an N-back task: one with active anodal stimulation (20 min, 2 mA, left dlPFC) and one with sham stimulation. Participants were randomly assigned to a stress or a control condition. Active stimulation reduced the detrimental effect of stress on working memory, compared to the sham condition. These results support the conclusion that stimulation of the dlPFC can moderate the impact of stress on working memory. Results also provide additional evidence that tDCS stimulation of prefrontal regions can affect higher-level cognitive processes. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved)