Effects of tDCS during inhibitory control training on performance and PTSD, aggression and anxiety symptoms: a randomized-controlled trial in a military sample.

Autor:	Smits FM; Brain Research & Innovation Centre, Ministry of Defence, Utrecht, the Netherlands.; Department of Psychiatry, UMC Utrecht Brain Center, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands., Geuze E; Brain Research & Innovation Centre, Ministry of Defence, Utrecht, the Netherlands.; Department of Psychiatry, UMC Utrecht Brain Center, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands., Schutter DJLG; Experimental Psychology, Helmholtz Institute, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands., van Honk J; Experimental Psychology, Helmholtz Institute, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands.; Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.; Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa., Gladwin TE; Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.; Institute for Lifecourse Development, University of Greenwich, London, UK.
Jazyk:	angličtina
Zdroj:	Psychological medicine [Psychol Med] 2021 Mar 24, pp. 1-11. Date of Electronic Publication: 2021 Mar 24.
DOI:	10.1017/S0033291721000817
Abstrakt:	Background: Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, and impulsive aggression are linked to transdiagnostic neurocognitive deficits. This includes impaired inhibitory control over inappropriate responses. Prior studies showed that inhibitory control can be improved by modulating the right inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) with transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) in combination with inhibitory control training. However, its clinical potential remains unclear. We therefore aimed to replicate a tDCS-enhanced inhibitory control training in a clinical sample and test whether this reduces stress-related mental health symptoms. Methods: In a preregistered double-blind randomized-controlled trial, 100 active-duty military personnel and post-active veterans with PTSD, anxiety, or impulsive aggression symptoms underwent a 5-session intervention where a stop-signal response inhibition training was combined with anodal tDCS over the right IFG for 20 min at 1.25 mA. Inhibitory control was evaluated with the emotional go/no-go task and implicit association test. Stress-related symptoms were assessed by self-report at baseline, post-intervention, and after 3-months and 1-year follow-ups. Results: Active relative to sham tDCS neither influenced performance during inhibitory control training nor on assessment tasks, and did also not significantly influence self-reported symptoms of PTSD, anxiety, impulsive aggression, or depression at post-assessment or follow-up. Conclusions: Our results do not support the idea that anodal tDCS over the right IFG at 1.25 mA enhances response inhibition training in a clinical sample, or that this tDCS-training combination can reduce stress-related symptoms. Applying different tDCS parameters or combining tDCS with more challenging tasks might provide better conditions to modulate cognitive functioning and stress-related symptoms.
Databáze:	MEDLINE
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