| Autor: |
Ghasemian-Shirvan E; Department of Psychology and Neurosciences, Leibniz Research Center for Working Environment and Human Factors, 44139 Dortmund, Germany.; International Graduate School of Neuroscience, Ruhr-University Bochum, 44780 Bochum, Germany.; Neuroplasticity and Movement Control Research Group, REVAL Rehabilitation Research Center, REVAL, Faculty of Rehabilitation Sciences, Hasselt University, 3590 Diepenbeek, Belgium., Ungureanu R; Department of Psychology and Neurosciences, Leibniz Research Center for Working Environment and Human Factors, 44139 Dortmund, Germany.; Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, Ruhr-University Bochum, 44801 Bochum, Germany., Melo L; Department of Psychology and Neurosciences, Leibniz Research Center for Working Environment and Human Factors, 44139 Dortmund, Germany.; International Graduate School of Neuroscience, Ruhr-University Bochum, 44780 Bochum, Germany., van Dun K; Neuroplasticity and Movement Control Research Group, REVAL Rehabilitation Research Center, REVAL, Faculty of Rehabilitation Sciences, Hasselt University, 3590 Diepenbeek, Belgium., Kuo MF; Department of Psychology and Neurosciences, Leibniz Research Center for Working Environment and Human Factors, 44139 Dortmund, Germany., Nitsche MA; Department of Psychology and Neurosciences, Leibniz Research Center for Working Environment and Human Factors, 44139 Dortmund, Germany.; University Clinic of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy and University Clinic of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Protestant Hospital of Bethel Foundation, University Hospital OWL, Bielefeld University, 33617 Bielefeld, Germany., Meesen RLJ; Neuroplasticity and Movement Control Research Group, REVAL Rehabilitation Research Center, REVAL, Faculty of Rehabilitation Sciences, Hasselt University, 3590 Diepenbeek, Belgium.; Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, Department of Movement Sciences, Group Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, 3001 Leuven, Belgium. |
| Abstrakt: |
One of the most visible effects of aging, even in healthy, normal aging, is a decline in motor performance. The range of strategies applicable to counteract this deterioration has increased. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), a non-invasive brain stimulation technique that can promote neuroplasticity, has recently gained attention. However, knowledge about optimized tDCS parameters in the elderly is limited. Therefore, in this study, we investigated the effect of different anodal tDCS intensities on motor sequence learning in the elderly. Over the course of four sessions, 25 healthy older adults (over 65 years old) completed the Serial Reaction Time Task (SRTT) while receiving 1, 2, or 3 mA of anodal or sham stimulation over the primary motor cortex (M1). Additionally, 24 h after stimulation, motor memory consolidation was assessed. The results confirmed that motor sequence learning in all tDCS conditions was maintained the following day. While increased anodal stimulation intensity over M1 showed longer lasting excitability enhancement in the elderly in a prior study, the combination of higher intensity stimulation with an implicit motor learning task showed no significant effect. Future research should focus on the reason behind this lack of effect and probe alternative stimulation protocols. |
