Effects of prefrontal cortical stimulation on aggressive and antisocial behavior: A double-blind, stratified, randomized, sham-controlled, parallel-group trial

Abstract

This study examines the influence of high-definition transcranial direct current stimulation (HD-tDCS) of the prefrontal cortex (PFC) on aggressive behavior and antisocial intentions, and provides an updated meta-analysis of prior studies. In this double-blind, stratified, randomized, sham-controlled, parallel-group trial, 94 participants received sham or 20 min of 2 mA anodal stimulation of the PFC using HD-tDCS. The Voodoo Doll Task and hypothetical vignettes were used to measure aggressive behavior and antisocial intentions, respectively. There were no significant group differences in aggressive behavior or antisocial intentions after stimulation. To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to examine HD-tDCS in reducing aggressive and antisocial behavior. The null effects on aggressive behavior align with an updated meta-analysis of prior studies (d = − 0.028, 95% CI [− 1.14, 1.08]). Future studies employing repeated tDCS sessions on significantly antisocial populations could further help assess the utility of tDCS for reducing antisociality.