Null Effect of Transcranial Static Magnetic Field Stimulation over the Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex on Behavioral Performance in a Go/NoGo Task.

Tatsunori Watanabe,Takuya Matsumoto,Takayuki Kuwabara,Tatsuya Mima,Keisuke Yunoki,Hikari Kirimoto,Xiaoxiao Chen,Shota Date,Toru Sunagawa,Nami Kubo

doi:10.3390/brainsci11040483

Abstract

The purpose of this pilot study was to investigate whether transcranial static magnetic field stimulation (tSMS), which can modulate cortical excitability, would influence inhibitory control function when applied over the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC). Young healthy adults (n = 8, mean age ± SD = 24.4 ± 4.1, six females) received the following stimulations for 30 min on different days: (1) tSMS over the left DLPFC, (2) tSMS over the right DLPFC, and (3) sham stimulation over either the left or right DLPFC. The participants performed a Go/NoGo task before, immediately after, and 10 min after the stimulation. They were instructed to extend the right wrist in response to target stimuli. We recorded the electromyogram from the right wrist extensor muscles and analyzed erroneous responses (false alarm and missed target detection) and reaction times. As a result, 50% of the participants made erroneous responses, and there were five erroneous responses in total (0.003%). A series of statistical analyses revealed that tSMS did not affect the reaction time. These preliminary findings suggest the possibility that tSMS over the DLPFC is incapable of modulating inhibitory control and/or that the cognitive load imposed in this study was insufficient to detect the effect.

Highlights

Introduction published maps and institutional affilTranscranial static magnetic field stimulation is one of non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) tools that can modulate brain activity as well as motor and cognitive functions
This study examined the effect of transcranial static magnetic field stimulation (tSMS) over the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) on response inhibition using a Go/NoGo task
Our findings suggest the possibility that tSMS over the DLPFC is incapable of modulating inhibitory control function and/or that the cognitive load imposed during the task used in this study was insufficient to detect the tSMS effect

Summary

Introduction

Transcranial static magnetic field stimulation (tSMS) is one of non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) tools that can modulate brain activity as well as motor and cognitive functions. Since Oliviero and colleagues reported a reduction of motor cortical excitability after application of tSMS over the motor cortex in 2011 [1], a relatively larger number of studies have been conducted to investigate the effectiveness of this new tool. With regard to behavioral parameters, tSMS has been demonstrated to impair performance of difficult reaction time task [5], postural adjustment task [11], and force-matching task [12] when it was applied over the occipital cortex, supplementary motor area, and motor cortex, respectively. With regard to behavioral parameters, tSMS has been demonstrated to impair performance of difficult reaction time task [5], postural adjustment task [11], and force-matching task [12] when it was applied over the occipital cortex, supplementary motor area, and motor cortex, respectively. iations.

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