Visual motion perception improvements following direct current stimulation over V5 are dependent on initial performance.

Abstract

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) can improve visual perception. However, the effect of tDCS on visual perception is largely variable, possibly due to individual differences in initial performance. The goal of the present study was to evaluate the dependency of visual motion perception improvements on initial performance. Twenty-eight observers were randomly divided into two groups. Anodal tDCS and sham stimulation were separately applied to V5 (1.5mA, 20min), while observers performed a coherent motion direction identification task. The results showed that compared to sham stimulation, anodal tDCS induced a significant improvement in motion perception that lasted at least 20min. In addition, the degree of improvement was dependent on initial performance, with a greater improvement magnitude observed for those with poorer initial performance. These results may have implications for understanding the nature of the stimulation rule and for the use of a customised stimulation protocol to enhance tDCS efficiency in practical applications.