Skip to main content
Top
Published in: Experimental Brain Research 9/2023

25-08-2023 | Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder | Research Article

Cognitive control enhancement in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and neurotypical individuals

Authors: Hodaya Weinberg, Yuval Baruch, Hila Tzameret, Michal Lavidor

Published in: Experimental Brain Research | Issue 9/2023

Login to get access

Abstract

Cognitive control, which has been localized to the right inferior frontal gyrus (rIFG) based on functional imaging and brain lesion studies, is impaired in patients with ADHD. The present study aims to investigate whether transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) over the rIFG might improve cognitive control in ADHD subjects. We hypothesized poorer performance in a cognitive control task, but not in a control language task, in the ADHD subjects. Crucially, following tDCS, we expected the ADHD group to improve their cognitive control. In a double-blind randomized control trial, 42 participants performed the stop signal task (SST) to index their cognitive control level and the language task. Half of them were randomly assigned to the anodal stimulation condition and half to the sham stimulation. The anodal or sham stimulation was applied over the right IFG. Following the stimulation, the participants reset the two tasks to see whether stimulation improved the (predicted) weaker performance in the ADHD group. Stimulation significantly enhanced cognitive control for both groups, with or without ADHD, in the SST task, but no significant stimulation effects were found for the control task. tDCS seems as a promising tool to improve cognitive control in the general population.
Literature
go back to reference Barkley RA (2012) Executive functions: What they are, how they work, and why they evolved. Guilford Press, New York Barkley RA (2012) Executive functions: What they are, how they work, and why they evolved. Guilford Press, New York
go back to reference Biran M, Friedmann N (2004) SHEMESH: Naming a hundred objects. Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv Biran M, Friedmann N (2004) SHEMESH: Naming a hundred objects. Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv
go back to reference Dubreuil-Vall L, Gomez-Bernal F, Villegas AC et al (2021) Transcranial direct current stimulation to the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex improves cognitive control in patients with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: a randomized behavioral and neurophysiological study. Biol Psychiatr 6(4):439–448. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bpsc.2020.11.016CrossRef Dubreuil-Vall L, Gomez-Bernal F, Villegas AC et al (2021) Transcranial direct current stimulation to the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex improves cognitive control in patients with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: a randomized behavioral and neurophysiological study. Biol Psychiatr 6(4):439–448. https://​doi.​org/​10.​1016/​j.​bpsc.​2020.​11.​016CrossRef
go back to reference Li P, Sepanski S, Zhao X (2006) Language history questionnaire: a web-based interface for bilingual research. Behav Res Methods 38(2):202–210CrossRefPubMed Li P, Sepanski S, Zhao X (2006) Language history questionnaire: a web-based interface for bilingual research. Behav Res Methods 38(2):202–210CrossRefPubMed
go back to reference Matzke D, Verbruggen F, Logan G (2018) The stop-signal paradigm. Stevens Handbook Exp Psychol Cogn Neurosci 5:383–427 Matzke D, Verbruggen F, Logan G (2018) The stop-signal paradigm. Stevens Handbook Exp Psychol Cogn Neurosci 5:383–427
go back to reference Peirce J, Hirst R, MacAskill M (2022) Building experiments in PsychoPy. Sage, Thousand Oaks Peirce J, Hirst R, MacAskill M (2022) Building experiments in PsychoPy. Sage, Thousand Oaks
go back to reference Psychiatric, American and Association. 2013. DSM-V: Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (Reprint) Psychiatric, American and Association. 2013. DSM-V: Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (Reprint)
go back to reference Sagvolden T, Sergeant JA (1998) Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder–from brain dysfunctions to behaviour. Behav Brain Res. 94(1):1–10PubMed Sagvolden T, Sergeant JA (1998) Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder–from brain dysfunctions to behaviour. Behav Brain Res. 94(1):1–10PubMed
go back to reference Weller S, Nitsche MA, Plewnia C (2020) Enhancing cognitive control training with transcranial direct current stimulation: a systematic parameter study. Brain Stimul 13(5):1358–1369CrossRefPubMed Weller S, Nitsche MA, Plewnia C (2020) Enhancing cognitive control training with transcranial direct current stimulation: a systematic parameter study. Brain Stimul 13(5):1358–1369CrossRefPubMed
go back to reference Willcutt EG, Doyle AE, Nigg JT et al (2005) Validity of the executive function theory of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: a meta-analytic review. Biol Psychiatr 57(11):1336–1346CrossRef Willcutt EG, Doyle AE, Nigg JT et al (2005) Validity of the executive function theory of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: a meta-analytic review. Biol Psychiatr 57(11):1336–1346CrossRef
Metadata
Title
Cognitive control enhancement in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and neurotypical individuals
Authors
Hodaya Weinberg
Yuval Baruch
Hila Tzameret
Michal Lavidor
Publication date
25-08-2023
Publisher
Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Published in
Experimental Brain Research / Issue 9/2023
Print ISSN: 0014-4819
Electronic ISSN: 1432-1106
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00221-023-06695-6

Other articles of this Issue 9/2023

Experimental Brain Research 9/2023 Go to the issue