Influence of tDCS over right inferior frontal gyrus and pre-supplementary motor area on perceptual decision-making and response inhibition: A healthy ageing perspective

• Published in: Neurobiology of aging 2022-01, Vol.109, p.11-21
• Main Authors: Fujiyama, Hakuei, Tan, Jane, Puri, Rohan, Hinder, Mark R.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Age-related decline; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Cognition; Decision Making - physiology; Double-Blind Method; Executive Function - physiology; Healthy Aging - physiology; Healthy Aging - psychology; Humans; Inferior frontal gyrus; Inhibition, Psychological; Inhibitory control; Male; Motor Cortex - physiology; Perception - physiology; Pre-supplementary motor area; Prefrontal Cortex - physiology; Stop signal task; Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation; Young Adult
• ISSN: 0197-4580; 1558-1497
• DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2021.09.014

•tDCS over the preSMA improves inhibitory control performance in older adults.•Perceptual decision-making speed can be improved by preSMA tDCS, irrespective of age.•rIFG tDCS improved decision-making speed and inhibitory control in young adults. A wide body of literature suggests that transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) administered over the prefrontal cortex can improve executive function – including decision-making and inhibitory control – in healthy young adults. However, the effects of tDCS in older adults are largely unknown. Here, using a double-blind, sham-controlled approach, changes in a combined perceptual decision-making and inhibitory control task were assessed before and after the application of tDCS (1 mA, 20 minute) targeting the right inferior frontal gyrus (rIFG) or pre-supplementary motor area (preSMA) in 42 young (18–34 years) and 41 older (60–80 years) healthy adults. Compared to sham stimulation, anodal tDCS over the preSMA improved decision-making speed for both age groups. Furthermore, the inhibitory control performance of older and younger adults was improved by preSMA and rIFG stimulation, respectively. This study provides evidence that tDCS can improve both perceptual decision-making and inhibitory control in healthy older adults, with the causal role of the preSMA and rIFG regions in cognitive control appearing to vary as a function of healthy ageing.