Brunyé Tad T, Moran Joseph M, Holmes Amanda, Mahoney Caroline R, Taylor Holly A
Center for Applied Brain & Cognitive Sciences, Tufts University, 200 Boston Ave., Suite 3000, Medford, MA 02155, USA; U.S. Army Natick Soldier Research, Development, and Engineering Center, RDNS-SEW-THC, 15 General Greene Ave, Natick, MA, USA; Tufts University, Department of Psychology, 490 Boston Ave., Medford, MA, USA.
Center for Applied Brain & Cognitive Sciences, Tufts University, 200 Boston Ave., Suite 3000, Medford, MA 02155, USA; U.S. Army Natick Soldier Research, Development, and Engineering Center, RDNS-SEW-THC, 15 General Greene Ave, Natick, MA, USA.
Brain Cogn. 2017 Apr;113:32-39. doi: 10.1016/j.bandc.2017.01.006. Epub 2017 Jan 17.
The human extrastriate cortex contains a region critically involved in face detection and memory, the right fusiform gyrus. The present study evaluated whether transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) targeting this anatomical region would selectively influence memory for faces versus non-face objects (houses). Anodal tDCS targeted the right fusiform gyrus (Brodmann's Area 37), with the anode at electrode site PO10, and cathode at FP2. Two stimulation conditions were compared in a repeated-measures design: 0.5mA versus 1.5mA intensity; a separate control group received no stimulation. Participants completed a working memory task for face and house stimuli, varying in memory load from 1 to 4 items. Individual differences measures assessed trait-based differences in facial recognition skills. Results showed 1.5mA intensity stimulation (versus 0.5mA and control) increased performance at high memory loads, but only with faces. Lower overall working memory capacity predicted a positive impact of tDCS. Results provide support for the notion of functional specialization of the right fusiform regions for maintaining face (but not non-face object) stimuli in working memory, and further suggest that low intensity electrical stimulation of this region may enhance demanding face working memory performance particularly in those with relatively poor baseline working memory skills.
人类纹外皮层包含一个对面部检测和记忆至关重要的区域，即右侧梭状回。本研究评估了针对这一解剖区域的经颅直流电刺激（tDCS）是否会对面部记忆与非面部物体（房屋）记忆产生选择性影响。阳极tDCS作用于右侧梭状回（布罗德曼区37），阳极置于电极位点PO10，阴极置于FP2。在重复测量设计中比较了两种刺激条件：0.5毫安与1.5毫安强度；一个单独的对照组不接受刺激。参与者完成了一项针对面部和房屋刺激的工作记忆任务，记忆负荷从1项到4项不等。个体差异测量评估了面部识别技能中基于特质的差异。结果显示，1.5毫安强度的刺激（与0.5毫安及对照组相比）在高记忆负荷下提高了表现，但仅针对面部。较低的整体工作记忆容量预示着tDCS会产生积极影响。研究结果支持了右侧梭状回区域在工作记忆中维持面部（而非非面部物体）刺激的功能特化概念，并进一步表明，对该区域进行低强度电刺激可能会增强高要求的面部工作记忆表现，尤其是在那些基线工作记忆技能相对较差的人群中。
