School of Education Science, Nantong University, Nantong 226019, China; Department of Psychology, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China.
School of Psychology, University of Queensland, Qld, Australia.
J Affect Disord. 2023 Jul 1;332:19-28. doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2023.03.059. Epub 2023 Mar 21.
Cognitive reappraisal as a commonly used emotion regulation strategy includes reinterpretation and detachment and is associated with the activity of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC). However, the neuroenhancement mechanisms of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) over DLPFC that modulate cognitive reappraisal are not yet fully understood. This work aims to verify the causal role of DLPFC in different tactics of cognitive reappraisal and further explore the cognitive control mechanisms of emotion regulation.
A single-blind, within-subjects, sham-controlled design was adopted. Twenty-nine healthy subjects underwent two sessions of offline high-definition tDCS (HD-tDCS) that were targeted at the right DLPFC. Participants completed the cognitive control (Flanker) and cognitive reappraisal task in each session. We quantified the efficacy of cognitive control using N2 and P3 of the evoked brain responses and cognitive reappraisal using the late positivity potential (LPP).
Anodal HD-tDCS resulted in the decrease of LPP for reinterpretation and detachment. The cognitive control increased after stimulation, indicated by the increase of P3 and decrease of N2 amplitude. The increased cognitive control mediated the effect of HD-tDCS on modulating reinterpretation, but not for detachment.
The single-blind design, absence of the lasting-effects measure, and the intrinsically limited focality of tDCS are limitations of this study.
Increasing the activity of DLPFC would facilitate emotion regulation and increase cognitive control. Cognitive control may be a significant potential mechanism for reinterpretation. Both tDCS and cognitive control interventions may be possible approaches to enhance emotion regulation.
认知重评作为一种常用的情绪调节策略，包括重新解释和分离，与背外侧前额叶皮层（DLPFC）的活动有关。然而，调节认知重评的经颅直流电刺激（tDCS）的神经增强机制尚不完全清楚。这项工作旨在验证 DLPFC 在认知重评的不同策略中的因果作用，并进一步探索情绪调节的认知控制机制。
采用单盲、自身对照、假刺激设计。29 名健康受试者接受了两次离线高清晰度 tDCS（HD-tDCS）治疗，靶点为右侧 DLPFC。参与者在每次会议中完成认知控制（Flanker）和认知重评任务。我们使用诱发脑反应的 N2 和 P3 量化认知控制的效果，使用晚期正性电位（LPP）量化认知重评的效果。
阳极 HD-tDCS 导致重新解释和分离的 LPP 降低。刺激后认知控制增加，表现为 P3 增加和 N2 振幅减小。增强的认知控制介导了 HD-tDCS 对调节重新解释的影响，但对分离没有影响。
本研究的局限性包括单盲设计、缺乏持久效应测量以及 tDCS 固有的有限聚焦。
增加 DLPFC 的活动可以促进情绪调节和增强认知控制。认知控制可能是重新解释的一个重要潜在机制。tDCS 和认知控制干预都可能是增强情绪调节的可行方法。
