University of Exeter, UK.
Perception. 2024 Feb;53(2):125-142. doi: 10.1177/03010066231215909. Epub 2023 Nov 28.
We report a large study ( = 72) using combined transcranial direct current stimulation-electroencephalography (tDCS-EEG) to investigate the modulation of perceptual learning indexed by the face inversion effect. Participants were engaged with an old/new recognition task involving intermixed upright and inverted, normal and Thatcherized faces. The accuracy results showed anodal tDCS delivered at the Fp3 scalp area (cathode/reference electrode placed at Fp2) increased the behavioural inversion effect for normal faces versus sham/control and this covaried with a modulation of the N170 event-related potential component. A reduced inversion effect for normal faces was found on the N170 latency and amplitude versus sham/control, extending recent work that combined tDCS and EEG in circumstances where the behavioural face inversion effect was reduced. Our results advance understanding of the neural mechanisms responsible for perceptual learning by revealing a dissociation between the N170 amplitude and latency in response to the tDCS-induced modulation of the face inversion effect. The behavioural modulation of the inversion effect tracks the modulation of the N170 amplitudes, albeit it is negatively correlated (i.e., reduced inversion effect-larger N170 amplitude inversion effect, increased inversion effect-reduced N170 amplitude inversion effect). For the N170 latencies, the inversion effect is reduced by the tDCS protocol we use irrespective of any modulation of the behavioural inversion effect.
我们报告了一项大型研究( = 72),使用经颅直流电刺激-脑电图(tDCS-EEG)联合技术来研究面孔倒置效应所反映的知觉学习的调制。参与者参与了一项涉及混合出现的正常和 Thatcher 面孔的新旧识别任务。准确性结果表明,在 Fp3 头皮区域(阴极/参考电极置于 Fp2)施加阳极 tDCS 增加了正常面孔的行为反转效应,与 N170 事件相关电位成分的调制有关。与假刺激/对照相比,正常面孔的 N170 潜伏期和振幅的反转效应降低,这与最近结合 tDCS 和 EEG 的工作一致,在这种情况下,行为面孔反转效应降低。我们的结果通过揭示 N170 振幅和潜伏期对面孔反转效应的 tDCS 诱导调制之间的分离,推进了对面孔知觉学习神经机制的理解。行为反转效应的调制与 N170 振幅的调制相吻合,尽管它们呈负相关(即,反转效应减小-N170 振幅反转效应增大,反转效应增大-N170 振幅反转效应减小)。对于 N170 潜伏期,我们使用的 tDCS 方案会降低反转效应,而不管行为反转效应的任何调制如何。