Hu Longting, He Jinyan, Han Menglin, Wang Zhiqiang, Gao Yulan, Zhang Boyu, Zhou Shuyan, Wang Kangling, Li Shuning, Wu Xuan
Department of Rehabilitation, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510220, China.
Department of Rehabilitation, Foshan Fourth People's Hospital, Foshan 528200, China.
Brain Res Bull. 2025 Jan;220:111147. doi: 10.1016/j.brainresbull.2024.111147. Epub 2024 Nov 26.
Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) to the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (L-DLPFC) has an improving effect in cognitive function, but it is still not clear in what specific cognitive domains. We here combined a single session of TMS (HF-rTMS/iTBS) with electroencephalography (EEG) to clarify the effects of magnetic stimulation techniques on executive function, working memory, and visuospatial attention in healthy participants, and to investigate the underlying neurophysiological mechanisms.
Fifty-one healthy participants were randomly assigned to three stimulation groups (HF-rTMS, iTBS, and sham groups). Classical psychological paradigms (task-switching, 2-back with visual Oddball) and event-related potentials (ERPs) were performed to compare the behavioral indices of each paradigm before and after the two stimulations, as well as the changes in the ERP components.
Analysis of behavioral indicators showed that reaction times in the 2-back paradigm were faster after HF-rTMS and iTBS than after sham stimulation. However, no statistically significant differences were observed in the behavioral changes in the task-switching and visual Oddball paradigms. ERP analysis showed that N2 amplitude in the frontal and central regions of the participants increased during the 2-back paradigm following HF-rTMS and iTBS; however, no statistically significant differences were observed between the ERP components of the task-switching and visual Oddball paradigms.
Single sessions of HF-rTMS and iTBS on the L-DLPFC specifically enhanced working memory performance, with no significant effects on executive function and visuospatial attention. Both true stimulations elicited more negative N2 in the frontal and central channels during the 2-back paradigm, suggesting increased recruitment of cognitive resources from these brain areas. Although iTBS and HF-rTMS improved working memory behavior, iTBS's shorter stimulation time suggests it may have greater potential for clinical applications in terms of time-benefit costs.
重复经颅磁刺激（rTMS）作用于左侧背外侧前额叶皮质（L-DLPFC）对认知功能有改善作用，但具体在哪些认知领域仍不明确。我们在此将单次经颅磁刺激（高频重复经颅磁刺激/间歇性θ波爆发刺激）与脑电图（EEG）相结合，以阐明磁刺激技术对健康参与者执行功能、工作记忆和视觉空间注意力的影响，并探究其潜在的神经生理机制。
51名健康参与者被随机分为三个刺激组（高频重复经颅磁刺激组、间歇性θ波爆发刺激组和假刺激组）。采用经典心理范式（任务切换、视觉Oddball 2-back）和事件相关电位（ERP）来比较两次刺激前后各范式的行为指标以及ERP成分的变化。
行为指标分析显示，高频重复经颅磁刺激和间歇性θ波爆发刺激后，2-back范式中的反应时间比假刺激后更快。然而，在任务切换和视觉Oddball范式的行为变化中未观察到统计学上的显著差异。ERP分析表明，高频重复经颅磁刺激和间歇性θ波爆发刺激后，参与者在2-back范式期间额叶和中央区域的N2波幅增加；然而，任务切换和视觉Oddball范式的ERP成分之间未观察到统计学上的显著差异。
对L-DLPFC进行单次高频重复经颅磁刺激和间歇性θ波爆发刺激可特异性增强工作记忆表现，对执行功能和视觉空间注意力无显著影响。两种真实刺激在2-back范式期间额叶和中央通道引发了更多负向的N2波，表明这些脑区认知资源的募集增加。虽然间歇性θ波爆发刺激和高频重复经颅磁刺激改善了工作记忆行为，但间歇性θ波爆发刺激较短的刺激时间表明，就时间效益成本而言，它可能在临床应用中具有更大的潜力。
