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The effects of transcranial direct current stimulation on the reward related brain responses

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The effects of transcranial direct current stimulation on the reward related brain responses

In this study we were interested in the effect of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on reward positivity. Reward positivity is an ERP component that reflects reward-related neuronal phenomena. The brain’s reward system is related to the frontal asymmetry model, which divides approach and avoidance behaviour into separate hemispheres, with approach behaviour located in the left hemisphere and avoidance in the right. We speculated that this lateralized division could have an effect on reward-related neuronal functions. Hence we used this model as a framework for our setup and targeted anodal tDCS on the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) with an expectation that the stimulation would affect reward positivity. In earlier studies anodal tDCS stimulation of the left dlPFC has yielded promising results in the treatment of depression. However, the exact working mechanism of tDCS is currently unknown. What is known is that it affects the electrical charge of neurons but beyond that there is only speculation. In our study we gathered a total of 35 participants into the analyses consisting of 23 females and 12 males which we divided into two groups in random order: experimental group (n=16) and control group (n=19). We gave the experimental group real anodal tDCS into their left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex for ten minutes. To the control group we gave placebo stimulation, which means they only got stimulation at the beginning and the end of the ten minute procedure. After the stimulation, the participants played the “gambling doors task” -game where they had to choose between two doors from which they either gained or lost points. We collected EEG data during the game. Anodal tDCS did not have an effect on reward positivity. Instead, we did notice an effect on other ERP components, namely, N1 and P2. Another interesting occurrence was that the EEG amplitude stayed over the baseline P3 which we speculated to be late positive potential. According to our results it would seem that tDCS affects reactivity towards perceived stimuli rather than reward processing.

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