title: Modulating inhibitory control with direct current stimulation of the superior medial frontal cortex.
abstract: The executive control of voluntary action involves not only choosing from a range of possible actions but also the inhibition of responses as circumstances demand. Recent studies have demonstrated that many clinical populations, such as people with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, exhibit difficulties in inhibitory control. One prefrontal area that has been particularly associated with inhibitory control is the pre-supplementary motor area (Pre-SMA). Here we applied non-invasive transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) over Pre-SMA to test its role in this behavior. tDCS allows for current to be applied in two directions to selectively excite or suppress the neural activity of Pre-SMA. Our results showed that anodal tDCS improved efficiency of inhibitory control. Conversely, cathodal tDCS showed a tendency towards impaired inhibitory control. To our knowledge, this is the first demonstration of non-invasive intervention tDCS altering subjects' inhibitory control. These results further our understanding of the neural bases of inhibitory control and suggest a possible therapeutic intervention method for clinical populations.
authors: Institute of Neuroscience, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei 112, Taiwan.
authors: Tzu-Yu
authors: TY
authors: Hsu
authors: Lin-Yuan
authors: LY
authors: Tseng
authors: Jia-Xin
authors: JX
authors: Yu
authors: Wen-Jui
authors: WJ
authors: Kuo
authors: Daisy L
authors: DL
authors: Hung
authors: Ovid J L
authors: OJ
authors: Tzeng
authors: Vincent
authors: V
authors: Walsh
authors: Neil G
authors: NG
authors: Muggleton
authors: Chi-Hung
authors: CH
authors: Juan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D005260:Female; D005625:Frontal Lobe / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007266:Inhibition, Psychological; D008297:Male; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult