title: Neuroenhancement of the aging brain: restoring skill acquisition in old subjects.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Decline in cognitive functions, including impaired acquisition of novel skills, is a feature of older age that impacts activities of daily living, independence, and integration in modern societies.
  
  
  METHODS
  We tested whether the acquisition of a complex motor skill can be enhanced in old subjects by the application of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) to the motor cortex.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The main finding was that old participants experienced substantial improvements when training was applied concurrent with tDCS, with effects lasting for at least 24 hours.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest noninvasive brain stimulation as a promising and safe tool to potentially assist functional independence of aged individuals in daily life.
authors.affiliation: Brain Imaging and Neurostimulation Laboratory, Department of Neurology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Germany.
authors.forename: Máximo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zimerman
authors.forename: Marie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nitsch
authors.forename: Pascal
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Giraux
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gerloff
authors.forename: Leonardo G
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Cohen
authors.forename: Friedhelm C
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Hummel
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology* / Q000523:psychology; D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology; D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009044:Motor Cortex / Q000502:physiology*; D009048:Motor Skills / Q000502:physiology*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology*; D050781:Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation / Q000379:methods; D055815:Young Adult