title: Amelioration of cognitive control in depression by transcranial direct current stimulation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Deficient cognitive control over emotional distraction is a central characteristic of major depressive disorder (MDD). Hypoactivation of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) has been linked with this deficit. In this study, we aimed to enhance the activity of the dlPFC in MDD patients by anodal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) and thus ameliorate cognitive control.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a double-blinded, balanced, randomized, sham-controlled crossover trial, we determined the effect of a single-session tDCS to the left dlPFC on the cognitive control in 22 MDD patients and 22 healthy control subjects. To assess the cognitive control, we used a delayed response working memory task with pictures of varying content (emotional vs. neutral) presented during the delay period.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Emotional pictures presented during the delay period impaired accuracy and response time of patients with MDD, indicating an attentional bias for emotional stimuli. Anodal tDCS to the dlPFC was associated with an enhanced working memory performance both in patients and control subjects. Specifically in subjects with MDD, the attentional bias was completely abolished by anodal tDCS.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present study demonstrates that anodal tDCS applied to the left dlPFC improves deficient cognitive control in MDD. Based on these data, tDCS might be suitable to support the effects of behavioral training to enhance cognitive control in MDD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Psychology, Neurophysiology & Interventional Neuropsychiatry, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Larissa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wolkenstein
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Plewnia
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004599:Electric Stimulation Therapy / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010775:Photic Stimulation; D017397:Prefrontal Cortex / Q000502:physiology; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology