title: Switching off perceptual learning: Anodal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) at Fp3 eliminates perceptual learning in humans.
abstract: Perceptual learning can be acquired as a result of experience with stimuli that would otherwise be difficult to tell apart, and is often explained in terms of the modulation of feature salience by an error signal based on how well that feature can be predicted by the others that make up the stimulus. In this article we show that anodal transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) at Fp3 directly influences this modulation process so as to eliminate and possibly reverse perceptual learning. In 2 experiments, anodal stimulation disrupted perceptual learning (indexed by an inversion effect) compared with sham (Experiment 1) or cathodal (Experiment 2) stimulation. Our findings can be interpreted as showing that anodal tDCS severely reduced or even abolished the modulation of salience based on error, greatly increasing generalization between stimuli. This result supports accounts of perceptual learning based on variations in salience as a consequence of pre-exposure, and opens up the possibility of controlling this phenomenon. (PsycINFO Database Record
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter.
authors.forename: Ciro
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Civile
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter.
authors.forename: Frederick
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-7958-0719
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Verbruggen
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter.
authors.forename: Rossy
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: McLaren
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology and Cognitive Science, East China Normal University.
authors.forename: Di
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology and Cognitive Science, East China Normal University.
authors.forename: Yixuan
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-2804-5123
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ku
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter.
authors.forename: I P L
authors.initials: IPL
authors.lastname: McLaren
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D007858:Learning; D010465:Perception; D065908:Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation