title: Effects of tDCS over the right DLPFC on attentional disengagement from positive and negative faces: An eye-tracking study.
abstract: The aim of this study was to increase insight in the neural substrates of attention processes involved in emotion regulation. The effects of right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (i.e., DLPFC) stimulation on attentional processing of emotional information were evaluated. A novel attention task allowing a straightforward measurement of attentional engagement toward, and attentional disengagement away from emotional faces was used. A sample of healthy participants received 20 minutes of active and sham anodal transcranial direct current stimulation (i.e., tDCS) applied over the right DLPFC on 2 separate days and completed the attention task after receiving real or sham stimulation. Compared to sham stimulation, tDCS over the right DLPFC led to impairments in attentional disengagement from both positive and negative faces. Findings demonstrate a causal role of right DLPFC activity in the generation of attentional impairments that are implicated in emotional disturbances such as depression and anxiety.
authors: Department of Experimental Clinical and Health Psychology, Ghent University, Henri Dunantlaan 2, B-9000, Ghent, Belgium. alvaro.sanchezlopez@ugent.be.
authors: Alvaro
authors: 0000-0003-2815-7803
authors: A
authors: Sanchez
authors: Department of Experimental Clinical and Health Psychology, Ghent University, Henri Dunantlaan 2, B-9000, Ghent, Belgium.
authors: Marie-Anne
authors: MA
authors: Vanderhasselt
authors: Department of Experimental Clinical and Health Psychology, Ghent University, Henri Dunantlaan 2, B-9000, Ghent, Belgium.
authors: Chris
authors: C
authors: Baeken
authors: Department of Experimental Clinical and Health Psychology, Ghent University, Henri Dunantlaan 2, B-9000, Ghent, Belgium.
authors: Rudi
authors: R
authors: De Raedt
mesh_terms: D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology*; D004644:Emotions / Q000502:physiology*; D056344:Executive Function / Q000502:physiology; D053483:Eye Movement Measurements; D005133:Eye Movements; D000066499:Facial Recognition / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D017397:Prefrontal Cortex / Q000502:physiology*; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D057566:Self Report; D065908:Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Attentional control; DLPFC; Emotion; Neurostimulation; Selective attention