title: Effect of Anodal-tDCS on Event-Related Potentials: A Controlled Study.
abstract: We aim to measure the postintervention effects of A-tDCS (anodal-tDCS) on brain potentials commonly used in BCI applications, namely, Event-Related Desynchronization (ERD), Event-Related Synchronization (ERS), and P300. Ten subjects were given sham and 1.5 mA A-tDCS for 15 minutes on two separate experiments in a double-blind, randomized order. Postintervention EEG was recorded while subjects were asked to perform a spelling task based on the "oddball paradigm" while P300 power was measured. Additionally, ERD and ERS were measured while subjects performed mental motor imagery tasks. ANOVA results showed that the absolute P300 power exhibited a statistically significant difference between sham and A-tDCS when measured over channel Pz (p= 0.0002). However, the difference in ERD and ERS power was found to be statistically insignificant, in controversion of the the mainstay of the litrature on the subject. The outcomes confirm the possible postintervention effect of tDCS on the P300 response. Heightening P300 response using A-tDCS may help improve the accuracy of P300 spellers for neurologically impaired subjects. Additionally, it may help the development of neurorehabilitation methods targeting the parietal lobe.
authors.affiliation: Social Cognition Laboratory, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Ahmed
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Izzidien
authors.affiliation: Medical Electronics and Signal Processing Research Unit, University of South Wales, Treforest, UK.
authors.forename: Sriharasha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ramaraju
authors.affiliation: Medical Electronics and Signal Processing Research Unit, University of South Wales, Treforest, UK.
authors.forename: Mohammed Ali
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-6832-9115
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Roula
authors.affiliation: Clinical Technology and Diagnostics Research Unit, University of South Wales, Treforest, UK.
authors.forename: Peter W
authors.initials: PW
authors.lastname: McCarthy
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001921:Brain / Q000503:physiopathology; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004569:Electroencephalography; D018913:Event-Related Potentials, P300; D005071:Evoked Potentials; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015233:Models, Statistical; D000066530:Neurological Rehabilitation; D012815:Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted; D013997:Time Factors; D065908:Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult