08-26-2013, 09:35 PM
A similar study was conducted by Anna Fertonani of the Cognitive Neuroscience Section and Biomedical Sciences and Biotechnologies of Brescia, Italy in October 2011.
They enrolled 99 subjects for transcranial random noise stimulation (TRNS) sessions which consisted of alternating currents of 1.5mA intensity given at random frequencies between the range of 0.1 to 100 Hz. This is for the purpose of low-frequency stimulation. For high frequency, the range was between 100-640 Hz. For women included in the study, they were tested during a point where their cortical excitability is closely similar to that of males, which is during their follicular menstrual phase.
The area of stimulation was over the individual’s vertex or occipital lobe for control stimulation conditions, where a visual orientation discrimination task was also used to test their performance. These subjects were to interpret whether the given stimuli were tilted clockwise or counterclockwise.
When the results came out, they showed that those who underwent high frequency random electrical stimulation performed more consistently after 5 successive blocks of the task, compared to those who underwent any kind of low frequency random stimulation.
The subjects had no prior knowledge and even had difficulty guessing what kind of stimulation was given to them, whether actual or placebo. So explicit perception was for them ruled out.
There were several aftereffects of the direct current stimulation such as itching, burning feeling, and a metallic taste. However, these effects did not affect the performance of the subjects.
Fertonani et al explained that the results turned out as such because it was found out that repeated high frequency random stimulation supports temporal summation of neuronal activity, while anodal direct current stimulation does a homeostatic re-regulation of ion channel conductivity which actually ultimately reduces neuronal excitability.
The researchers were aware that several factors can affect the results. These could be the stimulation parameters used, placement of reference electrodes, and the cytoarchitectural features of areas undergoing the stimulation.
It is good to know that not all electrical brain stimulation types can increase a person’s mental performance. I hope to see more studies like these!
They enrolled 99 subjects for transcranial random noise stimulation (TRNS) sessions which consisted of alternating currents of 1.5mA intensity given at random frequencies between the range of 0.1 to 100 Hz. This is for the purpose of low-frequency stimulation. For high frequency, the range was between 100-640 Hz. For women included in the study, they were tested during a point where their cortical excitability is closely similar to that of males, which is during their follicular menstrual phase.
The area of stimulation was over the individual’s vertex or occipital lobe for control stimulation conditions, where a visual orientation discrimination task was also used to test their performance. These subjects were to interpret whether the given stimuli were tilted clockwise or counterclockwise.
When the results came out, they showed that those who underwent high frequency random electrical stimulation performed more consistently after 5 successive blocks of the task, compared to those who underwent any kind of low frequency random stimulation.
The subjects had no prior knowledge and even had difficulty guessing what kind of stimulation was given to them, whether actual or placebo. So explicit perception was for them ruled out.
There were several aftereffects of the direct current stimulation such as itching, burning feeling, and a metallic taste. However, these effects did not affect the performance of the subjects.
Fertonani et al explained that the results turned out as such because it was found out that repeated high frequency random stimulation supports temporal summation of neuronal activity, while anodal direct current stimulation does a homeostatic re-regulation of ion channel conductivity which actually ultimately reduces neuronal excitability.
The researchers were aware that several factors can affect the results. These could be the stimulation parameters used, placement of reference electrodes, and the cytoarchitectural features of areas undergoing the stimulation.
It is good to know that not all electrical brain stimulation types can increase a person’s mental performance. I hope to see more studies like these!
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