Transcranial direct current stimulation enhances verbal working memory training performance over time and near transfer outcomes.
Abstract
Studies attempting to increase working memory (WM) capacity show promise in enhancing related cognitive functions but have also raised criticism in the broader scientific community given the inconsistent findings produced by these studies. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has been shown to enhance WM performance in a single session [Fregni, F., Boggio, P., Nitsche, M., Bermpohl, F., Anatal, A., Feredoes, E., et al. Anodal transcranial direct current stimulation of prefrontal cortex enhances working memory. Experimental Brain Research, 166, 23-30, 2005]; however, the extent to which tDCS might enhance learning on a WM training regime and the extent to which learning gains might transfer outside the training task remains largely unknown. To this end, participants engaged in an adaptive WM training task [previously utilized in Richmond, L., Morrison, A., Chein, J., & Olson, I. Working memory training and transfer in older adults. Psychology & Aging, 26, 813-822, 2011; Chein, J., & Morrison, A. Expanding the mind's workspace: Training and transfer effects with a complex working memory span task. Psychonomic Bulletin & Review, 17, 193-199, 2010] for 10 sessions over 2 weeks, concurrent with either active or sham stimulation of dorsolateral pFC. Before and after training, a battery of tests tapping domains known to relate to WM abilities was administered. Results show that tDCS enhanced learning on the verbal portion of the training task by 3.65 items. Furthermore, tDCS was shown to enhance near transfer to other untrained WM tasks in comparison with a no-contact control group. These results lend support to the idea that tDCS might bolster training and transfer gains in populations with compromised WM abilities.
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Significant transfer has been reported across the majority of complex span training studies that changed both storage items and distractor activity between trained and untrained tasks.
“Significant transfer has been reported across the majority of these studies (Harrison et al., 2013; Henry et al., 2014; Richmond et al., 2014).”
From Are Working Memory Training Effects Paradigm-Specific? (2019) · cites this paper as Richmond et al., 2014
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- Authors
- Richmond, L. L., Wolk, D., Chein, J., & Olson, I. R.
- Affiliations
- Temple University (US)
- University of Pennsylvania (US)
- Venue
- Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience
- Publisher
- MIT Press
- Published
- 2014-11-01
- Volume
- 26
- Issue
- 11
- Pages
- 2443-2454
- ISSN
- 0898-929X (ISSN-L)
- 1530-8898
- OpenAlex
- W2052029838
- Cited by
- 143
- References
- 66
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 7 · 2024: 5 · 2023: 8 · 2022: 12 · 2021: 10 · 2020: 17 · 2019: 16 · 2018: 16 · 2017: 19 · 2016: 19 · 2015: 10 · 2014: 2
- FWCI
- 8.68
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Neurology › Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Studies
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Cognitive Abilities and Testing
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neural and Behavioral Psychology Studies
- Keywords
- transcranial direct current stimulation, working memory training, verbal working memory, near transfer, dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, adaptive training, cognitive enhancement, sham stimulation
- MeSH terms
- Acoustic Stimulation, Female, Humans, Male, Memory, Short-Term, Neuropsychological Tests, Photic Stimulation, Speech Perception, Transfer, Psychology, Visual Perception, Prefrontal Cortex, Young Adult, Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation
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