Effects of Transcranial Electrical Stimulation on Human Auditory Processing and Behavior—A Review

Abstract

Transcranial electrical stimulation (tES) can adjust the membrane potential by applying a weak current on the scalp to change the related nerve activity. In recent years, tES has proven its value in studying the neural processes involved in human behavior. The study of central auditory processes focuses on the analysis of behavioral phenomena, including sound localization, auditory pattern recognition, and auditory discrimination. To our knowledge, studies on the application of tES in the field of hearing and the electrophysiological effects are limited. Therefore, we reviewed the neuromodulatory effect of tES on auditory processing, behavior, and cognitive function and have summarized the physiological effects of tES on the auditory cortex.

Keywords

• auditory perception
• physiological effects
• transcranial alternating current stimulation
• transcranial direct current stimulation
• transcranial random noise stimulation