Frontiers in Human Neuroscience (Jul 2023)

Studying additive effects of combining rTMS with cognitive control training: a pilot investigation

  • Iris Dalhuisen,
  • Iris Dalhuisen,
  • Céline Schutte,
  • Bob Bramson,
  • Bob Bramson,
  • Karin Roelofs,
  • Karin Roelofs,
  • Philip van Eijndhoven,
  • Philip van Eijndhoven,
  • Indira Tendolkar,
  • Indira Tendolkar

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2023.1201344
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 17

Abstract

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BackgroundRepetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) on the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) is an effective treatment for depression that has been proposed to work via the enhancement of cognitive control. Cognitive control training (CCT) can also alleviate depression by relying on DLPFC activation. As the additive effects of rTMS and CCT are unclear, we set out to conduct a within-subject pilot study in healthy controls.MethodsSeventeen participants received two sessions of individualized resting-state connectivity-guided high-frequency rTMS, while randomly performing CCT or a control task. After each session, a negative mood was induced.ResultsWe found effects on mood and cognitive control after rTMS + CCT as well as rTMS + control, which were indiscriminative between conditions. Based on the statistical evidence for the absence of an additive effect of CCT, we did not perform a full study.ConclusionOur results demonstrate no differential effects of single sessions combining rTMS and CCT in a healthy population, even with the methodological improvement of individualized neuronavigation. The improvement in cognitive control seen in both conditions could indicate that a simple cognitive task is sufficient when studying additive rTMS effects. Future studies should focus on augmenting the effects of various cognitive tasks and compare the present interventions with rTMS or cognitive tasks alone.

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