Mindfulness-based training with transcranial direct current stimulation modulates neuronal resource allocation in working memory: A randomized pilot study with a nonequivalent control group
Michael A. Hunter,
Gregory Lieberman,
Brian A. Coffman,
Michael C. Trumbo,
Mikaela L. Armenta,
Charles S.H. Robinson,
Matthew A. Bezdek,
Anthony J. O'Sickey,
Aaron P. Jones,
Victoria Romero,
Seth Elkin-Frankston,
Sean Gaurino,
Leonard Eusebi,
Eric H. Schumacher,
Katie Witkiewitz,
Vincent P. Clark
Affiliations
Michael A. Hunter
Psychology Clinical Neuroscience Center, The University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA; Department of Psychology, The University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA; The Mind Research Network and LBERI, Albuquerque, NM, USA; The Center for Brain Recovery and Repair, The University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, NM, USA; Department of Neurosciences, The University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA
Gregory Lieberman
Psychology Clinical Neuroscience Center, The University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA; Department of Psychology, The University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA; The Mind Research Network and LBERI, Albuquerque, NM, USA; U.S. Army Research Laboratory, Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD, USA; Department of Bioengineering, The University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
Brian A. Coffman
Psychology Clinical Neuroscience Center, The University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA; Department of Psychology, The University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA; The Mind Research Network and LBERI, Albuquerque, NM, USA; Department of Psychiatry, The University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
Michael C. Trumbo
Psychology Clinical Neuroscience Center, The University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA; Department of Psychology, The University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA
Mikaela L. Armenta
Psychology Clinical Neuroscience Center, The University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA
Charles S.H. Robinson
Psychology Clinical Neuroscience Center, The University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA; Department of Psychology, The University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA
Matthew A. Bezdek
School of Psychology, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
Anthony J. O'Sickey
Psychology Clinical Neuroscience Center, The University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA; Department of Psychology, The University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA
Aaron P. Jones
Psychology Clinical Neuroscience Center, The University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA; Department of Psychology, The University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA
Victoria Romero
Charles River Analytics, Cambridge, MA, USA
Seth Elkin-Frankston
Charles River Analytics, Cambridge, MA, USA
Sean Gaurino
Charles River Analytics, Cambridge, MA, USA
Leonard Eusebi
Charles River Analytics, Cambridge, MA, USA
Eric H. Schumacher
School of Psychology, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
Katie Witkiewitz
Psychology Clinical Neuroscience Center, The University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA; Department of Psychology, The University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA
Vincent P. Clark
Psychology Clinical Neuroscience Center, The University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA; Department of Psychology, The University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA; The Mind Research Network and LBERI, Albuquerque, NM, USA; The Center for Brain Recovery and Repair, The University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, NM, USA; Department of Neurosciences, The University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA; Corresponding author.
Mindfulness-based training (MBT) and transcranial electrical stimulation (TES) methods such as direct current stimulation (tDCS) have demonstrated promise for the augmentation of cognitive abilities. The current study investigated the potential compatibility of concurrent “electrical” MBT and tDCS (or eMBT) by testing its combined effects on behavioral and neurophysiological indices of working memory (WM) and attentional resource allocation. Thirty-four healthy participants were randomly assigned to either a MBT task with tDCS group (eMBT) or an active control training task with sham tDCS (Control) group. Training lasted 4-weeks, with up to twenty MBT sessions and with up to eight of those sessions that were eMBT sessions. Electroencephalography was acquired during varying WM load conditions using the n-back task (1-, 2-, 3-back), along with performance on complex WM span tasks (operation and symmetry span) and fluid intelligence measures (Ravens and Shipley) before and after training. Improved performance was observed only on the 3-back and spatial span tasks for eMBT but not the Control group. During 3-back performance in the eMBT group, an increase in P3 amplitude and theta power at electrode site Pz was also observed, along with a simultaneous decrease in frontal midline P3 amplitude and theta power compared to the Control group. These results are consistent with the neural efficiency hypothesis, where higher cognitive capacity was associated with more distributed brain activity (i.e., increase in parietal and decrease in frontal amplitudes). Future longitudinal studies are called upon to further examine the direct contributions of tDCS on MBT by assessing the differential effects of electrode montage, polarity, current strength and a direct contrast between the eMBT and MBT conditions on performance and neuroimaging outcome data. While preliminary, the current results provided evidence for the potential compatibility of using eMBT to modulate WM capacity through the allocation of attention and its neurophysiological correlates.
