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Anodal online transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) facilitates visual motion perceptual learning
  • +4
  • Di Wu,
  • Pan Zhang,
  • Yifan Wang,
  • Na Liu,
  • Kewei Sun,
  • Panhui Wang,
  • Wei Xiao
Di Wu
Air Force Medical University

Corresponding Author:[email protected]

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Pan Zhang
Hebei Normal University
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Yifan Wang
Air Force Medical University
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Na Liu
Air Force Medical University
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Kewei Sun
Air Force Medical University
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Panhui Wang
Air Force Medical University
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Wei Xiao
Air Force Medical University
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Abstract

Visual perceptual learning (VPL) has great potential implications for clinical populations, but adequate improvement often takes weeks to months to obtain; therefore, practical applications of VPL are limited. Strategies that enhance visual performance acquisition make great practical sense. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) could be beneficial to VPL, but thus far, the results are inconsistent. The current study had two objectives: (1) investigate the effect of anodal tDCS on VPL and (2) determine whether the timing sequence of anodal tDCS and training influences VPL. Anodal tDCS was applied on the left human middle temporal (hMT+) during training on a coherent motion discrimination task (online), anodal tDCS was also applied before training (offline), and sham tDCS was applied during training (sham). The coherent thresholds were measured without stimulation before, 2 days after and one month after training. All participants trained for 5 consecutive days. Anodal tDCS resulted in more performance improvement when applied during daily training but not when applied before training. Additionally, neither within-session improvement nor between-session improvement differed among the online, offline and sham tDCS conditions. These findings contribute to the development of efficient stimulation protocols and a deep understanding of the mechanisms underlying the effect of tDCS on VPL.
30 Oct 2022Submitted to European Journal of Neuroscience
05 Nov 2022Submission Checks Completed
05 Nov 2022Assigned to Editor
05 Nov 2022Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
05 Nov 2022Reviewer(s) Assigned
26 Nov 2022Editorial Decision: Revise Minor
07 Dec 20221st Revision Received
07 Dec 2022Submission Checks Completed
07 Dec 2022Assigned to Editor
07 Dec 2022Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
07 Dec 2022Reviewer(s) Assigned
08 Dec 2022Editorial Decision: Accept