Neuroimaging studies suggest that the increment of the cognitive load associated with a specific task may induce the recruitment of a more bilateral brain network. In most studies, however, task demand has been manipulated in a static and pre-specified way, regardless of individual cognitive resources.Here we implemented a new paradigm based on a pre-experimental assessment to set up subject-specific levels of task demand and applied tDCS (transcranial direct current stimulation) to assess each hemisphere involvement in task performance.24 young participants performed a digit span backward (DSB, complex cognitive function) and a paced finger tapping task (pFT, basic motor function) at 3 levels of subject-specific task demand ("low" 5/5 correct answers, "medium" 3/5, "high" 1/5). Anodal tDCS (20 min, 1.5 mA) was delivered through a target electrode (5 x 5 cm) positioned to stimulate both the inferior frontal gyrus and the primary motor area over left and right hemisphere and in sham condition in three different days.A 3 (left, right, sham) x 3 (low, medium, high) mixed-model with random intercept for subjects was run with R software.As expected, in both tasks accuracy decreased with the increment of subject-specific task demand. Moreover, a significant interaction between type of stimulation and subject-specific task demand was found for the reaction times recorded during the DSB and for the accuracy in the pFT: in the most demanding conditions, right anodal tDCS significantly interfered with behavioural performance.Our results suggest that hemispheric lateralization is modulated by the subject-specific level of task demand and this modulation is not task-specific
Vergallito, A., Romero Lauro, L., Bonandrini, R., Zapparoli, L., Danelli, L., & Berlingeri, M. (2018). What is difficult for you can be easy for me. Effects of increasing individual task demand on prefrontal lateralization: A tDCS study. NEUROPSYCHOLOGIA, 109, 283-294.
Citazione: | Vergallito, A., Romero Lauro, L., Bonandrini, R., Zapparoli, L., Danelli, L., & Berlingeri, M. (2018). What is difficult for you can be easy for me. Effects of increasing individual task demand on prefrontal lateralization: A tDCS study. NEUROPSYCHOLOGIA, 109, 283-294. |
Tipo: | Articolo in rivista - Articolo scientifico |
Carattere della pubblicazione: | Scientifica |
Presenza di un coautore afferente ad Istituzioni straniere: | No |
Titolo: | What is difficult for you can be easy for me. Effects of increasing individual task demand on prefrontal lateralization: A tDCS study |
Autori: | Vergallito, A; Romero Lauro, L; Bonandrini, R; Zapparoli, L; Danelli, L; Berlingeri, M |
Autori: | BERLINGERI, MANUELA (Corresponding) |
Data di pubblicazione: | 2018 |
Lingua: | English |
Rivista: | NEUROPSYCHOLOGIA |
Digital Object Identifier (DOI): | http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2017.12.038 |
Appare nelle tipologie: | 01 - Articolo su rivista |