Bifrontal tDCS prevents implicit learning acquisition in antidepressant-free patients with major depressive disorder

Brunoni A.R.; Zanao T.A.; Ferrucci R.; Priori A.; Valiengo L.; de Oliveira J.F.; Boggio P.S.; Lotufo P.A.; Bensenor I.M.; Fregni F.

Bifrontal tDCS prevents implicit learning acquisition in antidepressant-free patients with major depressive disorder

Tipo

Artigo

Data de publicação

2013

Periódico

Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology and Biological Psychiatry

Citações (Scopus)

28

Autores

Brunoni A.R.
Zanao T.A.
Ferrucci R.
Priori A.
Valiengo L.
de Oliveira J.F.
Boggio P.S.
Lotufo P.A.
Bensenor I.M.
Fregni F.

Resumo

The findings for implicit (procedural) learning impairment in major depression are mixed. We investigated this issue using transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), a method that non-invasively increases/decreases cortical activity. Twenty-eight age- and gender-matched, antidepressant-free depressed subjects received a single-session of active/sham tDCS. We used a bifrontal setup - anode and cathode over the left and the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), respectively. The probabilistic classification-learning (PCL) task was administered before and during tDCS. The percentage of correct responses improved during sham; although not during active tDCS. Procedural or implicit learning acquisition between tasks also occurred only for sham. We discuss whether DLPFC activation decreased activity in subcortical structures due to the depressive state. The deactivation of the right DLPFC by cathodal tDCS can also account for our results. To conclude, active bifrontal tDCS prevented implicit learning in depressive patients. Further studies with different tDCS montages and in other samples are necessary. © 2012 Elsevier Inc.