Cognitive reserve predicts episodic memory enhancement induced by transcranial direct current stimulation in healthy older adults

Episodic memory shows the largest degree of age-related decline. Anodal transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) can enhance episodic memory in aging but there is also evidence of response variability even when using identical stimulation parameters. To explore which inter-individual factors (...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Scientific reports Vol. 14; no. 1; pp. 4879 - 15
Main Authors: Sandrini, Marco, Manenti, Rosa, Gobbi, Elena, Pagnoni, Ilaria, Geviti, Andrea, Alaimo, Cristina, Campana, Elena, Binetti, Giuliano, Cotelli, Maria
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 28.02.2024
Nature Publishing Group
Nature Portfolio
Subjects:
631/378
631/477
Aging
Cognitive ability
Electrical stimulation of the brain
Episodic memory
ESB
Humanities and Social Sciences
Memory
multidisciplinary
Older people
Recall
Regression analysis
Science
Science (multidisciplinary)
ISSN:2045-2322, 2045-2322
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Episodic memory shows the largest degree of age-related decline. Anodal transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) can enhance episodic memory in aging but there is also evidence of response variability even when using identical stimulation parameters. To explore which inter-individual factors (i.e. age, education, encoding performance, cognitive reserve, tDCS group and timing of tDCS application) may directly and/or indirectly modulate verbal memory recall, we used data from our previous tDCS studies that showed enhanced episodic memory recall in 80 healthy older adults. In these studies we used the same paradigm and stimulation parameters but tDCS was applied during different memory stages. Memory recall was tested 48 hours and 30 days after encoding. Univariate regression models showed that tDCS group (Anodal vs. Sham) predicted memory recall, indicating higher scores in the Anodal group than in the Sham group. Encoding performance predicted memory recall in both tDCS groups. Multiple regression models revealed that cognitive reserve, measured with a life experience questionnaire, predicted memory recall only for the Anodal group. Higher cognitive reserve was linked to better memory recall. Accounting for individual differences in cognitive reserve at baseline helps to explain tDCS responsiveness. This knowledge may contribute to optimize its use in older adults.
Bibliography:ObjectType-Article-1
SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1
ObjectType-Feature-2
content type line 14
content type line 23
ISSN:2045-2322
2045-2322
DOI:10.1038/s41598-024-53507-0