tDCS on WM in adults with ASD
Research type
Research Study
Full title
A single blind, randomized controlled trial of anodal transcranial direct-current stimulation against cathodal and sham stimulation in Adults with High-Functioning Autism.
IRAS ID
226148
Contact name
Abdullah Habib
Contact email
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 11 months, 31 days
Research summary
Many studies have examined working memory in people with autism spectrum disorder as working memory deficits in individuals with autism spectrum disorder leads to multiple difficulties associated with behaviour regulation, cognitive flexibility, abstract thinking, and focusing and sustaining attention (Hughes, Russell and Robbins, 1994; Ozonoff and McEvoy, 1994; Ozonoff, Pennington and Rogers, 1991)
Evidence suggests that transcranial Direct Current Stimulation on the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex leads to an increase in working memory performance in typically developing individuals (Fregni et al., 2005; Boggio et al., 2006; Ohn et al., 2008; Jo et al., 2009; Andrews et al., 2011). This may have important benefits for people with autism spectrum disorder since autism spectrum disorder is known to be associated with working memory deficiencies (Barendse et al., 2013). This study will build on a pilot study conducted in 2014, the experiment tested participants working memory scores on an N-back test, after receiving anodal (positive stimulation) stimulation for 15 mins over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. This task requires the participant to perform multiple cognitive operations, including encoding of new stimuli, updating and maintaining past stimuli, and recognising and responding to whether each new stimulus matches the three-back stimulus. Participants are presented with a random set of ten letters (from A-Z). A different letter will be displayed every 2s, participants will be required to respond (key press 1) if the presented letter was the same as the letter presented three stimuli previously (a target). If it was not a target, participants were required to respond with key press 2. In this test, a total of 30 correct responses are possible. Participants will perform the task three times to reduce variability. Accuracy (number of correct responses), error rate (number of incorrect responses), and reaction time (interval between target presentation and pressing 1 or 2) will be recorded. Based on the findings from the pilot study we will conduct a full study to investigate the effects of anodal transcranial Direct Current Stimulation on adults with high-functioning autism, as well as test whether the effects of transcranial Direct Current Stimulation on dorsolateral prefrontal cortex is dependent on polarity (anodal versus cathodal (negative stimulation) stimulation).
REC name
West of Scotland REC 3
REC reference
17/WS/0183
Date of REC Opinion
18 Oct 2017
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion