Transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) at 40 Hz enhances face and object perception

Article


Gonzalez Perez, M., Wakui, E., Thoma, V., Nitsche, M. A. and Rivolta, D. 2019. Transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) at 40 Hz enhances face and object perception. Neuropsychologia. 135 (Art. 107237). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2019.107237
AuthorsGonzalez Perez, M., Wakui, E., Thoma, V., Nitsche, M. A. and Rivolta, D.
Abstract

Neurophysiological evidence suggests that face and object recognition relies on the coordinated activity of neural populations (i.e., neural oscillations) in the gamma-band range (> 30 Hz) over the occipito-temporal cortex. To test the causal effect of gamma-band oscillations on face and object perception we applied transcranial Alternating Current Stimulation (tACS) in healthy volunteers (N = 60). In this single-blind, sham-controlled study, we examined whether the administration of offline tACS at gamma-frequency (40 Hz) over the right occipital cortex enhances performance of perception and memory of face and object stimuli. We hypothesized that gamma tACS would enhance the perception of both categories of visual stimuli. Results, in line with our hypothesis, show that 40 Hz tACS enhanced both face and object perception. This effect is process-specific (i.e., it does not affect memory), frequency-specific (i.e., stimulation at 5 Hz did not cause any behavioural change), and site-specific (i.e., stimulation of the sensory-motor cortex did not affect performance). Our findings show that high-frequency tACS modulates human visual perception, and it is in line with neurophysiological studies showing that the perception of visual stimuli (i.e., faces and objects) is mediated by oscillations in the gamma-band range. Furthermore, this study adds insight about the design of effective neuromodulation protocols that might have implications for interventions in clinical settings.

JournalNeuropsychologia
Journal citation135 (Art. 107237)
ISSN0028-3932
Year2019
PublisherElsevier
Accepted author manuscript
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Anyone
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2019.107237
Web address (URL)https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2019.107237
Publication dates
Online23 Oct 2019
Publication process dates
Accepted20 Oct 2019
Deposited21 Oct 2019
Copyright holder© 2019 Elsevier
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