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Review Article | Open Access

The cognitive function effects of prefrontal tDCS for depression: a system review

Xiaoli Liu1,2,§, Chang Yu2,§, Hai-Hang Yu1,2, Zan Chen1, Dongsheng Zhou1,2( )
Sleep Clinic Center, Ningbo Kangning Hospital, Ningbo 315201, China
Ningbo Key laboratory of Sleep Medicine, Ningbo Kangning Hospital, Ningbo 315201, China

§ Xiaoli Liu and Chang Yu Contributed equally to this work.

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Graphical Abstract

Abstract

Background:

Depression is accompanied by cognitive control defects. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has been found to be a promising non-invasive treatment for depression. Studies have explored whether tDCS can improve cognitive function in patients with depression, but the results were not consistent.

Methods:

The study summarized the relevant evidence from sham-controlled randomized controlled trials (RCTs) whether prefrontal tDCS improves cognitive function in patients with depression.

Results:

Seventeen sham-controlled studies were selected from 252 papers. Systematic analysis shows that the prefrontal tDCS has a promising prospect in the working memory and emotion process of depression patients; however, there is insufficient evidence to support the reliable influence of tDCS on psychomotor speed, learning, speech process, and overall cognitive function.

Conclusions:

Our review shows that the prefrontal tDCS has positive effects on working memory and emotion processes, but has limited impact on other cognitive functions.

Keywords

cognitive functiondepressiontranscranial direct current stimulation (tDCS)prefrontal cortex

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Stress and Brain
Volume 1 Issue 2,
December 2021
Pages 97-107
DOI: 10.26599/SAB.2020.9060006
Cite this article:
Liu X, Yu C, Yu H-H, et al. The cognitive function effects of prefrontal tDCS for depression: a system review. Stress and Brain, 2021, 1(2): 97-107. https://doi.org/10.26599/SAB.2020.9060006

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Received: 27 March 2020
Revised: 01 July 2020
Accepted: 25 August 2021
Published: 17 December 2021
© The Author(s) 2021

Creative Commons Non Commercial CC BY-NC: This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 License (http://www.creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/) which permits non-commercial use, reproduction and distribution of the work without further permission.
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