Cognitive Enhancement via Network-Targeted Cortico-cortical Associative Brain Stimulation
Abstract
Fluid intelligence (gf) represents a crucial component of human cognition, as it correlates with academic achievement, successful aging, and longevity. However, it has strong resilience against enhancement interventions, making the identification of gf enhancement approaches a key unmet goal of cognitive neuroscience. Here, we applied a spike-timing-dependent plasticity (STDP)-inducing brain stimulation protocol, named cortico-cortical paired associative stimulation (cc-PAS), to modulate gf in 29 healthy young subjects (13 females—mean ± standard deviation, 25.43 years ± 3.69), based on dual-coil transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). Pairs of neuronavigated TMS pulses (10-ms interval) were delivered over two frontoparietal nodes of the gf network, based on individual functional magnetic resonance imaging data and in accordance with cognitive models of information processing across the prefrontal and parietal lobe. cc-PAS enhanced accuracy at gf tasks, with parieto-frontal and fronto-parietal stimulation significantly increasing logical and relational reasoning, respectively. Results suggest the possibility of using SPTD-inducing TMS protocols to causally validate cognitive models by selectively engaging relevant networks and manipulating inter-regional temporal dynamics supporting specific cognitive functions.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Pub Defense Publication
- Publication Date
- Oct 30, 2019
- Source ID
- 10.1093/cercor/bhz182
Entities
People
- A. Pascual-leone
- Alessandro Rossi
- C Smeralda
- Davide Momi
- Domenica Veniero
- E. Santarnecchi
- F. Neri
- G Coiro
- G. Sprugnoli
- S. Rossi
Organizations
- Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency
- Harvard Medical School
- Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity
- National Institutes of Health
- University of Glasgow
- University of Siena