Effects of transcranial direct current stimulation on improving performance of delayed- reinforcement attentional set-shifting tasks in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder rat model

Hsin Yung Chen, Chia Yen Yang, Tsung Hsun Hsieh, Chih Wei Peng, Li Ling Chuang, Ying Ling Chang, Huang Ju Chi, Hsin Min Lee*, Sophie Hsin Yi Liang*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalJournal Article peer-review

5 Scopus citations

Abstract

Behavioral flexibility (or set-shifting), which is regulated by the prefrontal cortex (PFC), is often impaired in patients with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), which is characterized by poor inhibitory control and reinforcement learning. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has been proposed as a means of noninvasive brain stimulation and a potential therapeutic tool for modulating behavioral flexibility. Animal studies can pave the way to know if tDCS application can potentially benefit rule- and goal-based activities in ADHD. Spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs) and inbred Wistar–Kyoto (WKY) rats were used as an animal model of ADHD and controls, respectively, and their strategy set-shifting abilities, including initial discrimination, set-shifting, and reversal learning tasks under 0-s or 15-s reinforcer delivery delay conditions, were evaluated. The tDCS treatment had a limited effect on the performance of the SHRs and WKY rats in initial discrimination task under 0-s delay condition. Under the 15-s delay condition, the SHRs had longer lever-press reaction times and/or more trial omissions than the WKY rats did when completing set-shifting and reversal-learning tasks. Among the SHRs, tDCS treatment improved the rats’ reaction times and/or reduced their trial omissions in the set-shifting and reversal-learning tasks. Although tDCS may improve delayed reinforcement learning set-shifting performance in SHRs, further studies are required to clarify the responsible mechanism.

Original languageEnglish
Article number114145
Pages (from-to)114145
JournalBehavioural Brain Research
Volume437
DOIs
StatePublished - 02 02 2023

Bibliographical note

Copyright © 2022 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Keywords

  • Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
  • Reinforcement learning
  • Set-shifting
  • Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS)
  • Rats, Inbred SHR
  • Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation
  • Animals
  • Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity
  • Rats
  • Rats, Inbred WKY
  • Attention/physiology
  • Disease Models, Animal

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Effects of transcranial direct current stimulation on improving performance of delayed- reinforcement attentional set-shifting tasks in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder rat model'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this