Using transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) to influence decision criterion in a target detection paradigm.

Abstract

In this article we investigate how a psychological theory used to model perceptual learning and face recognition can be used to predict that anodal tDCS delivered over the DLPFC at Fp3 site (for 10 mins duration at 1.5 mA intensity) modulates the decision criterion, C, (and not d-prime [d']) in a target detection task. In two between-subjects and double-blind experiments (n = 112) we examined the tDCS effects on C when subjects were engaged in a target detection task, in the first instance involving artificial checkerboard stimuli (Experiment 1a), and subsequently face stimuli (Experiment 1b). The results from both experiments revealed that in the sham/control groups a significantly higher C was used when detecting a target pattern (Experiment 1a) or face (Experiment 1b) presented on a familiar rather than a random background. Importantly, anodal tDCS significantly reduced/reversed this difference between C adopted for familiar and random backgrounds in both Experiment 1a and 1b without affecting d'. These results contribute to advance our understanding of the tDCS-induced effects on stimulus representation and to the literature regarding the modulation of C.

Using transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) to selectively modulate the face inversion effect and N170 event-related potentials

“…However, when the authors extended the same tDCS procedure to a Mooney Task (black and white distorted images), a blocking learning effect was found at face detection and a decreased performance at object detection (Renzi et al, 2015). More recently, Civile et al (2022) showed that anodal tDCS delivered at Fp3 (same as our procedure) influenced subjects’ decision criterion when performing a face target detection task. Interestingly, two recent studies have also investigated the effects of tDCS on the other-race effect (ORE).…”

Developments in associative theory: A tribute to the contributions of Robert A. Rescorla.

“…Later work by Robbins (1990) showed that changes in attention to a CS may drive extinction (loss of attention) and cause spontaneous recovery (return of attention). In this special issue, Civile et al (2022) evaluate stimulus processing mechanisms in the context of human perceptual learning and decision making. These findings together show that a complete picture of the conditions in which associative learning is expressed in performance needs to consider not just the status of the CS-US association but must also include the potential contribution of the conditioned response and nonassociative factors within CS and US representations themselves.…”