The Effects of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation on Performance and Recovery Sleep during Acute sleep Deprivation

Abstract Background: Previous studies have claimed that transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) improves cognition in patients, but few studies that have evaluated the effects of tDCS on cognition improvement during sleep deprivation. To determine whether tDCS (anodal on the left DLPFC and cathodal on the right DLPFC at 2mA current for 30 minutes) can be an effective fatigue countermeasure. Methods: Seven participants and 8 participants underwent active or sham tDCS on the time participants’ cognition declined, respectively. All participants completed the psychomotor vigilance task, the trail making test A and B, the digit cancellation test, the stroop color word test, the brief visuospatial memory test-revised and a procedural game every two hours during the sleep deprivation and after recovery sleep. Results: The active tDCS had beneficial effects on attention, memory, executive function, processing speed, and the ability to inhibit cognitive interference, as well as improvements of subjective drowsiness and fatigue during sleep deprivation. The lasting effect of single tDCS on cognition during sleep deprivation can extend to more than 2 hours. All participants after tDCS gained no disturbed recovery sleep and recovered to baseline cognitive level after the recovery sleep. Conclusions: The study indicated that tDCS is an effective fatigue countermeasure during sleep deprivation, and doesn’t disturb the recovery sleep and performance postrecovery sleep.