Transcranial random noise stimulation (tRNS) improves hot and cold executive functions in children with attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)

Abstract

Children with attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have impaired hot and cold executive functions, which is thought to be related to impaired ventromedial and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (vmPFC and dlPFC) functions. The present study aimed to assess the impact concurrent stimulation of dlPFC and vmPFC through transcranial random noise stimulation (tRNS), a non-invasive brain stimulation tool which enhances cortical excitability via application of alternating sinusoidal currents with random frequencies and amplitudes over the respective target regions on hot and cold executive functions. Eighteen children with ADHD received real and sham tRNS over the left dlPFC and the right vmPFC in two sessions with one week interval. The participants performed Circle Tracing, Go/No-Go, Wisconsin Card Sorting, and Balloon Analogue Risk Tasks during stimulation in each session. The results showed improved ongoing inhibition, prepotent inhibition, working memory, and decision making, but not set-shifting performance, during real, as compared to sham stimulation. This indicates that simultaneous stimulation of the dlPFC and the vmPFC improves hot and cold executive functions in children with ADHD.

Keywords: Attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD); Dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) transcranial random noise stimulation (tRNS); Hot and cold executive functions ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC).