Iranian Journal of Learning and Memory

The Effect of Forehead Cortex Electric Current Stimulation on Inhibitory Control and Working Memory in Children with Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Sondos Kashani Khatib 1
Simin Bashardoust 2
Shokoofeh Radfar 3
Malek Mirhashemi 2

1 Ph.D. Candidate, Department Of Psychology, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran

2 Department of Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, Islamic Azad University, Roudhen Branch, Iran

3 Department of MD-Child Psychiatrist, Baqiayatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

https://doi.org/10.22034/iepa.2019.91051
Abstract
This study aimed at determining the effect of forehead cortex electric current stimulation on inhibitory control and working memory in people with attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), using TDCS device. The method used was quasi-experimental research with pretest-posttest control group design. The participants were 24 children with attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder aged 7-11 who referred to Baqiyatallah Hospital in 1397. Children were randomly divided into experimental (n = 12) and control (n = 12) groups. The experimental group was intervened in 10 sessions, 3 times a week, and each session was 20 minutes. Assessments were performed in 3 steps, a day before the intervention, and a day after the intervention ended, and finally at the follow-up phase, two months after the intervention was accomplished. Go/no Go and N-back tests were used to evaluate inhibitory control and working memory, respectively.  A repeated measurement method was applied to analyze the data. Findings revealed that brain electric stimulation program improves working memory and inhibitory control in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Therefore, brain electric stimulation program can be used to enhance the working memory and inhibitory control of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

Keywords

Attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder
brain electrical stimulation
forehead cortex
inhibitory control
working memory
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