Transcranial Oscillatory Direct Current Stimulation During Sleep Improves Declarative Memory Consolidation in Children With Attention-deficit/hyperactivity Disorder to a Level Comparable to Healthy Controls

doi:10.1016/j.brs.2014.07.036

Brain Stimulation

Volume 7, Issue 6, November–December 2014, Pages 793-799

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.brs.2014.07.036 Get rights and content

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Highlights

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Slow oscillations (<1 Hz) during slow wave sleep support consolidation of declarative memory, and the application of transcranial oscillatory direct current stimulation (toDCS) at 0.75 Hz can enhance consolidation of declarative memory in healthy adults.
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Children with ADHD display altered slow EEG-activity during slow wave sleep and show deficits in the sleep associated consolidation of declarative memory.
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Applying toDCS during slow wave sleep in children with ADHD improved sleep-dependent consolidation of declarative memory to a level comparable to healthy controls.
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To our knowledge this is the first study reporting that in ADHD brain functions can be alleviated by toDCS.

Abstract

Background

Slow oscillations (<1 Hz) during slow wave sleep (SWS) promote the consolidation of declarative memory. Children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have been shown to display deficits in sleep-dependent consolidation of declarative memory supposedly due to dysfunctional slow brain rhythms during SWS.

Objective

Using transcranial oscillating direct current stimulation (toDCS) at 0.75 Hz, we investigated whether an externally triggered increase in slow oscillations during early SWS elevates memory performance in children with ADHD. Methods: 12 children with ADHD underwent a toDCS and a sham condition in a double-blind crossover study design conducted in a sleep laboratory. Memory was tested using a 2D object-location task. In addition, 12 healthy children performed the same memory task in their home environment.

Results

Stimulation enhanced slow oscillation power in children with ADHD and boosted memory performance to the same level as in healthy children.

Conclusion

These data indicate that increasing slow oscillation power during sleep by toDCS can alleviate declarative memory deficits in children with ADHD.

Keywords

Transcranial oscillating direct current stimulation

Slow oscillations

Sleep

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder

Children

Declarative memory

Cited by (0)

: This work was supported by a grant of the German Research Funding (SFB 654, “Plasticity and Sleep”).