Evidence map›Paper›PMID 21989847›Full record

SynthesisExperimental brain research2012

tDCS polarity effects in motor and cognitive domains: a meta-analytical review.

Liron Jacobson, Meni Koslowsky, Michal Lavidor

Registry-linked trialAbstract readMeta-AnalysisReview
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Experimental brain research, 2012. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT04997226 (Cognitive Enhancement in Healthy Elderly People), which is not on this map. Cited by 370 papers, 18 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
370citing papers in PubMed, 18 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

NCT04997226 naunknown statusnot on this mapstarted 2020, after this paper: background citation

Cognitive Enhancement in Healthy Elderly People

TypeinterventionalSponsorBar-Ilan University, IsraelRan2020 to 2023Enrolled120ConditionsTranscranial Direct Current Stimulation, Transcranial Alternating Current StimulationArmstDCS or tACS over the left DLPFC with adaptive memory game, Sham tDCS or tACS over the left DLPFC with adaptive memory game
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

370 citing papers in PubMed, 18 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

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  4. TMS and tDCS as potential tools for the treatment of cognitive deficits in Parkinson's disease: a meta-analysis.Neurological sciences : official journal of the Italian Neurological Society and of the Italian Society of Clinical Neurophysiology · 2025
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  9. tDCS effect on prosocial behavior: a meta-analytic review.Social cognitive and affective neuroscience · 2022
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  15. Does non-invasive brain stimulation modulate emotional stress reactivity?Social cognitive and affective neuroscience · 2020
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310 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

3 authors.

Liron JacobsonThe Gonda Multidisciplinary Brain Research Center, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel.
Meni Koslowsky
Michal Lavidor

Funding

European Research Council 200512
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

In vivo effects of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) have attracted much attention nowadays as this area of research spreads to both the motor and cognitive domains. The common assumption is that the anode electrode causes an enhancement of cortical excitability during stimulation, which then lasts for a few minutes thereafter, while the cathode electrode generates the opposite effect, i.e., anodal-excitation and cathodal-inhibition effects (AeCi). Yet, this dual-polarity effect has not been observed in all tDCS studies. Here, we conducted a meta-analytical review aimed to investigate the homogeneity/heterogeneity of the effect sizes of the AeCi dichotomy in both motor and cognitive functions. The AeCi effect was found to occur quite commonly with motor investigations and rarely in cognitive studies. When the anode electrode is applied over a non-motor area, in most cases, it will cause an excitation as measured by a relevant cognitive or perceptual task; however, the cathode electrode rarely causes an inhibition. We found homogeneity in motor studies and heterogeneity in cognitive studies with the electrode's polarity serving as a moderator that can explain the source of heterogeneity in cognitive studies. The lack of inhibitory cathodal effects might reflect compensation processes as cognitive functions are typically supported by rich brain networks. Further insights as to the polarity and domain interaction are offered, including subdivision to different classes of cognitive functions according to their likelihood of being affected by stimulation.

Indexed as

BiophysicsClinical Trials as TopicCognitionDatabases, BibliographicElectric StimulationHumansMotor Activity

Identifiers

PMID21989847

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.