Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39354549›Full record

ArticleMolecular brain2024

Improving working memory by electrical stimulation and cross-frequency coupling.

Wiam Al Qasem, Mohammed Abubaker, Kateřina Pilátová, Petr Ježdík, Eugen Kvašňák

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Molecular brain, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
–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.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Trial
  2. Modulation of prefrontal theta oscillations slows social cognition.Cognitive, affective & behavioral neuroscience · 2026
    Article
  3. Article
  4. Article
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

5 authors.

Wiam Al QasemDepartment of Medical Biophysics and Medical Informatics, Third Faculty of Medicine, Charles University in Prague, Prague, Czechia. wiam.alqasem@lf3.cuni.cz.
Mohammed AbubakerDepartment of Medical Biophysics and Medical Informatics, Third Faculty of Medicine, Charles University in Prague, Prague, Czechia.
Kateřina PilátováDepartment of Information and Communication Technology in Medicine, Faculty of Biomedical Engineering, Czech Technical University in Prague, Prague, Czechia.
Petr JeždíkDepartment of Circuit Theory, Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Czech Technical University in Prague, Prague, Czechia.
Eugen KvašňákDepartment of Medical Biophysics and Medical Informatics, Third Faculty of Medicine, Charles University in Prague, Prague, Czechia.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Working memory (WM) is essential for the temporary storage and processing of information required for complex cognitive tasks and relies on neuronal theta and gamma oscillations. Given the limited capacity of WM, researchers have investigated various methods to improve it, including transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS), which modulates brain activity at specific frequencies. One particularly promising approach is theta-gamma peak-coupled-tACS (TGCp-tACS), which simulates the natural interaction between theta and gamma oscillations that occurs during cognitive control in the brain. The aim of this study was to improve WM in healthy young adults with TGCp-tACS, focusing on both behavioral and neurophysiological outcomes. Thirty-one participants completed five WM tasks under both sham and verum stimulation conditions. Electroencephalography (EEG) recordings before and after stimulation showed that TGCp-tACS increased power spectral density (PSD) in the high-gamma region at the stimulation site, while PSD decreased in the theta and delta regions throughout the cortex. From a behavioral perspective, although no significant changes were observed in most tasks, there was a significant improvement in accuracy in the 14-item Sternberg task, indicating an improvement in phonological WM. In conclusion, TGCp-tACS has the potential to promote and improve the phonological component of WM. To fully realize the cognitive benefits, further research is needed to refine the stimulation parameters and account for individual differences, such as baseline cognitive status and hormonal factors.

Indexed as

Memory, Short-TermTranscranial Direct Current StimulationAdultBehaviorElectric StimulationElectroencephalographyFemaleGamma RhythmHumansMaleTheta RhythmYoung AdultElectroencephalography (EEG)Power spectral density (PSD)Theta-gamma peak-coupled transcranial alternating current stimulationTranscranial alternating current stimulation (tACS)Working memory (WM)

Identifiers

PMID39354549
PMCPMC11446076

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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.