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REVIEW article

Front. Psychol.
Sec. Cognitive Science
Volume 15 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1405636
This article is part of the Research Topic Neurostimulation: Exploring Perceptual & Cognitive Enhancement View all 5 articles

Research progress on the intervention of cognitive function using transcranial alternating current stimulation technology

Provisionally accepted
Qing-Chang WU Qing-Chang WU 1,2cahngli Wu cahngli Wu 3*Jian liu Jian liu 4,5*
  • 1 Soochow University, Suzhou, China
  • 2 Other, Suzhou, China
  • 3 Wuhan Customs, wuhan, China
  • 4 Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China
  • 5 School of Physical Education, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    Transcranial Alternating Current Stimulation (tACS) is a non-invasive brain stimulation that stimulates the cerebral cortex through the output current to regulate neural excitability. This review systematically summarizes the research results of tACS on working memory, learning ability, and decision-making ability, and analyzes the application schemes, safety, and unresolved issues of tACS in the field of cognitive function to provide a theoretical reference for the application of tACS in the field of cognition. Research has found that: 1) tACS intervention can improve the working memory, learning ability, and exercise decision-making ability of athletes and healthy individuals and has a positive effect on improving exercise performance. 2) The factors that determine the effectiveness of tACS intervention include stimulation frequency, stimulation phase, stimulation area, and stimulation dose. The stimulation area and frequency determine which cognitive function tACS affects, whereas the stimulation phase and dose determine the magnitude of the intervention effect. Moreover, before practical application, individual cognitive status, age level, and timing of application should be included in the factors that affect the effectiveness of tACS intervention to develop more scientific intervention plans. 3) Despite the absence of evidence indicating significant safety issues associated with the use of tACS, its widespread adoption among athletes still poses safety risks under the World Anti-Doping Code. In competitive sports, whether the use of tACS will be classified as a "neuro-doping" method leading to disqualification remains uncertain. Therefore, authoritative institutions to provide comprehensive guidelines on the application of tACS, clearly delineating its usage scenarios and defining the safety parameters for tACS stimulation. Additionally, the development of detection devices for tACS usage is essential to ensure that any intervention using tACS can be monitored effectively.

    Keywords: transcranial alternating current stimulation, Cognitive Function, intervention effects, Application strategies, ethical

    Received: 23 Mar 2024; Accepted: 21 Oct 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 WU, Wu and liu. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence:
    cahngli Wu, Wuhan Customs, wuhan, China
    Jian liu, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060, Guangdong Province, China

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.