Effect of transcranial Direct Current Stimulation on brain response to frequency mismatch stimulation

Abstract

Transcranial direct current electrical stimulation (tDCS) is a method of non-invasively stimulating the brain by applying a weak current to the scalp. It has been widely used for rehabilitation of paralysis caused by stroke and application to sports training, but there have been few reports targeting the auditory cortex. In this study, we investigated the effects of tDCS on the auditory cortex in terms of both EEG and discrimination ability, using two tasks: pitch discrimination task and oddball task. Although no effect on the event-related potential component P2 was shown in the EEG, the results suggest that tDCS may have an effect on auditory habituation in the pitch discrimination task.