RT info:eu-repo/semantics/article
T1 Multisession Anodal tDCS on the Right Temporo-Parietal Junction Improves Mentalizing Processes in Adults with Autistic Traits
A1 Padrón González, Iván
A1 García Marco, Enrique
A1 Moreno González, Iván
A1 Birba, Agustina
A1 Silvestri, Valentina
A1 León Santana, Inmaculada
A1 Álvarez González, Carlos Javier
A1 López Pigüi, Joana
A1 Vega Rodríguez, Manuel de
K1 autism spectrum disorder
K1 brain stimulation
K1 tDCS
K1 mentalizing skills
K1 theory of mind
K1 false belief
K1 self-other judgments
AB Persons with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have impaired mentalizing skills. In thisstudy, a group of persons with ASD traits (high-AQ scores) initially received sham tDCS beforecompleting a pre-test in two mentalizing tasks: false belief and self-other judgments. Over the next week, on four consecutive days, they received sessions of anodal electrical stimulation (a-tDCS) over the right temporo-parietal junction (rTPJ), a region frequently associated with the theory ofmind. On the last day, after the stimulation session, they completed a new set of mentalizing tasks.A control group (with low-AQ scores) matched in age, education and intelligence received just sham stimulation and completed the same pre-test and post-test. The results showed that the high-AQ group improved their performance (faster responses), after a-tDCS, in the false belief and in the self-other judgments of mental features, whereas they did not change performance in the falsephotographs or the self-other judgments of physical features. These selective improvements cannotbe attributed to increased familiarity with the tasks, because the performance of the low-AQ control group remained stable about one week later. Therefore, our study provides initial proof that tDCS could be used to improve mentalizing skills in persons with ASD traits.
YR 2021
FD 2021
LK http://riull.ull.es/xmlui/handle/915/35596
UL http://riull.ull.es/xmlui/handle/915/35596
LA en
DS Repositorio institucional de la Universidad de La Laguna
RD 11-may-2024