Analogical reasoning involves mapping the relation between two concepts within a specific field into a new domain to selectively retrieve a possible solution. Neuroimaging studies have shown that both selective retrieval and reasoning by analogy are related to activity in prefrontal regions such as the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC). In the present study, we investigate the role of the right DLPFC in modulating memory accessibility and its impact on analogical reasoning by using transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS). Participants performed a four-term reasoning task after performing repeated selective retrieval of previously presented items, some of which could be used as solutions in the analogical test. During selective retrieval, half of the participants received cathodal tDCS over the right DLPFC and the other half received sham stimulation. The results reveal that whereas the sham group showed the expected cost in performance that is associated with selective retrieval, the cathodal group did not exhibit such an impairment in reasoning. No general effects of tDCS on analogical performance were observed. Altogether, our results support the involvement of the right DLPFC as a core component of a control network that selectively contributes to the retrieval component of analogical reasoning, but with little role in mapping relations between different domains.

类比推理涉及将特定领域内两个概念之间的关系映射到新域中，以选择性地检索可能的解决方案。神经影像学研究表明，类比的选择性检索和推理都与前额区（例如背外侧前额叶皮层（DLPFC））的活动有关。在本研究中，我们研究了正确的DLPFC在调节记忆可访问性中的作用及其通过使用经颅直流电刺激（tDCS）对类比推理的影响。参与者对先前介绍的项目进行重复的选择性检索后，他们执行了四项推理任务，其中一些可以用作类比测试中的解决方案。在选择性检索期间，一半的参与者通过右侧DLPFC接受了阴极tDCS，另一半接受了假刺激。结果表明，假手术组表现出与选择性检索有关的预期性能成本，而阴极组在推理上并未表现出这种损害。没有观察到tDCS对类比性能的一般影响。总而言之，我们的结果支持正确的DLPFC作为控制网络的核心组件的参与，该控件网络选择性地有助于类比推理的检索组件，但是在映射不同域之间的关系方面几乎没有作用。没有观察到tDCS对类比性能的一般影响。总而言之，我们的结果支持正确的DLPFC作为控制网络的核心组件的参与，该控件网络选择性地有助于类比推理的检索组件，但是在映射不同域之间的关系方面几乎没有作用。没有观察到tDCS对类比性能的一般影响。总而言之，我们的结果支持正确的DLPFC作为控制网络的核心组件的参与，该控件网络选择性地有助于类比推理的检索组件，但是在映射不同域之间的关系方面几乎没有作用。