This study investigated effects of multisession transcranial direct-current stimulation on learning and maintenance of novel memory content and scrutinised effects of baseline cognitive status and the role of multi-session tDCS on overnight memory consolidation. In a prospective, randomized, double-blind, parallel-group, sham-tDCS controlled design, 101 healthy young and older adults completed a five-day verbal associative learning paradigm while receiving multisession tDCS to the task-relevant left prefrontal cortex. In older adults, active multisession tDCS enhanced recall performance after each daily training session. Effects were maintained the next morning and during follow-up assessments (one week; three months). In young adults, multisession tDCS significantly increased long-term recall. Unlike previous findings in the motor domain, beneficial effects of multisession tDCS on cognitive learning and memory were notexclusively due to enhanced memory consolidation. Positive stimulation effects were primarily found in participants with lower baseline learning ability, suggesting that multisession tDCS may counteract memory impairment in health and disease.

中文翻译：

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多会话经颅直流电刺激促进年轻人和老年人的语言学习和记忆巩固

本研究调查了多会话经颅直流电刺激对学习和维持新记忆内容的影响，并仔细检查了基线认知状态的影响以及多会话 tDCS 对夜间记忆巩固的作用。在一项前瞻性、随机、双盲、平行组、假 tDCS 控制设计中，101 名健康的年轻人和老年人完成了为期五天的语言联想学习范式，同时接受了对任务相关的左前额叶皮层的多会话 tDCS。在老年人中，活跃的多会话 tDCS 可提高每次日常训练后的回忆表现。第二天早上和后续评估期间（一周；三个月）仍保持效果。在年轻人中，多会话 tDCS 显着增加了长期回忆。与之前在运动领域的发现不同，多会话 tDCS 对认知学习和记忆的有益影响并非完全是由于增强的记忆巩固。积极的刺激效应主要在基线学习能力较低的参与者中发现，这表明多会话 tDCS 可能会抵消健康和疾病中的记忆障碍。