Background

Previous studies have identified the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) as a core region in cognitive emotional regulation. Transcranial direct current stimulations of the dlPFC (tDCS) and heart-rate variability biofeedback (BFB) are known to regulate emotional processes. However, the effect of these interventions applied either alone or concomitantly during an anticipatory stress remains unexplored.

Objective

The study investigated the effect of anodal tDCS and BFB, alone or combined, on psychophysiological stress responses and cognitive functioning.

Methods

Following a stress anticipation induction, 80 participants were randomized into four groups and subjected to a 15-min intervention: neutral video viewing (ctrl), left dlPFC anodal tDCS (tdcs), heart-rate variability biofeedback (bfb), or a combined treatment (bfb + tdcs). Participants were then immediately confronted with the stressor, which was followed by an assessment of executive functions. Psychophysiological stress responses were assessed throughout the experiment (heart rate, heart-rate variability, salivary cortisol).

Results

The tdcs did not modulate stress responses. Compared with both ctrl and tdcs interventions, bfb reduced physiological stress and improved executive functions after the stressor. The main finding revealed that bfb + tdcs was the most effective intervention, yielding greater reduction in psychological and physiological stress responses than bfb.

Conclusions

Combining preventive tDCS with BFB is a relevant interventional approach to reduce psychophysiological stress responses, hence offering a new and non-invasive treatment of stress-related disorders. Biofeedback may be particularly useful for preparing for an important stressful event when performance is decisive.

中文翻译：

---

结合主动经颅刺激和心脏生物反馈来大幅管理有害的压力影响

背景

先前的研究已将背外侧前额叶皮层 (dlPFC) 确定为认知情绪调节的核心区域。众所周知，dlPFC (tDCS) 和心率变异性生物反馈 (BFB) 的经颅直流刺激可以调节情绪过程。然而，这些干预措施在预期压力期间单独应用或同时应用的效果仍有待探索。

客观的

该研究调查了阳极 tDCS 和 BFB 单独或组合对心理生理应激反应和认知功能的影响。

方法

在压力预期诱导之后，80 名参与者被随机分为四组并接受 15 分钟的干预：中性视频观看 ( ctrl )、左侧 dlPFC 阳极tDCS ( tdcs )、心率变异性生物反馈 ( bfb ) 或联合治疗（bfb + tdcs）。然后参与者立即面对压力源，然后对执行功能进行评估。在整个实验过程中评估了心理生理应激反应（心率、心率变异性、唾液皮质醇）。

结果

该TDCS没有调节应激反应。与ctrl和tdcs干预相比，bfb减少了生理压力并改善了压力源后的执行功能。主要发现表明，bfb + tdcs是最有效的干预措施，与bfb 相比，其在心理和生理压力反应方面的降低幅度更大。

结论

将预防性 tDCS 与 BFB 相结合是一种减少心理生理应激反应的相关干预方法，因此提供了一种新的、非侵入性的应激相关疾病治疗方法。当表现决定性时，生物反馈对于为重要的压力事件做准备可能特别有用。