Judgment and decision-making are considered cognitive dual-process', considering the role of intuitive and analytical thinking. The intuitive process has associated with automatic and impulsive responses, while the analytical process has features to inhibit automatic responses, control of action, high working memory capacity, and normally triggered correct decisions. Considering these features, the dual-process is strongly linked to executive functions, such as inhibition, set-shifting, and working memory, and these cognitive abilities normally are linked to prefrontal cortex activity.
One of the brain areas of the prefrontal cortex which is responsible for cognitive answers is the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC). Both right and left DLPFC’s sides have a role in cognitive processes. The left-DLPFC has been linked to self-regulation and attentional processes, while the right-DLPFC has been associated with cognitive control and planning of changes. All these cognitive abilities might contribute to judgment and decision-making processes, especially the abilities involving the control of thoughts.
Considering those brain areas involving in the judgment and decision-making processes, strategies that increase the performance of these abilities can be adopted. In this sense, the transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) might be an interesting alternative, especially aiming to increase the cortical excitability (i.e. anodal stimulation). A recent systematic review and metanalysis already had shown that a single session of tDCS applied over either side of DLPFC was able to improve the reaction time during cognitive tasks. Thus, Edgcumbe et al. investigated the effect of tDCS on both sides of DLPCF to judgment and decision-making responses. Thereunto, 25 males and 29 females (n = 54) were recruited and received three different montages of tDCS, defined randomly: i) anode right DLPFC (F4) - return left DLPFC, (ii) anode left DLPFC (F3) – return right DLPFC or (iii) sham right DLPFC – sham left DLPFC. In the real stimulation condition, the current was 1.5 mA and, in all conditions, the stimulation occurred for 20 minutes. The participants answered the cognitive reflection test (CRT) and the open-minded thinking (AOT) scale.
Source: Doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.brs.2018.12.003
The results showed that the tDCS over right-DLPFC improved cognitive reflection performance, analytical judgment, and decision-making. Also, the left-DLPFC stimulation worsens the logic index score, while no difference was found comparing the right stimulation and sham in this index. One possible explanation for these results perhaps the changes in the default mode network and the attentional network promoted by tDCS, hence the improvement in cognitive performance. These results strengthen the argument of tDCS use to improve decision-making. Also, clinical conditions that might present prejudice on decision-making, such as anxiety and depression, might be benefited from tDCS use.
References:
Edgcumbe et al. (2018). Anodal transcranial direct current stimulation over the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex enhances reflective judgment and decision-making. Brain Stimulation. Doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.brs.2018.12.003
Dedoncker et al. (2016). A systematic review and meta-analysis of the effects of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) over the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex in healthy and neuropsychiatric samples: influence of stimulation parameters. Brain Stimulation. Doi: 10.1016/j.brs.2016.04.006
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