Transcranial direct current stimulation and attention skills in burnout patients:
a randomized sham-controlled pilot study
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1
DIADIS BVBA, Belgium
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2
University of Hasselt, Belgium
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3
University of Mons, Belgium
BACKGROUND:
Burnout is defined by deficiencies in executive functions, attention, and episodic and working
memory, of which the lingering effects of impaired executive functions and attention are the
most frustrating.
OBJECTIVE/HYPOTHESIS:
We hypothesized that anodal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) of the left
dorsolateral prefrontal cortex can improve executive attention in patients with burnout.
METHODS:
This was a randomized sham controlled pilot study with two arms. Patients with burnout
received three weeks of daily sessions (15 sessions in total) of tDCS in addition to three
weekly sessions of standard behavioral therapy. The primary outcome measure was the
central executive of the working memory, more specifically the updating and control
mechanisms. Secondary, the effect of tDCS was measured on other components of working
memory, on burnout and depression scores, and on quality of life.
RESULTS:
Sixteen patients were enrolled and divided in two groups (sham and real). While both groups
improved on burnout and depression scores, and on several central executive functions, tDCS
had a significant additional beneficiary impact on attention resulting in a better quality of life.
CONCLUSION:
tDCS might be an effective treatment for burnout. However, the current study has some
limitations, including the sample size and heterogeneous patient population. More elaborate
studies are needed to elucidate the specific impact of anodal tDCS over the left dorsolateral
prefrontal cortex on burnout.
Keywords:
tDCS — transcranial direct current stimulation,
burnout,
Attention,
Executive Function,
dorso lateral prefrontal cortex
Conference:
13th National Congress of the Belgian Society for Neuroscience , Brussels, Belgium, 24 May - 24 May, 2019.
Presentation Type:
Poster presentation
Topic:
Behavioral/Systems Neuroscience
Citation:
Van Noppen
P,
Van Dun
K,
Depestele
S,
Verstraelen
S and
Manto
MU
(2019). Transcranial direct current stimulation and attention skills in burnout patients:
a randomized sham-controlled pilot study.
Front. Neurosci.
Conference Abstract:
13th National Congress of the Belgian Society for Neuroscience .
doi: 10.3389/conf.fnins.2019.96.00025
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Received:
30 Apr 2019;
Published Online:
27 Sep 2019.
*
Correspondence:
Mx. Siel Depestele, University of Hasselt, Hasselt, Limburg, 3500, Belgium, siel.depestele@uhasselt.be