Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation Targeting the Ventromedial Prefrontal Cortex Reduces Reactive Aggression and Modulates Electrophysiological Responses in a Forensic Population

Background: Studies have shown that impairments in the ventromedial prefrontal cortex play a crucial role in violent behavior in forensic patients who also abuse cocaine and alcohol. Moreover, interventions that aimed to reduce violence risk in those patients are found not to be optimal. A promising...

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Main Authors: Franken, I.H.A (Author), Rassin, E.G.C (Author), Romanella, S.M (Author), Santarnecchi, E. (Author), Sergiou, C.S (Author), van Dongen, J.D.M (Author), Wieser, M.J (Author)
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier Inc. 2022
Subjects:
Online Access:View Fulltext in Publisher
LEADER 03547nam a2200505Ia 4500
001 10-1016-j-bpsc-2021-05-007
008 220420s2022 CNT 000 0 und d
020 |a 24519022 (ISSN) 
245 1 0 |a Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation Targeting the Ventromedial Prefrontal Cortex Reduces Reactive Aggression and Modulates Electrophysiological Responses in a Forensic Population 
260 0 |b Elsevier Inc.  |c 2022 
300 |a 13 
856 |z View Fulltext in Publisher  |u https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bpsc.2021.05.007 
520 3 |a Background: Studies have shown that impairments in the ventromedial prefrontal cortex play a crucial role in violent behavior in forensic patients who also abuse cocaine and alcohol. Moreover, interventions that aimed to reduce violence risk in those patients are found not to be optimal. A promising intervention might be to modulate the ventromedial prefrontal cortex by high-definition (HD) transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS). The current study aimed to examine HD-tDCS as an intervention to increase empathic abilities and reduce violent behavior in forensic substance dependent offenders. In addition, using electroencephalography, we examined the effects on the P3 and the late positive potential of the event-related potentials in reaction to situations that depict victims of aggression. Methods: Fifty male forensic patients with a substance dependence were tested in a double-blind, placebo-controlled randomized study. The patients received HD-tDCS 2 times a day for 20 minutes for 5 consecutive days. Before and after the intervention, the patients completed self-reports and performed the Point Subtraction Aggression Paradigm, and electroencephalography was recorded while patients performed an empathy task. Results: Results showed a decrease in aggressive responses on the Point Subtraction Aggression Paradigm and in self-reported reactive aggression in the active tDCS group. Additionally, we found a general increase in late positive potential amplitude after active tDCS. No effects on trait empathy and the P3 were found. Conclusions: Current findings are the first to find positive effects of HD-tDCS in reducing aggression and modulating electrophysiological responses in forensic patients, showing the potential of using tDCS as an intervention to reduce aggression in forensic mental health care. © 2021 Society of Biological Psychiatry 
650 0 4 |a aggression 
650 0 4 |a Aggression 
650 0 4 |a Aggression 
650 0 4 |a controlled study 
650 0 4 |a electroencephalography 
650 0 4 |a Electroencephalography 
650 0 4 |a Electroencephalography 
650 0 4 |a Empathy 
650 0 4 |a Evoked Potentials 
650 0 4 |a evoked response 
650 0 4 |a Forensic patients 
650 0 4 |a human 
650 0 4 |a Humans 
650 0 4 |a male 
650 0 4 |a Male 
650 0 4 |a Neuromodulation 
650 0 4 |a physiology 
650 0 4 |a prefrontal cortex 
650 0 4 |a Prefrontal Cortex 
650 0 4 |a procedures 
650 0 4 |a randomized controlled trial 
650 0 4 |a transcranial direct current stimulation 
650 0 4 |a Transcranial direct current stimulation 
650 0 4 |a Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation 
700 1 0 |a Franken, I.H.A.  |e author 
700 1 0 |a Rassin, E.G.C.  |e author 
700 1 0 |a Romanella, S.M.  |e author 
700 1 0 |a Santarnecchi, E.  |e author 
700 1 0 |a Sergiou, C.S.  |e author 
700 1 0 |a van Dongen, J.D.M.  |e author 
700 1 0 |a Wieser, M.J.  |e author 
773 |t Biological Psychiatry: Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroimaging