Neurocognitive Empowerment in Healthy Aging: a Pilot Study on the Effect of Non-invasive Brain Stimulation on Executive Functions

Abstract

Given their crucial role in everyday activities and successful aging, prefrontal executive functions (EFs) and their neural substrates may be a critical target for non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) interventions. This study investigates the empowerment effects of a prefrontal multi-session NIBS intervention on EF in a sample of healthy aging people. The present report investigates the long-term maintenance effects of such intervention. The experimental design included a control and experimental group, who underwent a neuropsychological assessment before (t0) and after (t1) the intervention period, and at a 6-month follow-up (t2). The intervention period lasted 8\xa0weeks with 3 NIBS sessions per week. Results highlighted the up modulations of fluid intelligence, cognitive flexibility, and verbal generation, and visual attention in the experimental group partially maintained even at t2. Present findings may point out the potential of NIBS protocols targeting executive control and of upregulation of compensatory cortical activation even in healthy aging.