International Journal of Behavioral Sciences

International Journal of Behavioral Sciences

Examining the Effectiveness of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation on Selective Attention in Patients with Mild Traumatic Brain Injury

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Samane Farzamkia 1
Seyed Ruhollah Hosseini 1
Babak Ganjeifar 2
Mohammad Saeid AbdeKhodaei 1
1 Department of Psychology, Faculty of Educational Sciences and Psychology, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran
2 Department of Neurological Surgery, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
10.30491/ijbs.2025.526359.2242
Abstract
Introduction: Patients with mild Traumatic Brain Injury (mTBI) constitute a significant proportion of brain injury cases. The mTBI often leads to cognitive deficits, including impaired selective attention, which can significantly impact daily functioning. The purpose of the present study was to examine the effectiveness of transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) on selective attention in patients with mTBI.
Method: The current study employed a single-blind randomized controlled trial and quasi-experimental design to examine the effectiveness of tDCS on selective attention in mTBI patients. The participants were randomly assigned to active, sham, and control groups. Fifteen female patients diagnosed with mTBI were recruited via convenience sampling. To evaluate participants' selective attention, a computerized version of CWST was used for pre- and post-intervention assessments. The intervention protocol included 20 minutes of 1.5 mA tDCS stimulation applied to the left dlPFC for 10 sessions. The data were analyzed using one-way ANCOVA in SPSS-24.
Results: Findings indicated a notable improvement in selective attention within the active tDCS group; however, the differences between groups did not reach statistical significance (P > 0.05).
Conclusion: These preliminary findings suggest a potential role for tDCS in improving selective attention in patients with mTBI, warranting further investigation with larger sample sizes.
Keywords
Mild Traumatic Brain Injury, Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation, Attention, Stroop Test
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International Journal of Behavioral Sciences
Volume 19, Issue 3
Autumn 2025
Pages 147-153