Table 2 Characteristics of anodal tDCS of explicit and implicit ER studies
Author | Design sample size n(active)|n(control) | Electrode positions (localization method) | Current intensity, anodal + cathodal size, quantity, duration | Control condition (time of current ramped down) | Timing | Stimuli type | Task types | ER goal | Measurement and result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Explicit ER (n = 14, k = 17) | |||||||||
 Chrysikou et al. [65] | Between-subjects 10|10 | lDLPFC (anodal, F3; cathodal, F4, 10–20) | 1.5 mA, 25 + 25 cm2, 20 min | 10 s | Online | Negative IAPS pictures | ERT | Down | Negative emotion: active = sham |
 Clarke et al. [67] | Between-subjects 37|36 | lDLPFC (anodal, F3; cathodal, left trapezius, 10–20) | 2 mA, 24 + 24 cm2, 20 min | 30 s | Online | Negative IAPS pictures | ERT | Down | Negative emotion: active = sham |
 Clarke et al. [67] | Between-subjects 59|57 | lDLPFC (anodal, F3; cathodal, left trapezius, 10–20) | 2 mA, 24 + 24 cm2, 20 min | 60 s | Online | Negative IAPS pictures | ERT | Down | Negative emotion: active = sham |
 Doerig et al. [64] | Between-subjects 50|51 | rDLPFC (anodal, rDLPFC; cathodal, vertex, t1-weighted MR) | ? mA, 35 + 100 cm2, 20 min | 30 s | Online | Negative emotional memory | ERT | Down | Valence: active < sham arousal: active = sham |
 Feeser et al. [36] | Between-subjects 21|21 | rDLPFC (anodal, F4; cathodal, Fp1, 10–20) | 1.5 mA, 35 + 100 cm2, 20 min | 30 s | Online | Negative IAPS pictures | ERT | Down | Arousal: active < sham SCR: active < sham |
Up | Arousal: active > sham SCR: active > sham | ||||||||
 Fink et al. [73] | Within-subjects 29|29a | lDLPFC (anodal, F3; cathodal, Fp2, 10–20) | 1 mA, 25 + 25 cm2, 20 min | 40 s | Online | Disgust pictures | ERT | Down | Disgust: active > sham |
 Hansenne & Weets [68] | Between-subjects (females only) 20|20 | lDLPFC (anodal, F3; cathodal, Fp2, 10–20) | 1.5 mA, 9 + 25 cm2, 25 min | 30 s | Online | Negative IAPS pictures | ERT | Down | Arousal: active = sham |
 He et al. [38] | Between-subjects 23|21 | rVLPFC (anodal, F6; cathodal, Fp1, 10–20) | 1.5 mA, 25 + 35 cm2, 24 min | 30 s | Online | Social exclusion pictures | ERT | Down | Negative emotion: active < sham PD: active < sham |
 He et al., 2020b | Between-subjects 48|46 | rVLPFC (anodal, F6; cathodal, Fp1, 10–20) | 2.5 mA, 25 + 25 cm2, 34 min | 30 s | Online | Social exclusion pictures individual negative pictures | ERT | Down | Negative emotion: active < sham PD: active < sham |
 Hofhansel et al. [69] | Between-subjects 12|14 | rDLPFC (anodal, F4; cathodal, Fp1, 10–20) | 1.5 mA, 35 + 100 cm2, 20 min | 20 s | Offline | Negative IAPS pictures | ERT | Down | Valence: active = sham |
Up | Valence: active = sham | ||||||||
 Marques et al. [70] (I) | Between-subjects 30|30a | lDLPFC (anodal, F3; cathodal, F4, 10–20) | 1.5 mA, 16 + 16 cm2, 20 min | 30 s | Online | Negative IAPS pictures | ERT | Down | Valence: active = sham arousal: active = sham |
Up | Valence: active = sham arousal: active = sham | ||||||||
 Marques et al. [70] (II) | Between-subjects 30|30a | rDLPFC (anodal, F4; cathodal, F3, 10–20) | 1.5 mA, 16 + 16 cm2, 20 min | 30 s | Online | Negative IAPS pictures | ERT | Down | Valence: active = sham arousal: active = sham |
Up | Valence: active = sham arousal: active = sham | ||||||||
 Marques et al. [70] (III) | Between-subjects 29|30a | lVLPFC (anodal, F7; cathodal, F8, 10–20) | 1.5 mA, 16 + 16 cm2, 20 min | 30 s | Online | Negative IAPS pictures | ERT | Down | Valence: active = sham arousal: active = sham |
Up | Valence: active = sham arousal: active = sham | ||||||||
 Marques et al. [70] (IV) | Between-subjects 30|30a | rVLPFC (anodal, F8; cathodal, F7, 10–20) | 1.5 mA, 16 + 16 cm2, 20 min | 30 s | Online | Negative IAPS pictures | ERT | Down | Valence: active = sham arousal: active = sham |
Up | Valence: active = sham arousal: active = sham | ||||||||
 Tu et al. [72] | Between-subjects 27|27 | rDLPFC (anodal, F4; cathodal, FP1, 10–20) | 2 mA, 16 + 16 cm2, 20 min | 15 s | Online | Heat stimuli | PNT | Down | Pain rating: active = sham |
Up | Pain rating: active < sham | ||||||||
 Van Dam & Chrysikou, [71] | Between-subjects 11|7 | lDLPFC (anodal, F3; cathodal, contralateral mastoid, 10–20) | 1.5 mA, 25 + 25 cm2, 20 min | 10 s | Online | Negative IAPS pictures | ERT | Down | Negative emotion: active = sham |
 Vieira et al. [74] (I) | Between-subjects 11|11a | lVLPFC (anodal, F7; cathodal, Fp2, 10–20) | 1 mA, 9 + 25 cm2, 20 min | 30 s | Online | Negative IAPS pictures | ERT | Down | Arousal: active > sham |
Up | Arousal: active = sham | ||||||||
Implicit ER (n = 3, k = 4) | |||||||||
 Dittert et al. [78] (I) | Between-subjects 37|26 | lVMPFC (anodal, beneath F7; cathodal, beneath F8, 10–20) | 1.5 mA, 16 + 16 cm2, 20 min | 10 s | Offline | 95-db loud female scream fearful face | FET | Down | SCR (early extinction): active < sham SCR (late extinction): active = sham |
 Dittert et al. [78] (II) | Between-subjects 40|27 | rVMPFC (anodal, beneath F8; cathodal, beneath F7, 10–20) | 1.5 mA, 16 + 16 cm2, 20 min | 10 s | Offline | 95-db loud female scream fearful face | FET | Down | SCR (early extinction): active < sham SCR (late extinction): active = sham |
 Van’t Wout et al. [80] | Within-subjects 44|44a | lVMPFC (anodal, AF3; cathodal, contralateral mastoid, 10–20) | 2 mA, 6.96 + 6.96 cm2, 20 min | 30 s | Offline | Electrical shock | FET | Down | SCR (early extinction): active = sham SCR (late extinction): active < sham |