MRI-tDCS Criticism Study

This experimental study investigated how MRI-compatible transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) modulates neural and cognitive responses to social criticism in healthy volunteers. Participants underwent two MRI sessions - one with active and one with sham stimulation - in a randomized, double-blind, cross-over design. During stimulation, they completed resting-state and task-based fMRI scans including exposure to critical, neutral, and praising auditory comments, followed by behavioral and self-report measures of rumination, mood, and implicit self-esteem.