Identification of Reliable Target Brain Regions for Enhancing Object–Location Memory by Brain Stimulation

ABSTRACT Introduction Object–location memory (OLM) is essential for remembering the locations of objects within an environment and is often impaired in aging and neurodegenerative diseases. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has shown promise for improving OLM, although study outcomes ha...

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Main Authors: Mohamed Abdelmotaleb, Filip Niemann, Harun Kocataş, Leonardo M. Caisachana Guevara, Alireza Shahbabaie, Robert Malinowski, Steffen Riemann, Anna Elisabeth Fromm, Dayana Hayek, Daria Antonenko, Marcus Meinzer, Agnes Flöel
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2025-07-01
Series:Brain and Behavior
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1002/brb3.70658
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author Mohamed Abdelmotaleb
Filip Niemann
Harun Kocataş
Leonardo M. Caisachana Guevara
Alireza Shahbabaie
Robert Malinowski
Steffen Riemann
Anna Elisabeth Fromm
Dayana Hayek
Daria Antonenko
Marcus Meinzer
Agnes Flöel
author_facet Mohamed Abdelmotaleb
Filip Niemann
Harun Kocataş
Leonardo M. Caisachana Guevara
Alireza Shahbabaie
Robert Malinowski
Steffen Riemann
Anna Elisabeth Fromm
Dayana Hayek
Daria Antonenko
Marcus Meinzer
Agnes Flöel
author_sort Mohamed Abdelmotaleb
collection DOAJ
description ABSTRACT Introduction Object–location memory (OLM) is essential for remembering the locations of objects within an environment and is often impaired in aging and neurodegenerative diseases. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has shown promise for improving OLM, although study outcomes have varied considerably. This study aimed to identify key brain regions involved in OLM that may serve as stimulation targets for future tDCS research and to assess the test–retest reliability (TRR) of both behavioral and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data. Methods Twenty healthy young adults (10 females; mean age = 25.0 years, standard deviation [SD] = 5.56) completed two task‐based fMRI sessions using parallel versions of an OLM task. Participants learned associations between house images and their locations on a two‐dimensional street map across four feedback‐based learning stages. Sham tDCS was administered in both sessions using a focal 3 × 1 electrode montage. TRR was assessed using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) for behavioral performance and task‐related fMRI activation. Results Behavioral data showed significant improvements in response accuracy (estimate = 0.211, p < 0.001) and a reduction in response latency (estimate = −0.050, p < 0.001) across learning stages. fMRI analysis revealed predominantly right‐lateralized activation, including the right hippocampus, the fusiform gyrus, the precuneus, and the lateral temporo‐occipital areas. Behavioral measures showed moderate to good TRR (accuracy ICC = 0.801; reaction time ICC = 0.705). Task‐related fMRI activity demonstrated good‐to‐excellent TRR in key regions, including the fusiform and temporo‐occipital cortices. Conclusion These findings support the validity of our OLM paradigm for assessing brain stimulation effects and highlight potential cortical targets for future tDCS interventions. The observed reliability of behavioral and neural measures further reinforces the utility of this protocol in crossover study designs.
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spelling doaj-art-c7bce1a5e21644888a8e8041138b2ffa2025-08-20T03:58:48ZengWileyBrain and Behavior2162-32792025-07-01157n/an/a10.1002/brb3.70658Identification of Reliable Target Brain Regions for Enhancing Object–Location Memory by Brain StimulationMohamed Abdelmotaleb0Filip Niemann1Harun Kocataş2Leonardo M. Caisachana Guevara3Alireza Shahbabaie4Robert Malinowski5Steffen Riemann6Anna Elisabeth Fromm7Dayana Hayek8Daria Antonenko9Marcus Meinzer10Agnes Flöel11Department of Neurology University Medicine Greifswald Greifswald GermanyDepartment of Neurology University Medicine Greifswald Greifswald GermanyDepartment of Neurology University Medicine Greifswald Greifswald GermanyDepartment of Psychology Greifswald University Greifswald GermanyDepartment of Neurology University Medicine Greifswald Greifswald GermanyDepartment of Neurology University Medicine Greifswald Greifswald GermanyDepartment of Neurology University Medicine Greifswald Greifswald GermanyDepartment of Neurology University Medicine Greifswald Greifswald GermanyDepartment of Neurology University Medicine Greifswald Greifswald GermanyDepartment of Neurology University Medicine Greifswald Greifswald GermanyDepartment of Neurology University Medicine Greifswald Greifswald GermanyDepartment of Neurology University Medicine Greifswald Greifswald GermanyABSTRACT Introduction Object–location memory (OLM) is essential for remembering the locations of objects within an environment and is often impaired in aging and neurodegenerative diseases. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has shown promise for improving OLM, although study outcomes have varied considerably. This study aimed to identify key brain regions involved in OLM that may serve as stimulation targets for future tDCS research and to assess the test–retest reliability (TRR) of both behavioral and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data. Methods Twenty healthy young adults (10 females; mean age = 25.0 years, standard deviation [SD] = 5.56) completed two task‐based fMRI sessions using parallel versions of an OLM task. Participants learned associations between house images and their locations on a two‐dimensional street map across four feedback‐based learning stages. Sham tDCS was administered in both sessions using a focal 3 × 1 electrode montage. TRR was assessed using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) for behavioral performance and task‐related fMRI activation. Results Behavioral data showed significant improvements in response accuracy (estimate = 0.211, p < 0.001) and a reduction in response latency (estimate = −0.050, p < 0.001) across learning stages. fMRI analysis revealed predominantly right‐lateralized activation, including the right hippocampus, the fusiform gyrus, the precuneus, and the lateral temporo‐occipital areas. Behavioral measures showed moderate to good TRR (accuracy ICC = 0.801; reaction time ICC = 0.705). Task‐related fMRI activity demonstrated good‐to‐excellent TRR in key regions, including the fusiform and temporo‐occipital cortices. Conclusion These findings support the validity of our OLM paradigm for assessing brain stimulation effects and highlight potential cortical targets for future tDCS interventions. The observed reliability of behavioral and neural measures further reinforces the utility of this protocol in crossover study designs.https://doi.org/10.1002/brb3.70658object–location memory (OLM)test–retest reliability (TRR)transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS)functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI)
spellingShingle Mohamed Abdelmotaleb
Filip Niemann
Harun Kocataş
Leonardo M. Caisachana Guevara
Alireza Shahbabaie
Robert Malinowski
Steffen Riemann
Anna Elisabeth Fromm
Dayana Hayek
Daria Antonenko
Marcus Meinzer
Agnes Flöel
Identification of Reliable Target Brain Regions for Enhancing Object–Location Memory by Brain Stimulation
Brain and Behavior
object–location memory (OLM)
test–retest reliability (TRR)
transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS)
functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI)
title Identification of Reliable Target Brain Regions for Enhancing Object–Location Memory by Brain Stimulation
title_full Identification of Reliable Target Brain Regions for Enhancing Object–Location Memory by Brain Stimulation
title_fullStr Identification of Reliable Target Brain Regions for Enhancing Object–Location Memory by Brain Stimulation
title_full_unstemmed Identification of Reliable Target Brain Regions for Enhancing Object–Location Memory by Brain Stimulation
title_short Identification of Reliable Target Brain Regions for Enhancing Object–Location Memory by Brain Stimulation
title_sort identification of reliable target brain regions for enhancing object location memory by brain stimulation
topic object–location memory (OLM)
test–retest reliability (TRR)
transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS)
functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI)
url https://doi.org/10.1002/brb3.70658
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