CAN WE REDUCE THE ONSET AND RECIDIVISM OF CRIME WITH NON-INVASIVE BRAIN STIMULATION? A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW OF THE EFFECTS OF TRANSCRANIAL DIRECT CURRENT STIMULATION ON RESPONSE INHIBITION

Sammanfattning: Deficits in executive functions, specifically in response inhibition (RI), have been reported in antisocial behavior, conduct disorder, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), etc. Individuals with deficits in RI have a high probability to show non-adapted social behavior that can lead to crime. Many studies have shown that transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), a noninvasive brain stimulation (NIBS) technique, modulate the activity of the prefrontal cortex and the functions involved in executive control and RI. This article aims to review the literature on the effect of tDCS on RI and executive control and to highlight research avenues to develop therapeutic alternatives to prevent onset and recidivism of crime. A systematic review of the literature was performed in the Libsearch database following PRISMA method. Ten studies were selected showing tDCS modulation of RI measured with the Stop Signal and the Go-NoGo task. Eight of the studies showed gains on RI with tDCS versus sham. The data led to consideration of tDCS as a new therapeutic alternative to improve RI and hence prevention of onset and recidivism on crime. Individual differences, targeted brain areas, the polarity of electrodes and long-term learning effects are further discussed as crucial considerations for future studies.