Non-invasive neurostimulation modulates processing of spatial frequency information in rapid perception of faces

Abstract

This study used high-frequency transcranial random noise stimulation (tRNS) to examine how low and high spatial frequency filtered faces are processed. Response times were measured in a task where healthy young adults categorised spatially filtered hybrid faces, presented at foveal and peripheral blocks, while sham and high-frequency random noise was applied to a lateral occipito-temporal location on their scalp. Both the Frequentist and Bayesian approaches show that in contrast to sham, active stimulation significantly reduced response times to peripherally presented low spatial frequency information. This finding points to a possible plasticity in targeted regions induced by non-invasive neuromodulation of spatial frequency information in rapid perception of faces.