Non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) techniques, such as Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) and Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS), allow targeted modulation of cortical activity. In this work, we conducted a systematic review following the PRISMA Guidelines (Page et al., 2021) to (1) assess the effects of NIBS on visuospatial attention in participants without neurological disorders, (2) identify the brain regions involved, and (3) specify the stimulation parameters and behavioral tasks used. The literature search was performed in PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science, combining terms related to NIBS (TMS, tDCS, etc.) with those associated with visuospatial attention (visuospatial attention, unilateral spatial neglect), yielding 1,213 articles. After removing duplicates and screening abstracts and full texts, 138 articles were included. Among these studies, 66% used TMS (including 50% repetitive TMS), and 34% used transcranial electrical stimulation. The effects on visuospatial attention included increased reaction times and a higher number of errors for targets presented in the left hemifield, as well as a rightward deviation during stimulation aimed at inhibiting the right hemisphere. Conversely, excitatory stimulation improved performance for targets presented in the visual field contralateral to the stimulated region. These studies primarily targeted the right posterior parietal cortex, the right temporoparietal junction, and the right frontal eye field. The most frequently used behavioral tasks were line bisection, Posner paradigms, and lateralized stimulus detection tasks. These findings reveal a convergence of stimulation protocols toward key regions of the dorsal and ventral attention networks in relation to specific tasks (frontal eye fields, dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, and posterior parietal cortex within the dorsal attention network, and the temporoparietal junction within the ventral attention network). Our analyses confirm the results of anatomo-clinical correlation studies in brain-injured patients with visuospatial impairments and help guide the design and adaptation of NIBS protocols for these patients from a translational perspective.
Effects of non-invasive brain stimulation on visuospatial attention in healthy adults: a systematic review
Erwan Caron;Laura SaglianoSupervision
2026
Abstract
Non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) techniques, such as Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) and Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS), allow targeted modulation of cortical activity. In this work, we conducted a systematic review following the PRISMA Guidelines (Page et al., 2021) to (1) assess the effects of NIBS on visuospatial attention in participants without neurological disorders, (2) identify the brain regions involved, and (3) specify the stimulation parameters and behavioral tasks used. The literature search was performed in PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science, combining terms related to NIBS (TMS, tDCS, etc.) with those associated with visuospatial attention (visuospatial attention, unilateral spatial neglect), yielding 1,213 articles. After removing duplicates and screening abstracts and full texts, 138 articles were included. Among these studies, 66% used TMS (including 50% repetitive TMS), and 34% used transcranial electrical stimulation. The effects on visuospatial attention included increased reaction times and a higher number of errors for targets presented in the left hemifield, as well as a rightward deviation during stimulation aimed at inhibiting the right hemisphere. Conversely, excitatory stimulation improved performance for targets presented in the visual field contralateral to the stimulated region. These studies primarily targeted the right posterior parietal cortex, the right temporoparietal junction, and the right frontal eye field. The most frequently used behavioral tasks were line bisection, Posner paradigms, and lateralized stimulus detection tasks. These findings reveal a convergence of stimulation protocols toward key regions of the dorsal and ventral attention networks in relation to specific tasks (frontal eye fields, dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, and posterior parietal cortex within the dorsal attention network, and the temporoparietal junction within the ventral attention network). Our analyses confirm the results of anatomo-clinical correlation studies in brain-injured patients with visuospatial impairments and help guide the design and adaptation of NIBS protocols for these patients from a translational perspective.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
