The effect of transcranial direct current stimulation of the visual cortex on spatial and timing errors of tapping movements in the classical Ebbinghaus illusion

Document Type : Research Article

Authors

1 Master's degree, Motor Behavior and Sport Psychology, Faculty of Sport Sciences, Shahid Chamran University, Ahvaz, Iran

2 Assistant Professor, Department of Motor Behavior and Sport Psychology, Faculty of Sport Sciences, Shahid Chamran University, Ahvaz, Iran

3 Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, Department of Motor Behavior and Sport Psychology, Faculty of Sport Sciences, Shahid Chamran University, Ahvaz, Iran

10.22084/j.psychogy.2025.30192.2748

Abstract

Objective Human visual size perception is not always a faithful representation of the physical environment, but is heavily dependent on the surrounding context. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of transcranial direct current stimulation of the visual cortex on spatial errors and timing of tapping movements in the classical Ebbinghaus illusion.
Methods: The present study was quasi-experimental and fundamental in its purpose. Thirty-two university students aged 18 to 28 voluntarily participated in the study (real, 16 and sham, 16). In the pre-test, participants performed a dual-target tapping task in four different Ebbinghaus illusion conditions. These conditions included two temporal rhythms and two movement directions (horizontal and vertical). Timing error and spatial error were measured. Then, for four consecutive days, transcranial direct current stimulation was applied to the primary visual cortex (V1) in the real group and sham stimulation was applied in the sham group. One day after the last stimulation session, a post-test was performed, and three days later, a follow-up test similar to the pre-test was performed. Friedman and Wilcoxon statistical methods were used at a significance level of 0.05.
Results: The results showed that when performing movement in the Ebbinghaus illusion condition, spatial and timing errors did not differ in the horizontal and vertical conditions. Applying tDCS reduced the timing and spatial error in performing the rhythmic tapping task with the Ebbinghaus illusion context (p<0.05).
Conclusion: Considering the effect of the Ebbinghaus visual illusion on spatial and temporal errors of continuous movement, the hypothesis of separation of the two visual-cognitive and motor streams is questioned. Also, considering the effect of anodal tDCS on the V1 area and the reduction of spatial and temporal errors in the performance of motor tasks, it is suggested to use this method in tasks that require the use of visual accuracy

Keywords

Main Subjects

References

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