Effects of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation Combined With Listening to Indian Classical Raga on Situation Awareness

Both listening to music and using transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) have been proposed as methods to enhance cognitive performance on a temporary basis. To date, there has been no research conducted on the potential cognitive performance benefits that could arise from the combination of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) and listening to Indian classical raga music. In the present study, the objective was to investigate whether the combination of anodal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) applied to the medial prefrontal cortex (at a current intensity of 2 mA for a duration of 20 minutes) along with simultaneous listening to Indian classical raga music has the potential to enhance situation awareness compared to a sham stimulation condition without music. A randomized sham-controlled crossover study involved 26 healthy adults aged 18 to 24 years who participated in two different neurostimulation conditions: one involving transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) combined with music listening (tDCS+Music), and the other involving a sham-tDCS condition. The level of situation awareness was evaluated before and after the stimulation sessions using a Situation Awareness Global Assessment Technique (SAGAT). The results of the SAGAT assessment demonstrated an improvement in performance in the tDCS+Raga condition. The findings from the study suggest that combining the use of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) with listening to Raga music enhances situation awareness. These results highlight the potential value of incorporating neurostimulation techniques alongside Raga music to improve situation awareness.