Effects of theta burst stimulation on cognitive-affective processing
Our linear regression model revealed a significant effect of stimulation on ESST performance, F (2,60) = 4.42, p < .05. Specifically, the results show that iTBS over the left dlPFC lead to a significant decrease in SSRTs compared to sham stimulation, β = -34.28, SE = 12.73, t (61) = 2.69, p < .01. Compared to sham stimulation, cTBS was also associated with shorter SSRTs, with this effect, however, not being significant, β = -23.91, SE = 12.27, t (61) = 1.95, p = .05. Changes in SSRTs did not differ between cTBS and iTBS, β = -10.37,SE = 12.59, t (61) = 0.82, p = .41 (see Figure 6). Our analyses also show a significant effect of age, with higher age predicting a slowing of SSRTs in the second compared with the first ESST, β = 4.31, SE = 1.76, t (61) = 2.45, p< .05. Participants’ sex did not significantly predict changes in SSRTs from first to second ESST, β = -20.26, SE = 10.88, t (61) = 1.86, p = .06.