Effects Of Direct Current Stimulation Research Articles

Transcranial direct current stimulation alleviates nociceptive behavior in male rats with neuropathic pain by regulating oxidative stress and reducing neuroinflammation.

Transcranial direct curent stimulation (tDCS) and trans-spinal direct current stimulation (tsDCS) are promising therapies for pain that can alter the excitability of neuronal activity in cerebral cortex. The aim of the study is to investigate the therapeutic effects of direct current stimulation (DCS) over the spinal cord and cerebral cortex on oxidative stress and neuroinflammation in rats with chronic constriction injury (CCI).Male Wistar rats were randomly divided into four experimental groups: Sham, CCI, CCI + tDCS and CCI + tsDCS. The neuropathic pain model was induced by using the CCI model. Rats with neuropathy were treated with cathodal tDCS and tsDCS stimulations consisting of 0.5 mA for 30 min a day for 7 days from day 8 onwards. Locomotor activity was measured by open-field test and nociceptive behavior was assessed by hot-plate, tail-flick and Randall-Selitto tests. Following the behavioral experiments, total oxidant capacity (TOC), total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and proinflammatory cytokine levels were evaluated in spinal cord and cerebral cortex tissues. The CCI model induced significant mechanical and thermal hyperalgesia. Nociceptive behaviors in rats with CCI were reversed by DCS treatment. Higher TOC and lower TAC levels were detected in the spinal cord and cerebral cortex tissues of the CCI rats compared to the control. tsDCS treatment amended oxidant/antioxidant status. Moreover, tsDCS modulated the central levels of Tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin 1-beta (IL-1β), IL-6 and IL-18. tsDCS stimulation showed better therapeutic effect on neuropathic pain by regulating oxidant/antioxidant levels and reducing neuroinflammation. DCS, especially at spinal level, may be a promising therapeutic strategy that can be used alone or in combination with other effective treatments for alleviating neuropathic pain.

Making memories last using the peripheral effect of direct current stimulation.

Most memories that are formed are forgotten, while others are retained longer and are subject to memory stabilization. We show that non-invasive transcutaneous electrical stimulation of the greater occipital nerve (NITESGON) using direct current during learning elicited a long-term memory effect. However, it did not trigger an immediate effect on learning. A neurobiological model of long-term memory proposes a mechanism by which memories that are initially unstable can be strengthened through subsequent novel experiences. In a series of studies, we demonstrate NITESGON's capability to boost the retention of memories when applied shortly before, during, or shortly after the time of learning by enhancing memory consolidation via activation and communication in and between the locus coeruleus pathway and hippocampus by plausibly modulating dopaminergic input. These findings may have a significant impact for neurocognitive disorders that inhibit memory consolidation such as Alzheimer's disease.

Investigation of the Effects of Direct Current Stimulation on Parkinson Disease in vitro

Objective: Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a progressive, neurodegenerative disease associated with the loss of dopaminergic neurons. Multiple possible mechanisms such as oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction or excitotoxicity caused by glutamate are thought to mediate neuronal loss in PD. It is stated that transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has positive effects on PD, but underlying mechanisms are still largely undefined. So, in this study, the effects of tDCS on PD and the relationship of these effects with glutamate and NMDA levels were investigated. Materials and Methods: To induce the PD model, 6-OHDA (200 µM) was administered to SH-SY5Y cells for 24 hours. Electrical stimulation was applied to the SH-SY5Y cells at 20 minutes and 7 hours after 24 hours. The effect of tDCS on cell viability was investigated by MTT 3-(4, 5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl) method. Glutamate and NMDA receptor levels were measured using commercial kit. Results: It has been observed that 6-OHDA increases cell death in SH-SY5Y cells, while electrical stimulation reverses this effect. While 6-OHDA increased the glutamate level, tDCS therapy reversed this effect. No significant difference was found between the groups in NMDA levels. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that tDCS can be a functional therapy on PD by reducing glutamate toxicity.

Network-Based Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation May Modulate Gait Variability in Young Healthy Adults.

PurposePrevious studies have linked gait variability to resting-state functional connectivity between the dorsal attention network (DAN) and the default network (DN) in the brain. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a novel transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) paradigm designed to simultaneously facilitate the excitability of the DAN and suppress the excitability of the DN (i.e., DAN+/DN-tDCS) on gait variability and other gait characteristics in young healthy adults.MethodsIn this double-blinded randomized and sham-controlled study, 48 healthy adults aged 22 ± 2 years received one 20-min session of DAN+/DN-tDCS (n = 24) or no stimulation (the Sham group, n = 24). Immediately before and after stimulation, participants completed a gait assessment under three conditions: walking at self-selected speed (i.e., normal walking), walking as fast as possible (i.e., fast walking), and walking while counting backward (i.e., dual-task walking). Primary outcomes included gait stride time variability and gait stride length variability in normal walking conditions. Secondary outcomes include gait stride time and length variability in fast and dual-task conditions, and other gait metrics derived from the three walking conditions.ResultsCompared to the Sham group, DAN+/DN-tDCS reduced stride length variability in normal and fast walking conditions, double-limb support time variability in fast and dual-task walking conditions, and step width variability in fast walking conditions. In contrast, DAN+/DN-tDCS did not alter average gait speed or the average value of any other gait metrics as compared to the sham group.ConclusionIn healthy young adults, a single exposure to tDCS designed to simultaneously modulate DAN and DN excitability reduced gait variability, yet did not alter gait speed or other average gait metrics, when tested just after stimulation. These results suggest that gait variability may be uniquely regulated by these spatially-distinct yet functionally-connected cortical networks. These results warrant additional research on the short- and longer-term effects of this type of network-based tDCS on the cortical control of walking in younger and older populations.

The Effect of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation on Error Rates in the Distractor-Induced Deafness Paradigm.

To further understand how consciousness emerges, certain paradigms inducing distractor-induced perceptual impairments are promising. Neuro-computational models explain the inhibition of conscious perception of targets with suppression of distractor information when the target and distractor share the same features. Because these gating mechanisms are controlled by the prefrontal cortex, transcranial direct current stimulation of this specific region is expected to alter distractor-induced effects depending on the presence and number of distractors. To this end, participants were asked to perform an auditory variant of the distractor-induced blindness paradigm under frontal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS). Results show the expected distractor-induced deafness effects in a reduction of target detection depending on the number of distractors. While tDCS had no significant effects on target detection per se, error rates due to missed cues are increased under stimulation. Thus, while our variant led to successful replication of behavioral deafness effects, the results under tDCS stimulation indicate that the chosen paradigm may have difficulty too low to respond to stimulation. That the error rates nevertheless led to a tDCS effect may be due to the divided attention between the visual cue and the auditory target.

Effectiveness of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation and Monoclonal Antibodies Acting on the CGRP as a Combined Treatment for Migraine (TACTIC): Protocol for a Randomized, Double-Blind, Sham-Controlled Trial

BackgroundMigraine is a recurrent headache disorder that has a still unclear pathophysiology, involving several circuits of both the central and peripheral nervous system. Monoclonal antibodies acting on the calcitonin gene-related (CGRP) pathway (CGRP-MAbs) are the first drugs specifically designed for migraine; those drugs act peripherally on the trigeminal ganglion without entering the blood-brain barrier. Conversely, neuromodulation techniques such as transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) act centrally by increasing or decreasing the neuronal firing rate of brain cortical areas. The aim of the study will be to evaluate whether tDCS, in addition to CGRP-MAbs, is an effective add-on treatment in reducing headache frequency, intensity and acute medication use in patients with migraine. To demonstrate the biological effects of tDCS, the electroencephalographic (EEG) power changes after tDCS will be assessed.MethodsWe will include patients with migraine on treatment with CGRP-MAbs and reporting ≥8 monthly migraine days. During a prospective 28-day baseline period, patients will fill in a headache diary and questionnaires to evaluate migraine-related disability, anxiety and depressive symptoms, sleep quality, and health-related quality of life. Subjects will be randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to active or sham tDCS. The stimulation protocol will consist in five daily sessions, the cathodes will be applied bilaterally above the occipital areas, with the reference anode electrodes positioned above the primary motor areas. Before the first, and immediately after the last stimulation session, patients will perform a 10-min resting EEG recording. During a 28-day follow-up period following tDCS, patients will have to fill in a headache diary and questionnaires identical to those of the baseline period.DiscussionThis trial will evaluate the efficacy of an add-on treatment acting on the brain in patients with migraine, who are already treated with peripherally acting drugs, showing how tDCS acts in restoring the dysfunctional brain networks typical of the migraine patient.Clinical Trial RegistrationNCT05161871.

The Effect of Cerebellar Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (ctDCS) on Postural Control Strategies in Elderly Population

The Effect of Cerebellar Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (ctDCS) on Postural Control Strategies in Elderly Population

Effects of transcranial direct current stimulation on cough reflex and urge-to-cough in healthy young adults

BackgroundChronic cough is prevalent in the clinic. The existing therapies are mostly limited to medical treatment, with poor curative effects and serious side effects. Studies have suggested that the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (rDLPFC) may play an active role in the inhibitory pathway of cough elicitation. Thus, this study explored the effect of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on the rDLPFC activation in relation to cough reflex and urge-to-cough sensitivity.MethodsTwenty-three healthy young adults completed the experiment. Participants randomly received tDCS anodal stimulation, cathodal stimulation, and sham stimulation, and the interval between every two stimuli was at least one week. The tDCS (2 mA, 30 min) stimulated brain rDLPFC region. After tDCS intervention, cough reflex threshold and urge-to-cough were evaluated immediately by inhalation of citric acid-saline solution.ResultsCompared with sham stimulation, the cough reflex thresholds logC2 and logC5 have increased under tDCS anodal stimulation (1.78 ± 0.55 g/L vs. 1.57 ± 0.57 g/L, p < 0.05; 1.92 ± 0.53 g/L vs. 1.67 ± 0.56 g/L, p < 0.05), accompanied by the increase of the urge-to-cough threshold LogCu (0.76 ± 0.53 g/L vs. 0.47 ± 0.44 g/L, p < 0.05). In contrast, the urge-to-cough sensitivity expressed as UTC slope was not significantly changed (1.21 ± 0.86 point·L/g vs. 1.00 ± 0.37 point·L/g, p > 0.05), and there were no apparent changes in cough reflex thresholds Log C2 and logC5, urge-to-cough threshold LogCu, and urge-to-cough sensitivity UTC slope under tDCS cathodal stimulation, compared with sham stimulation.ConclusionsThis study found that anodal tDCS stimulation of rDLPFC could significantly decrease cough reflex sensitivity, accompanied by the increase of urge-to-cough threshold. Further investigations targeting different brain regions using multiple central intervention techniques to explore the underlying mechanisms are warranted.Trial registration The study protocol was registered for the clinical trial in China (registration number: ChiCTR2100045618)

A Literature Mini-Review of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation in Schizophrenia.

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a non-invasive neurostimulation method that utilizes the effect of low-current on brain tissue. In recent years, the effect of transcranial direct current stimulation has been investigated as a therapeutic modality in various neuropsychiatric indications, one of them being schizophrenia. This article aims to provide an overview of the potential application and effect of tDCS in treating patients with schizophrenia. A literature search was performed using the PubMed, Web of Science, and Google Scholar databases for relevant research published from any date until December 2021. Eligible studies included those that used randomized controlled parallel-group design and focused on the use of transcranial direct current stimulation for the treatment of positive, negative, or cognitive symptoms of schizophrenia. Studies were divided into groups based on the focus of research and an overview is provided in separate sections and tables in the article. The original database search yielded 705 results out of which 27 randomized controlled trials met the eligibility criteria and were selected and used for the purpose of this article. In a review of the selected trials, transcranial direct current stimulation is a safe and well-tolerated method that appears to have the potential as an effective modality for the treatment of positive and negative schizophrenic symptoms and offers promising results in influencing cognition. However, ongoing research is needed to confirm these conclusions and to further specify distinct application parameters.

Anodal Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation Does Not Affect Velocity Loss During a Typical Resistance Exercise Session

ABSTRACT Purpose: This study investigated the effects of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on velocity loss in a typical resistance exercise session. Methods: Twelve recreationally resistance-trained males (age = 24.8 ± 3.0 years, body mass = 78.9 ± 13.6 kg, and height = 174.3 ± 7.3 cm) completed two experimental trials in a counterbalanced crossover design: anodal tDCS and sham conditions. The stimuli were applied over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex for 20 minutes, using a 2 mA current intensity in anodal tDCS and a 1-minute active stimulus in the sham condition. After stimulation, subjects performed three sets of the bench press at a 70% of 1 maximum repetition intensity and 1 min of inter-set rest. The velocity loss was calculated as the relative difference between the fastest repetition velocity (usually first) and the velocity of the last repetition of each set and averaged over all three sets. Results: The results found no interaction between conditions and sets (P = .122), and no effect for conditions (P = .323) or sets (P = .364) for the velocity loss in each set. Also, no differences were found between the average velocity loss of the three sets in the anodal tDCS (-25.0 ± 4.7%) and sham condition (-23.3 ± 6.4%; P = .323). Conclusion: Anodal tDCS does not affect movement velocity in a typical strength training protocol in recreationally trained subjects.

Effects of combining two techniques of non-invasive brain stimulation in subacute stroke patients: a pilot study

BackgroundStrokes have recently become a leading cause of disability among Thai people. Non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) seems to give promising results in stroke recovery when combined with standard rehabilitation programs.ObjectiveTo evaluate the combined effect of low-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) and cathodal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) over the non-lesional primary motor cortex on upper limb motor recovery in patients with subacute stroke. No reports of a combination of these two techniques of NIBS were found in the relevant literature.MethodsThis pilot study was a double-blinded, randomized controlled trial of ten patients with subacute stroke admitted to the Rehabilitation Medicine Inpatient Unit, Maharaj Nakorn Chiang Mai Hospital, Chiang Mai University. They were randomized into two groups: five in an active and five in a sham intervention group. Fugl-Meyer’s upper extremity motor score (FMA-UE) and Wolf Motor Function Test (WMFT) were used to assess motor recovery at baseline, immediately, and 1 week after stimulation.ResultsA two-way repeated ANOVA (mixed design) showed a significant improvement in FMA-UE scores in the active intervention group both immediately and 1 week after stimulation in comparison to the baseline, [time, F (2, 16) = 27.44, p < 0.001, time x group interaction, F (2, 16) = 13.29, p < 0.001]. Despite no statistical significance, a trend toward higher WMFT scores was shown in the active intervention group.ConclusionsA single session of low-frequency rTMS and cathodal tDCS over the non-lesional primary motor cortex may enhance upper limb motor recovery in patients with subacute stroke.

Effects of transcranial direct current stimulation on patients with post-stroke fatigue: a study protocol for a double-blind randomized controlled trial

IntroductionPost-stroke fatigue (PSF) is an abnormal, persistent, and unexplained physical and psychological tiredness in patients after stroke. It is a common symptom of stroke patients with poor quality of life and bleak prognosis, and the incidence rate is up to 39% to 72%. It has been widely reported that medicine treatments achieved a lot of progress, there still needs to develop more powerful new strategies to more powerful effect. The transcranial direct-current stimulation (tDCS) shows great potential for the treatment of PSF. This study proposes to apply a double-blind randomized controlled clinical trial to explore the effect and safety of tDCS combined with routine rehabilitation for PSF.Methods and analysisOne hundred patients with PSF will be randomly divided into two groups. One of the groups will receive conventional rehabilitation therapy and active tDCS, whereas another group will receive conventional rehabilitation treatment and sham tDCS. Both groups will receive the intervention for 4 weeks, during which time they will undergo either active or sham tDCS 20 min a day, 6 days a week. Primary outcome: Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS) will be measured at baseline every weekend during the intervention period. Secondary results: Fatigue Impact Scale (FIS), Functional Assessment Chronic Illness Therapy (Fatigue) (FACIT-F), and Specialized Quality of Life Scale in Stroke (SS-QOL) will be measured at baseline and at the end of the intervention time of 4 weeks. Throughout the study, adverse events and adverse reactions will be measured during every treatment. The research study “Effects of transcranial direct current stimulation on patients with post-stroke fatigue” has been approved by the Ethics Committee of the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University: Clinical Medicine Ethics Review [2015]043 in Nov 2015.DiscussionThis study will provide insight into the efficacy of transcranial direct-current stimulation for post-stroke fatigue. This is a double-blind randomized controlled trial whose aim is to assess the effects of tDCS on PSF. This study can provide more information about the treatment of PSF. This study has a period of follow-up, which allows for greater accuracy. It is a single-center trial, and this may be a limitation. The other limitation of this study is the relatively small number of participants; thus, the influence of chance on experimental results cannot be completely ruled out.Trial registrationChinese Clinical Trial Registry ChiCTR2000031120. Registered on March 22, 2020. This protocol version number is V1.1.

The effect of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on cerebellum in reduction of the symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder

ABSTRACT Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is one disabling psychiatriccondition. Investigations reported theeffectiveness of trans-cranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) in regulatingorbito-fronto-striato-pallido-thalamic network activity in OCD patients. Inthese patients, hypo- or hyper-activity of different brain areas includingorbitofrontal cortex (OFC), pre-supplementary motor area (pre-SMA), cingulategyrus, putamen, thalamus, parietal cortex and cerebellum have been reported.Thepurpose of this study is determination the efficacy of three different tDCSprotocols and finding the best one to mitigate OCD symptoms. This study was a quasi-experimental research with pre-test-post-test and a one-month follow-up. Of thepatients that referred to Brain and Cognitive Clinic in Tehran, 40 OCD subjectswere randomly selected and assigned into four groups (three experimental groupsand one control group). Of the mentioned patients, those who scored 16 or aboveon the Yale-Brown obsessive-compulsive scale were chosen. tDCS was delivered overa period of 5 days at an intensity of 2 mA for 15 minutes twice a day. In the three intervention groups, tDCSwas delivered in one of the following electrode montages: (i) anode over theright cerebellum (O2) and cathode over the supplementary motor area (pre-SMA; c3/c4); (ii)anode over O2 and cathode over the left OFC (FP1); or (iii) anode over O2 and cathode over the left cerebellum (O1). The controlgroup received sham stimulation (anode over O2 and cathode over the left FP1). Analysisof covariance (ANCOVA) was used to evaluate the results. The results showed that two of the tDCS protocolsreduced OCD symptoms (P < 0.001). Data also revealed that the effect of theanodal stimulation of the O2 led to better outputs as compared to O1. .

Evaluation of the effect of transcranial direct current stimulation on language impairments in the behavioural variant of frontotemporal dementia

The behavioural variant of frontotemporal dementia is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by bilateral atrophy of the prefrontal cortex, gradual deterioration of behavioural and executive capacities, a breakdown of language initiation and impaired search mechanisms in the lexicon. To date, only a few studies have analysed the modulation of language deficits in the behavioural variant of frontotemporal dementia patients with transcranial direct current stimulation, yet with inconsistent results. Our goal was to assess the impact on language performance of a single session of transcranial direct current stimulation on patients with the behavioural variant of frontotemporal dementia. Using a sham-controlled double-blind crossover design in a cohort of behavioural frontotemporal dementia patients (n = 12), we explored the impact on language performance of a single transcranial direct current stimulation session delivering anodal or cathodal transcranial direct current stimulation, over the left and right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, compared with sham stimulation. A Letter fluency and a Picture naming task were performed prior and following transcranial direct current stimulation, to assess modulatory effects on language. Behavioural frontotemporal dementia patients were impaired in all evaluation tasks at baseline compared with healthy controls. Computational finite element method (FEM) models of cortical field distribution corroborated expected impacts of left-anodal and right-cathodal transcranial direct current stimulation over the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and showed lower radial field strength in case of atrophy. However, none of the two tasks showed statistically significant evidence of language improvement caused by active transcranial direct current stimulation compared with sham. Our findings do not argue in favour of pre-therapeutic effects and suggest that stimulation strategies evaluating the modulatory role of transcranial direct current stimulation in the behavioural variant of frontotemporal dementia must carefully weigh the influence of symptom severity and cortical atrophy affecting prefrontal regions to ensure clinical success.

Effect of Anodal Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation to Flexor Digitorum Superficialis Muscle Activities in Stroke Subjects

Background: Stroke is the main causes of upper extremity weakness that may affect physicalindependency resulting in long-term disability. Previous studies showed that A-tDCS can improve neurological damage. A-tDCS causes depolarization and inducesbrainsynapticplasticity in strokesubjects.Aim: To analyze the effect of Anodal-tDCS to the flexor digitorum superficialis muscles activities in stroke subjects.Material and Methods: This experimental study was conducted from April to September 2020. Eightpatients who suffered first attack ischemic stroke, aged 40 to 70 years old, were recruited from PMR out patient clinic at Dr.Soetomo General Hospital Surabaya. Subjects were randomized in to experimental and control group. The control group was given occupational therapy for 30 minutes, while the experimental group was given A-tDCS with intensity 2 mA for 20 minutes and occupational therapy for 30 minutes in 5 consecutive days. Measurement of FDS muscle activities using sEMG were performed before and after interventionin both groups. Results: There was an increase of FDS muscles activities after treatment incontrol group (p=0,048) while there was no similar result in treatment group (p=0,188). Thechangeofmuscles activities was notdifferent betweengroups(p=0,974).Conclusion: tDCS provides no significant benefit in terms of muscle activities in patients with stroke. Small number of samples and other several factors might limit the significancy of current study. Further study is needed to determine the benefit of A-tDCS as a rehabilitation modality in patient with stroke.

Halo Sport Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation Improved Muscular Endurance Performance and Neuromuscular Efficiency During an Isometric Submaximal Fatiguing Elbow Flexion Task.

The present study examined the effects of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) using Halo Sport on the time to exhaustion (TTE) in relation with muscle activities and corticomuscular coupling of agonist and antagonist muscles during a sustained isometric fatiguing contraction performed with the elbow flexors. Twenty healthy male college students were randomly assigned to tDCS group and control group. The two group participants performed two experimental sessions which consisted of pre-fatigue isometric maximal voluntary contraction (MVC), sustained submaximal voluntary contractions (30% maximal torque) performed to exhaustion, and post-fatigue MVC with the right elbow flexor muscles. Sham stimulation (90 s) and tDCS (20 min) were applied for control and tDCS group participants 20 min prior to the second session test, respectively. MVC strength in pre- and post-fatigue test, TTE, electroencephalogram (EEG), and electromyography (EMG) of biceps brachii (BB) and triceps brachii (TB) were recorded during the tests. It was found that tDCS using the Halo Sport device significantly increased TTE and thus improved muscular endurance performance. The improvement may be partly related to the improvement of neuromuscular efficiency as reflected by decrease of antagonistic muscle coactivation activities, which may be related to cortical originated central processing mechanism of neuromuscular activities.

On the Effects of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation on Cerebral Glucose Uptake During Walking: A Report of Three Patients With Multiple Sclerosis.

Common symptoms of multiple sclerosis (MS) include motor impairments of the lower extremities, particularly gait disturbances. Loss of balance and muscle weakness, representing some peripheral effects, have been shown to influence these symptoms, however, the individual role of cortical and subcortical structures in the central nervous system is still to be understood. Assessing [18F]fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) uptake in the CNS can assess brain activity and is directly associated with regional neuronal activity. One potential modality to increase cortical excitability and improve motor function in patients with MS (PwMS) is transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS). However, tDCS group outcomes may not mirror individual subject responses, which impedes our knowledge of the pathophysiology and management of diseases like MS. Three PwMS randomly received both 3 mA tDCS and SHAM targeting the motor cortex (M1) that controls the more-affected leg for 20 min on separate days before walking on a treadmill. The radiotracer, FDG, was injected at minute two of the 20 min walk and the subjects underwent a Positron emission tomography (PET) scan immediately after the task. Differences in relative regional metabolism of areas under the tDCS anode and the basal ganglia were calculated and investigated. The results indicated diverse and individualized responses in regions under the anode and consistent increases in some basal ganglia areas (e.g., caudate nucleus). Thus, anodal tDCS targeting the M1 that controls the more-affected leg of PwMS might be capable of affecting remote subcortical regions and modulating the activity (motor, cognitive, and behavioral functions) of the circuitry connected to these regions.

The effect of transcranial direct current stimulation on pain, range of motion, and balance in sportspersons with ankle sprain: A randomized controlled trial

The effect of transcranial direct current stimulation on pain, range of motion, and balance in sportspersons with ankle sprain: A randomized controlled trial

The Effects of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation Combined Respiratory Resistance Training on the Pulmonary Function of the Stoke

The Effects of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation Combined Respiratory Resistance Training on the Pulmonary Function of the Stoke

Effect of Transcranial Direct Current Brain Stimulation of the Motor Cortex on Chemotherapy-Induced Nausea and Vomiting in Female Patients with Breast Cancer.

Chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) is an adverse outcome associated with chemotherapy and is sometimes difficult to manage. This study aimed to examine the impact of a single session of transcranial direct current brain stimulation (tDCS; 2 mA) over the motor cortex for 20 minutes before chemotherapy in patients receiving a highly emetogenic chemotherapy. Prospective randomized double-blind sham-controlled study. Academic medical center. Sixty patients with breast cancer who were scheduled for chemotherapy treatment were selected and allocated randomly into two equal groups: a stimulation group and a sham group. tDCS was implemented over the primary motor area (M1) (2 mA) for 20 minutes. Patients' nausea was measured by a cumulative index of nausea, a visual analog scale for nausea (VAS-N), episodes of vomiting, and the Edmonton Symptoms Assessment Scale (ESAS) to assess symptoms like pain, malaise, and sense of well-being. Evaluation was done before stimulation and every 24 hours for 72 hours after the end of infusion of chemotherapy. The tDCS group showed a reduction in the cumulative index of nausea (P < 0.001, F = 50), the VAS-N (P < 0.001, F = 52), the ESAS malaise score (P < 0.001, F = 37.6), and the sense of well-being score (P < 0.001, F = 25) vs the sham group. Six patients (20%) in the tDCS group required rescue antiemtic therapy vs 14 patients (46.7%) in the sham group (P < 0.028). A single session of M1 tDCS is suggested as an effective adjuvant therapy to control CINV in female patients suffering from breast cancer and receiving highly emetogenic chemotherapy. Corroboratory studies are needed.