Sessions Of tDCS Research Articles

Effect of transcranial direct current stimulation with concurrent cognitive performance targeting posterior parietal cortex vs prefrontal cortex on working memory in schizophrenia: a randomized clinical trial

Working memory deficits are linked to irregularities in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) and the posterior parietal cortex (PPC) in schizophrenia, effective intervention strategies are lacking. We evaluated the differential efficacy and underlying neuromechanisms of targeting transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) at the DLPFC and the PPC with concurrent cognitive performance for working memory in schizophrenia. In a randomized and double-blind clinical trial, sixty clinically stable schizophrenic patients with below-average working memory were randomly assigned to active DLPFC, active PPC, and sham tDCS groups. Two sessions of tDCS during N-back task were delivered daily for five days. The primary outcome was changes in spatial span test scores from baseline to week 1. The secondary outcomes included changes in scores of color delay-estimation task, other cognitive tasks, and mismatch negativity (biomarker of N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor functioning). Compared with the active DLPFC group, the active PPC group demonstrated significantly greater improvement in spatial span test scores (p = 0.008, d = 0.94) and an augmentation in color delay-estimation task capacity at week 1; the latter sustained to week 2. Compared with the sham tDCS group, the active PPC group did not show a significant improvement in spatial span test scores at week 1 and 2; however, significant enhancement was observed in their color delay-estimation task capacity at week 2. Additionally, mismatch negativity amplitude was enhanced, and changes in theta band measures were positively correlated with working memory improvement in the active PPC group, while no such correlations were observed in the active DLPFC group or the sham tDCS group. Our results suggest that tDCS targeting the PPC relative to the DLPFC during concurrent cognitive performance may improve working memory in schizophrenia, meriting further investigation. The improvement in working memory appears to be linked to enhanced N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor functioning.

Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation for Food Craving in Women Affected by Overweight and Obesity: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Introduction: Craving is a multifactorial behavior caused by central circuit imbalance. The proposed treatments involve exercise and reduced food intake. However, the treatments frequently fail. This study aimed to investigate the effect of 10 consecutive sessions of anodal transcranial direct current stimulation over the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex on food craving and eating consumption of women affected by overweight and obesity. Methods: A randomized double-blind controlled trial with 50 volunteers was divided into two groups (active-tDCS: n = 25 and sham-tDCS: n = 25). There were a total of 10 consecutive tDCS sessions (2 mA, for 20 min) with an F4 anodal-F3 cathodal montage. We evaluated the effects on eating behavior (food craving, uncontrolled eating, emotional eating, and cognitive restriction), food consumption (calories and macronutrients), and anthropometric and body composition variables (weight, body mass index, waist circumference, and body fat percentage). Results: There were no statistically significant results between groups at the baseline regarding sociodemographic and clinical characteristics. Also, there was no significant interaction between time versus group for any of the variables studied. Treatment with tDCS was well tolerated and there were no serious adverse effects. Conclusions: In women affected by overweight and obesity with food cravings, 10 sessions of F4 (anodal) and F3 (cathodal) tDCS did not produce changes in eating behavior, food consumption, and anthropometric and body composition.

Effects of transcranial direct current stimulation along with cognitive training on cognitive functions and activities of daily living in patients with Parkinson's disease: A pilot randomized controlled trial

AbstractBackgroundCognitive impairment is one of the most common symptoms of Parkinson's disease (PD). In recent years, the effect of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) have been investigated on various disabilities related to PD, including sensory and motor deficits and fatigue.AimTo investigate effects of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) along with cognitive training on attention, working memory, reaction time (RTI), response inhibition, and activities of daily living performance.MethodsThis pilot randomized, single‐blinded, and sham‐controlled trial was performed on 32 people with PD who were blocked randomized equally into intervention and control groups. Intervention group received ten 20‐min sessions of tDCS during ten 45‐min sessions of cognitive training, while control group received ten 20‐min sessions of sham‐tDCS during ten 45‐min sessions of cognitive training. Anodal electrode of tDCS (2 mA) was placed over left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), while cathode was over right supraorbital region. A blinded assessor performed pretest, posttest, and follow‐up assessments using the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale and four subtests of the CANTAB computer test including Match to Sample Visual Search, spatial span task, stop signal task, and RTI.ResultsThe results showed significant differences within groups over time in the mean scores of attention (F = 24.73, p = 0.00), working memory (F = 19.06, p = 0.000), RTI (F = 8.63, p = 0.005), response inhibition (F = 15.75, p = 0.000), and activity of daily living performance (F = 6.73, p = 0.013).ConclusiontDCS (anodal electrode over the left DLPFC and cathodal electrode over the right supraorbital region) along with cognitive training could facilitate improvement of cognitive functions and activities of daily living performance compared to routine cognitive exercises in people with PD.

Acute Effect of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation in Pelvic Floor Muscle Function in Young Healthy Women: Initial Findings of a Randomized Controlled Trial.

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) can enhance muscle function in healthy individuals. However, it is unknown if tDCS associated with pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT) can improve pelvic floor muscle function (PFMF) in healthy women. The aim of this study was to investigate the acute effect of a single session of tDCS in PFMF compared with sham-tDCS in healthy women. A double-blind, cross-over, randomized clinical trial was conducted with healthy, nulliparous and sexually active women. PFMF was assessed by bidigital palpation (PERFECT scale) and intravaginal pressure by a manometer (Peritron™). Participants randomly underwent two tDCS sessions (active and sham) 7 days apart. The electrode was positioned equal for both protocols, the anode electrode in the supplementary motor area (M1) and the cathode electrode in the right supraorbital frontal cortex (Fp2). The current was applied for 20min at 2mA in active stimulation and for 30s in sham-tDCS. The tDCS applications were associated with verbal instructions to PFMT in a seated position. After each tDCS session PFMF was reevaluated. Twenty young healthy women (aged 23.4 ± 1.7years; body mass index 21.7 ± 2.2kg/m2) were included. No difference was observed in power, endurance, and intravaginal pressure of PFMF (p > 0.05). The number of sustained contractions improved from 3.0 (2.0-3.5) to 4.0 (3.0-5.0) after active-tDCS (p = 0.0004) and was superior to sham-tDCS (p = 0.01). The number of sustained contractions of PFM improved immediately after a single active-tDCS session, with a difference compared with the post-intervention result of sham-tDCS in healthy young women.

Transcranial direct current stimulation enhances effort maintenance in ADHD

BackgroundYouth with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) exhibit increased effort aversion, likely due to deficits in anticipatory dopamine firing. Previous research has shown that transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) targeting the right prefrontal cortex can enhance activity in dopaminergic meso-striatal regions. However, the extent to which this specific tDCS configuration effectively modulates effort behavior in anticipation of rewards in ADHD remains uncertain. HypothesisWe expected an increase of effort maintenance and invigoration during and following our tDCS set-up compared to sham in subjects with ADHD. MethodsTwenty-four children and adolescents with ADHD (mean age: 11.6 years; 95 % CI [10.7, 12.4]) received 2 mA and sham tDCS for 20 min each. The anode was positioned over the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (PFC), while the cathode was placed over the right dorsolateral PFC, generating an electrical field with maximal strength in the right PFC. During and after the tDCS sessions, participants performed a button-pressing task aimed at earning delayed monetary rewards. Primary outcomes were effort maintenance (frequency of button presses) and invigoration (slopes of button presses), measuring motor task performance. ResultsWe observed a significant increase in effort maintenance both during (b = 2.66; p < 0.001) and after tDCS (b = 2.04; p= .007) compared to sham. No significant difference was found for invigoration during stimulation, while after bonferroni correction (p = 0.025) a non-significant decrease was found after tDCS compared to sham (b = −5.18; p = 0.041). ConclusiontDCS targeting the ventromedial PFC (anodal) and right dorsolateral PFC (cathodal) increases effort maintenance in children and adolescents with ADHD.

EEG microstates are associated with the improvement of obsessive-compulsive symptoms after transcranial direct current stimulation

BackgroundTranscranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a safe, accessible, and promising therapeutic approach for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). AimsThis study aimed to evaluate the effect of tDCS on electroencephalography (EEG) microstates and identify potential biomarkers to predict efficacy. MethodsA total of 24 individuals diagnosed with OCD underwent ten sessions of tDCS targeting the orbitofrontal cortex, while 27 healthy individuals were included as controls. Microstates A, B, C, and D were extracted before and after tDCS. A comparative analysis of microstate metrics was performed between the OCD and the healthy control groups, as well as within the OCD group before and after tDCS. Multiple linear regression analysis was performed to identify potential biomarkers of tDCS. ResultsComparison to healthy controls, the OCD group exhibited a significantly reduced duration of microstate A and increased occurrence of microstate D. The transition between microstates A and C was significantly different between patients with OCD and healthy controls and was no longer observed following tDCS. Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that the duration of microstate C was associated with an improvement OCD symptom after tDCS. ConclusionsThe results revealed an aberrant large-scale EEG brain network that could be modulated by tDCS. In particular, the duration of EEG microstate C may be a neurophysiological characteristic associated with the therapeutic effects of tDCS on OCD.

Transcranial electrical stimulation modulates emotional experience and metabolites in the prefrontal cortex in a donation task

Understanding the neural, metabolic, and psychological mechanisms underlying human altruism and decision-making is a complex and important topic both for science and society. Here, we investigated whether transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) applied to two prefrontal cortex regions, the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC, anode) and the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC, cathode) can induce changes in self-reported emotions and to modulate local metabolite concentrations. We employed in vivo quantitative MR Spectroscopy in healthy adult participants and quantified changes in GABA and Glx (glutamate + glutamine) before and after five sessions of tDCS delivered at 2 mA for 20 min (active group) and 1 min (sham group) while participants were engaged in a charitable donation task. In the active group, we observed increased levels of GABA in vmPFC. Glx levels decreased in both prefrontal regions and self-reported happiness increased significantly over time in the active group. Self-reported guiltiness in both active and sham groups tended to decrease. The results indicate that self-reported happiness can be modulated, possibly due to changes in Glx concentrations following repeated stimulation. Therefore, local changes may induce remote changes in the reward network through interactions with other metabolites, previously thought to be unreachable with noninvasive stimulation techniques.

Does a single session of transcranial direct current stimulation enhance both physical and psychological performance in national- or international-level athletes? A systematic review.

Some studies showed that a single session of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has the potential of modulating motor performance in healthy and athletes. To our knowledge, previously published systematic reviews have neither comprehensively investigated the effects of tDCS on athletic performance in both physical and psychological parameters nor investigated the effects of tDCS on high-level athletes. We examined all available research testing a single session of tDCS on strength, endurance, sport-specific performance, emotional states and cognitive performance for better application in competition and pre-competition trainings of national- or international-level athletes. A systematic search was conducted in PubMed, Web of Science, EBSCO, Embase, and Scopus up until to June 2023. Studies were eligible when participants had sports experience at a minimum of state and national level competitions, underwent a single session of tDCS without additional interventions, and received either sham tDCS or no interventions in the control groups. A total of 20 experimental studies (224 participants) were included from 18 articles. The results showed that a single tDCS session improved both physical and psychological parameters in 12 out of the 18 studies. Of these, six refer to the application of tDCS on the motor system (motor cortex, premotor cortex, cerebellum), five on dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and two on temporal cortex. The most sensitive to tDCS are strength, endurance, and emotional states, improved in 67%, 75%, and 75% of studies, respectively. Less than half of the studies showed improvement in sport-specific tasks (40%) and cognitive performance (33%). We suggest that tDCS is an effective tool that can be applied to competition and pre-competition training to improve athletic performance in national- or international-level athletes. Further research would explore various parameters (type of sports, brain regions, stimulation protocol, athlete level, and test tasks) and neural mechanistic studies in improving efficacy of tDCS interventions. Systematic Review Registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42022326989, identifier CRD42022326989.

Effectiveness and tolerability of adjunctive transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) in management of treatment-resistant depression: A retrospective chart review.

There is a limited number of studies from India investigating the role of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) in treatment-resistant depression (TRD). This clinic-based study reports on the effectiveness of tDCS as an add-on treatment in individuals suffering from TRD. Twenty-six right-handed individuals suffering from major depressive disorder who failed to respond to adequate trials of at least two antidepressant drugs in the current episode received tDCS as an augmenting treatment. Twice daily sessions of conventional tDCS were given providing anodal stimulation at the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) and cathodal placement at the right DLPFC. A total of 20 sessions were given over 2 weeks. The outcome was assessed based on changes in scores of the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAMD) and Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS). There was a significant reduction in outcome assessment after tDCS intervention as compared to baseline, with more than 50% of the participants showing response in both scales, which increased further to approximately 77% by the end of 1 month of the follow-up period. Twice daily tDCS sessions with anodal stimulation of left DLPFC and cathodal stimulation of right DLPFC is an effective add-on treatment strategy in individuals with TRD.

Facilitation of working memory capacity by transcranial direct current stimulation: a secondary analysis from the augmenting cognitive training in older adults (ACT) study.

Aging is a public health concern with an ever-increasing magnitude worldwide. An array of neuroscience-based approaches like transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) and cognitive training have garnered attention in the last decades to ameliorate the effects of cognitive aging in older adults. This study evaluated the effects of 3months of bilateral tDCS over the frontal cortices with multimodal cognitive training on working memory capacity. Two hundred ninety-two older adults without dementia were allocated to active or sham tDCS paired with cognitive training. These participants received repeated sessions of bilateral tDCS over the bilateral frontal cortices, combined with multimodal cognitive training. Working memory capacity was assessed with the digit span forward, backward, and sequencing tests. No baseline differences between active and sham groups were observed. Multiple linear regressions indicated more improvement of the longest digit span backward from baseline to post-intervention (p = 0.021) and a trend towards greater improvement (p = 0.056) of the longest digit span backward from baseline to 1year in the active tDCS group. No significant between-group changes were observed for digit span forward or digit span sequencing. The present results provide evidence for the potential for tDCS paired with cognitive training to remediate age-related declines in working memory capacity. These findings are sourced from secondary outcomes in a large randomized clinical trial and thus deserve future targeted investigation in older adult populations.

Performance in myoelectric pattern recognition improves with transcranial direct current stimulation

Sensorimotor impairments, resulting from conditions like stroke and amputations, can profoundly impact an individual’s functional abilities and overall quality of life. Assistive and rehabilitation devices such as prostheses, exo-skeletons, and serious gaming in virtual environments can help to restore some degree of function and alleviate pain after sensorimotor impairments. Myoelectric pattern recognition (MPR) has gained popularity in the past decades as it provides superior control over said devices, and therefore efforts to facilitate and improve performance in MPR can result in better rehabilitation outcomes. One possibility to enhance MPR is to employ transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) to facilitate motor learning. Twelve healthy able-bodied individuals participated in this crossover study to determine the effect of tDCS on MPR performance. Baseline training was followed by two sessions of either sham or anodal tDCS using the dominant and non-dominant arms. Assignments were randomized, and the MPR task consisted of 11 different hand/wrist movements, including rest or no movement. Surface electrodes were used to record EMG and the MPR open-source platform, BioPatRec, was used for decoding motor volition in real-time. The motion test was used to evaluate performance. We hypothesized that using anodal tDCS to increase the excitability of the primary motor cortex associated with non-dominant side in able-bodied individuals, will improve motor learning and thus MPR performance. Overall, we found that tDCS enhanced MPR performance, particularly in the non-dominant side. We were able to reject the null hypothesis and improvements in the motion test’s completion rate during tDCS (28% change, p-value: 0.023) indicate its potential as an adjunctive tool to enhance MPR and motor learning. tDCS appears promising as a tool to enhance the learning phase of using assistive devices using MPR, such as myoelectric prostheses.

Treating refractory obsessive compulsive disorder with cathodal transcranial direct current stimulation over the supplementary motor area: a large multisite randomized sham-controlled double-blind study.

The present study evaluated the therapeutic efficacy and tolerability of 10 transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) sessions in treatment-resistance obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) patients using a multisite double-blind sham-controlled design. Eighty treatment-resistance outpatients suffering from obsessive-compulsive disorder were randomized to receive either active or sham transcranial direct current stimulation. The cathode was positioned over the supplementary motor area and the anode over the right supraorbital area. Patients were evaluated at baseline, end of treatment (day 14), one-month follow-up (day 45), and three-month follow-up (day 105) on the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale. Although a significant interaction between time and treatment was observed, the primary endpoint-measuring the change in Yale-Brown obsessive compulsive scale scores after two weeks-was not achieved. Conversely, the secondary endpoint, which concerned the change in Yale-Brown obsessive compulsive scale scores after three months, was successfully met. It is important to note, however, that there were no significant differences in the percentage of responders and remitters at any of the post-treatment assessments. This suggests that the treatment may not have had a clinically relevant impact. Patients well received the transcranial direct current stimulation treatment, indicating its good tolerability. This is the largest controlled trial using transcranial direct current stimulation in treatment-resistance obsessive-compulsive disorder patients. Our results indicate the importance of studying the placebo effect in transcranial direct current stimulation and the necessity to consider a long follow-up time to best evaluate the effects of the intervention. ClinicalTrials.gov, identifier NCT03304600.

Negation and social avoidance in language recruits the right inferior frontal gyrus: a tDCS study.

In the process of comprehension, linguistic negation induces inhibition of negated scenarios. Numerous studies have highlighted the role of the right Inferior Frontal Gyrus (rIFG) - a key component of the inhibitory network - in negation processing. Social avoidance can be linguistically portrayed using attitudinal verbs such as "exclude" vs. "include", which inherently carry negative connotations. Consequently, we hypothesize that the interplay between explicit negation and the implicit negativity of avoidance verbs can be modulated via transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) targeting the rIFG. In our study, sixty-four participants read approach/avoidance sentences, which were either affirmative or negative, such as "Anne included (did not include) meat in her diet" vs. "Anne excluded (did not exclude) meat in her diet". This reading task followed a 20-minute tDCS session. The sentences were sequentially displayed, and at 1500 ms post-sentence, a verb was shown - either the one previously mentioned or its semantic alternative counterpart (e.g., included vs. excluded). Findings revealed that anodal stimulation intensifies the inhibitory impact of negation during sentence comprehension. Under anodal conditions, negative sentences led to extended reading times for the mentioned verbs compared to their affirmative counterparts, suggesting an increased inhibitory effect on the verb. Furthermore, in avoidance sentences, anodal stimulation resulted in reduced reading times for alternative verbs (e.g. "included") in negative sentences compared to alternative verbs (e.g. "excluded") in negated approach sentences. As "avoidance" is semantically equivalent to "non-approach", the inhibitory effect of negation is primarily applied to the implicit negation: NOT EXCLUDED = NOT→NOT (INCLUDED), which consequently activates the representation of the alternative verb making it more available. We further discuss these findings in light of the rIFG's pivotal role in processing attitudinal verbs and linguistic negation. This discussion is framed within the overarching context of the two-step model of negation processing, highlighting its significance in the realm of social communication.

The efficacy of transcranial direct current stimulation in the treatment of anorexia nervosa: a randomized double-blind clinical trial.

Anorexia nervosa (AN) is a life-threatening disease with a low effectiveness of treatment. The high relapse and mortality rate indicate new treatment approaches are needed. Here, we represent the protocol for randomized clinical trial (RCT) of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) efficiency in the AN treatment. The main purpose of the 3-week RCT is to determine the effect of tDCS on the mental state and advances in nutritional rehabilitation in patients with AN. 50 female inpatients (13-25 years old, body mass index (BMI) 17.5 kg/m2 or less) will be randomly allocated into groups: active (n=25) and sham (n=25) tDCS. Thirty 25-minute tDCS sessions (applied current at 2mA) will be given to DLPFC (F3 anode/F4 cathode) twice a day for 3 weeks on working days parallel to treatment as usual. The primary outcome measures include changes in symptoms related to eating disorders, as assessed by the Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-26), following tDCS sessions over a 3-week trial period. The secondary outcome measures include changes in: brain bioelectric activity, anthropometric measurements, mood, nutritional status, neurocognition, psychological symptoms, selected biological markers related to stress, food intake, inflammation and neurotrophins. This paper describes the evaluation of a 3-week tDCS-based intervention for AN patients. The study design was developed by a multidisciplinary research team to assess the treatment effect, taking into account various types of variables. This approach could help in better understanding the potential therapeutic tDCS strategy in AN. www.ClinicalTrials.gov, identifier NCT05814458.

Clinical usability study of a home-based self-administration transcranial direct current stimulation for primary dysmenorrhea: A randomized controlled trial.

This study tested the usability of a home-based self-administration transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) device designed specifically for women's health needs. This is a single center triple blinded clinical usability study for a new wireless, Bluetooth-controlled wearable tDCS device for women's health. The study aims to evaluate the usability and effective blinding of a home-based tDCS system. A total of forty-nine women of reproductive age were randomly allocated (1:1) to receive one session of active tDCS (n = 24) or sham tDCS (n = 25) over the motor and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. Each participant self-administered one 20-minute session without supervision following guidance on a software application alone. The System Usability Scale (SUS) and the Patient Global Impression of Change (PGIC) were used to evaluate the usability of the system. Regardless of sham or active conditions, all users found the system easy to use without the support of researchers. Usability scores were considered to be "excellent" in both groups and no significant difference was found between sham and active groups showing effective blinding of the device (Active group: 93.7 (83.1-97.5); Sham group 90 (86.2-95) p = 0.79) and PGIC (Active group: 2 (1-2.75); Sham group 2 (1-2) p = 0.99) using an unpaired t-test or non-parametric statistical tests accordingly. The new Bluetooth-controlled wearable tDCS device is easy, safe to use and completely controlled by a smartphone app. This device is focused on women's health and will be tested as an alternative treatment for chronic pelvic pain and mood disturbance associated with menstrual cycles in further research.

Combination of anodal tDCS of the cerebellum with a goal-oriented motor training to treat cervical dystonia: a pilot case series.

Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) of the cerebellum shows promise for the treatment of dystonia. Specific motor rehabilitation programs have also been developed in this context. However, the combination of these two approaches has not yet been evaluated to determine their therapeutic potential. We report a series of 5 patients with cervical dystonia (CD) poorly controlled by botulinum toxin injections. They were initially treated by a protocol of repeated daily sessions (for 3 or 5 days) of cerebellar anodal tDCS (cer-atDCS) applied alone. In a second time, additional protocols of cer-atDCS were performed in combination with a program of goal-oriented motor training exercises (Mot-Training), specifically developed for the treatment of CD. The clinical impact of the procedures was assessed on the Toronto Western Spasmodic Torticollis Rating Scale (TWSTRS). Compared to baseline, the maximum percentage of TWSTRS total score improvement was 37% on average after cer-atDCS performed alone (p = 0.147, not significant) and 53% on average after cer-atDCS combined with Mot-Training (p = 0.014, significant). The TWSTRS pain and functional handicap subscores also improved after the combined protocol. A score of (+3) to (+5) was rated on the TWSTRS response scale after cer-atDCS performed alone or the combined protocol, corresponding to a moderate to striking improvement on dystonia and pain. This improvement lasted longer after the combined protocol than after cer-atDCS alone (3.4 vs. 1.4 months on average, p = 0.011). The combination of cer-atDCS with Mot-Training produced a greater and more prolonged improvement than the application of cer-atDCS alone. Such a combined therapeutic procedure is easy to perform and opens important perspectives in the long-term treatment of CD. These results remain to be confirmed by a randomized sham-controlled trial on a larger sample.

Anodal transcranial direct current stimulation enhances response inhibition and attention allocation in fencers.

The aim of this study is to investigate the acute effects of anodal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on reaction time, response inhibition and attention in fencers. Sixteen professional female fencers were recruited, and subjected to anodal tDCS and sham stimulation in the primary motor area (M1) one week apart in a randomized, crossover, single-blind design. A two-factor analysis of variance with repeated measures was used to analyze the effects of stimulation conditions (anodal stimulation, sham stimulation) and time (pre-stimulation, post-stimulation) on reaction time, response inhibition, and attention in fencers. The study found a significant improvement in response inhibition and attention allocation from pre-stimulation to post-stimulation following anodal tDCS but not after sham stimulation. There was no statistically significant improvement in reaction time and selective attention. A single session of anodal tDCS could improve response inhibition, attention allocation in female fencers. This shows that tDCS has potential to improve aspects of an athlete's cognitive performance, although we do not know if such improvements would transfer to improved performance in competition. However, more studies involving all genders, large samples, and different sports groups are needed in the future to further validate the effect of tDCS in improving the cognitive performance of athletes.

Study protocol: Responsiveness of Postural Control of Children With and Without a Developmental Coordination Disorder After Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation

BACKGROUND: Developmental coordination disorder (DCD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects around 5% of school-age children worldwide. DCD negatively impacts motor repertoire, quality of life, and overall health. One of the main motor impairments affecting activity and participation is poor postural balance. Although the neural basis of DCD is not yet clear, morphological and functional alterations have been found in children with DCD in crucial areas for postural control, such as the cerebellum and the primary motor cortex. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a noninvasive technique for inducing synaptic modulation, promoting neuromodulation that can help in understanding physiopathology and determining therapeutic strategies for people with DCD. AIM: The proposed randomized clinical trial will verify the immediate effects of tDCS in the primary motor cortex and the cerebellum on postural balance in children with and without DCD. METHOD: Fifteen children with DCD and 15 typically developing children will be randomized to receive a single session of anodal cerebellar tDCS, cathodal cerebellar tDCS, anodal primary motor cortex tDCS, or sham tDCS in a crossover design. Postural balance will be assessed by posturography with and without visual and somatosensory system manipulation immediately before and after each tDCS session. RESULTS AND INTERPRETATION: This paper presents a detailed description protocol of a double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover clinical trial. The results can bolster understanding of the postural control of children with DCD compared to children with typical development as well as knowledge about the possible effects of tDCS on the postural balance of such children.

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) for neurological disability among subacute stroke survivors to improve multiple domains in health-related quality of life: Randomized controlled trial protocol

ObjectivesThe primary goal of the current proposal is to fill the gaps in the literature by studying the effectiveness of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on lifestyle parameters, and physical, behavioral, and cognitive functions among stroke survivors, and understanding the factors that mediate the effects of various domains related to Health-related Quality of life (HRQoL) improvements. MethodsAnticipated 64 volunteer subacute stroke survivors (>7 days to 3 months post stroke) aged 40–75 years with National Institutes of Health stroke scale (NIHSS) score of >10 and Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score between 18 and 23 will be randomly assigned at a ratio of 1:1 to receive either: (1) 20 sessions of anodal tDCS or (2) sham tDCS in addition to conventional rehabilitation. Battery driven tDCS will be applied at 2 mA intensity to the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and primary motor cortex for 20 minutes. The primary endpoints of study will be 36-Item Short Form Survey (SF-36) post intervention at 4 weeks. The secondary outcomes will include Stroke Specific Quality of Life Scale (SS_QOL), Montreal cognitive assessment (MCA), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), Fugl-Meyer Assessment (FMA), 10 m walk test and Modified Barthel Activities of daily living (ADL) Index. At 0.05 level of significance, data normality, within group and between group actual differences will be analyzed with a moderate scope software. DiscussionOur knowledge of this technique and its use is expanding daily as tDCS motor recovery studies—mostly single-center studies—in either single session or many sessions have been completed and shown positive results. The field is prepared for a multi-center, carefully planned, sham-controlled, double-blinded tDCS study to comprehensively examine its feasibility and effectiveness in enhancing outcomes in stroke population. ConclusionThe function of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation in aiding stroke recuperation will be ascertained.

Effectiveness of Transcranial Direct-Current Stimulation on Impulsivity and Anxiety in Patients with Paranoid Personality Disorder

Background: Individuals with paranoid personality disorder (PPD) usually suffer from impulsive behavior and anxiety and constantly imagine others trying to humiliate, harm, or threaten them. This disorder causes mistrust towards others and may interfere with a person's ability to form close relationships. Objectives: The present study aimed to investigate the effects of transcranial direct-current stimulation (tDCS) on impulsivity and anxiety in patients with PPD. Methods: This quasi-experimental research adopted a pretest-posttest control group design. The statistical population included all patients aged 30 – 50 years with PPD referred to psychological and psychiatric clinics and hospitals in Yazd, (Iran), in 2022. Convenience sampling was employed to select 30 individuals with PPD. The participants were randomly assigned to an experimental group (n = 15) and a control (n = 15) group using a table of random numbers. The participants completed impulsivity and anxiety questionnaires during the pretest and posttest stages. The experimental group received ten 20-minute sessions of tDCS. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS v25.0. Results: The participants included 30 men and women with PPD with an average age of 41.23 ± 8.40 years. In the posttest, the mean ± SD of impulsivity for tDCS and control groups were 54.67 ± 4.03 and 93.93 ± 3.67, respectively. Moreover, the mean ± SD of anxiety in tDCS and control groups in the posttest were 16.40 ± 2.79 and 42.39 ± 2.99, respectively. The results indicated that tDCS significantly improved impulsivity and reduced anxiety at the posttest stage (P &lt; 0.001). Conclusions: Transcranial direct-current stimulation can alleviate impulsivity and anxiety in patients with PPD. Therefore, therapists can implement the tDCS method as a complementary therapy to improve impulsivity and anxiety in patients with PPD.