scholarly journals Effects of Combined Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation with Cognitive Training in Girls with Rett Syndrome

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (5) ◽  
pp. 276
Author(s):  
Rosa Fabio ◽  
Antonio Gangemi ◽  
Martina Semino ◽  
Aglaia Vignoli ◽  
Alberto Priori ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Rett Syndrome ◽  
Direct Current ◽  
Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation ◽  
Treatment Phase ◽  
Integrated Treatment ◽  
Test Phase ◽  
Direct Current Stimulation ◽  
Language Measures ◽  
Vowel Phoneme

Background: Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) combined with traditional rehabilitative techniques has not been widely applied to Rett Syndrome (RTT). The aim of this study was to examine the effects of combined cognitive traditional training with tDCS applied to attention and language measures in subjects with RTT. Methods: 31 subjects with RTT were randomly allocated into two groups: non-sham tDCS (n = 18) and sham tDCS (n = 13). The former received the integrated intervention non-sham tDCS plus cognitive empowerment during the treatment phase. The latter received sham stimulation plus cognitive empowerment. All participants underwent neurological and cognitive assessment to evaluate attention and language measures: before integrated treatment (pre-test phase), at the conclusion of the treatment (post-test phase), and at 1 month after the conclusion of the treatment (follow-up phase). Results: the results indicated longer attention time in the non-sham tDCS group compared to the sham tDCS group with a stable trend also in the follow-up phase; an increase of the number of vowel/phoneme sounds in the non-sham tDCS group; and an improvement in the neurophysiological parameters in the non-sham tDCS group. Conclusions: This study supports the use of tDCS as a promising and alternative approach in the RTT rehabilitation field.

scholarly journals Individual Differences and Long-term Consequences of tDCS-augmented Cognitive Training

2017 ◽  
Vol 29 (9) ◽  
pp. 1498-1508 ◽  
Author(s):  
Benjamin Katz ◽  
Jacky Au ◽  
Martin Buschkuehl ◽  
Tessa Abagis ◽  
Chelsea Zabel ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Individual Differences ◽  
Cognitive Training ◽  
Direct Current ◽  
Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation ◽  
Memory Task ◽  
Memory Training ◽  
Direct Current Stimulation ◽  
Sham Condition

A great deal of interest surrounds the use of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) to augment cognitive training. However, effects are inconsistent across studies, and meta-analytic evidence is mixed, especially for healthy, young adults. One major source of this inconsistency is individual differences among the participants, but these differences are rarely examined in the context of combined training/stimulation studies. In addition, it is unclear how long the effects of stimulation last, even in successful interventions. Some studies make use of follow-up assessments, but very few have measured performance more than a few months after an intervention. Here, we utilized data from a previous study of tDCS and cognitive training [Au, J., Katz, B., Buschkuehl, M., Bunarjo, K., Senger, T., Zabel, C., et al. Enhancing working memory training with transcranial direct current stimulation. Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience, 28, 1419–1432, 2016] in which participants trained on a working memory task over 7 days while receiving active or sham tDCS. A new, longer-term follow-up to assess later performance was conducted, and additional participants were added so that the sham condition was better powered. We assessed baseline cognitive ability, gender, training site, and motivation level and found significant interactions between both baseline ability and motivation with condition (active or sham) in models predicting training gain. In addition, the improvements in the active condition versus sham condition appear to be stable even as long as a year after the original intervention.

scholarly journals The Treatment of Orofacial Pain by Using Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation

2019 ◽  
pp. S367-S372
Author(s):  
J. FRICOVÁ ◽  
K. ENGLEROVÁ ◽  
J. NEDVÍDEK ◽  
R. ROKYTA
Keyword(s):  
Direct Current ◽  
Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation ◽  
Orofacial Pain ◽  
Short Form ◽  
Old Patients ◽  
Dental Surgery ◽  
Direct Current Stimulation ◽  
Non Invasive ◽  
Common Diagnosis

Neurostimulation methods are used in the treatment of chronic pain, although mainly for pharmacology resistant pain. Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) is a non-invasive neurostimulation method using low direct current (0.029-0.08 mA/cm2) applied to a cathode and anode, which directly stimulates the cranial surface. The applied current causes the most significant changes directly under the electrodes: the cathode reduces the excitability of cortical neurons, whereas the anode increases excitability. The effect of stimulation usually lasts a few hours up to a few days. We observed 19 patients with chronic orofacial pain. Inclusion criteria for the study were the following: orofacial pain, stable analgesic medication for at least one week before the beginning of stimulation and during its course, and age 18-75 years old. Patients with severe organic brain damage or seizure disease (epilepsy) were not included. The most common diagnosis was secondary trigeminal neuralgia after dental surgery. We measured thermal and tactile stimulation on the face before and after tDCS, then at 14 days. The total follow-up period lasted six months. We evaluated pain on a numerical scale (0-10) at each follow-up. We used sets of inventories focused on the examination of pain (a short form of McGill inventory), depression, anxiety, and pain interference with daily activities. tDCS is a non-invasive stimulation technique that is affordable and can be easily administered, especially when compared to other neurostimulation techniques. Only 15 patients out of the total number of 19 responded to the questionnaires.

scholarly journals S193. EFFICACY AND SAFETY OF TRANSCRANIAL DIRECT CURRENT STIMULATION FOR TREATING NEGATIVE SYMPTOMS IN SCHIZOPHRENIA: THE FOLLOW-UP PHASE

2020 ◽  
Vol 46 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S112-S112 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leandro Valiengo ◽  
Mauricio Serpa ◽  
Helio Elkis ◽  
Martinus van de Bilt ◽  
Acioly Lacerda ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Trial ◽  
Survival Rate ◽  
Direct Current ◽  
Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation ◽  
Negative Symptoms ◽  
Ease Of Use ◽  
Controlled Clinical Trial ◽  
Open Label ◽  
Direct Current Stimulation

Abstract Background Schizophrenia is a severe mental illness presenting a substantial, increasing burden. Its negative symptoms include flattened affect, loss of interest, and emo- tional withdrawal and are associated with poor functional outcomes. Most antipsychotic drugs are not effective for such symptoms and present important adverse effects3 and low tolerability. v Nonpharmacological interventions are also limited. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a noninvasive neuromodulatory technique that presents low costs, portability, ease of use, and no serious adverse effects. The technique injects weak, direct currents via scalp electrodes. A current fraction penetrates the brain, increasing or decreasing the neuronal excitability of regions near the anode or the cathode, respectively. Mimicking rTMS studies, tDCS trials have used anodal stimulation over the left PFC aiming to ameliorate negative symptoms. In a seminal study, Brunelin et al used a frontotemporoparietal montage in 30 patients with schizophrenia and demonstrated large effect sizes for improvement of negative symptoms and auditory hallucinations (AHs). Recently, we confirmed that active tDCS is more effective than sham tDCS for the negative symptoms of schizophrenia in a randomized, sham-controlled clinical trial with 100 patients. However, the studies showed tDCS efficacy only during the acute phase of the treatment of the negative symptoms of schizophrenia. In fact, as to understand tDCS’ role in the therapeutic arsenal of schizophrenia, it is crucial to assess its efficacy during the continuation treatment. We performed a 24- week follow-up study to assess the relapse of patients presenting a clinical response after acute tDCS treatment. We also explored whether baseline clinical and demographic characteristics were predictors of relapse. Finally, we report the results of patients from the open-label, crossover phase of the study. Methods The follow-up phase was the open-label in which all responders (>20% negative PANSS improvement or negative PANSS < 20) who had previously received active-tDCS were enrolled to a 24-week, follow-up phase in which a maximum of 9 tDCS sessions were performed – every other week for 3 months and, thereafter, once a month for the subsequent 3 months – sessions would be interrupted earlier whether the subject relapsed. TDCS was applied at 2mA/30-min, with the anode over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and the cathode over the tempoparietal junction. Relapse was the outcome measure. Results We had 20 responder in the clinical trial to tDCS and more 12 out 29 in the cross-over phase (who were sham and entered in an open-label exactly as the original clinical trial). Of this 32, 27 accepted to participate in the follow-up phase. The survival rate per Kaplan–Meier analysis was 61%. Patients with treatment ultra-resistant presented lower 24-week survival rate as compared to nonrefractory patients (58% vs. 67%), but without statistical difference between groups(P < .5). Equivalents dosages use of haloperidol, clozapine use, number of hospitalizations or length of the schizophrenia were a predictor of relapse. TDCS was well tolerated and with few side effects Discussion Patients after using tDCS for negative symptoms of schizophrenia presents a low rate of relapse when compared the use of tDCS for major depression. tDCS can be an alternative to the treatment of negative symptoms of schizophrenia at long-term.

Augmentative transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) in poor responder depressed patients: a follow-up study

CNS Spectrums ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 19 (4) ◽  
pp. 347-354 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bernardo Dell'Osso ◽  
Cristina Dobrea ◽  
Chiara Arici ◽  
Beatrice Benatti ◽  
Roberta Ferrucci ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Direct Current ◽  
Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation ◽  
Repeated Measures ◽  
Rating Scale ◽  
Drop Out ◽  
Young Mania ◽  
Double Blind ◽  
Direct Current Stimulation ◽  
Follow Up Study

ObjectivesTranscranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a non-invasive neurostimulation technique that has received increasing interest in the area of mood disorders over the last several years. While acute, double-blind, sham-controlled studies have already reported positive findings in terms of efficacy and safety for tDCS, follow-up data are lacking. This need prompted the present follow-up study, which assesses post-acute effects of tDCS (no maintenance stimulation was performed), in the mid-term, in a sample of major depressives.MethodsAfter completing an acute, open trial of tDCS, 23 outpatients with either major depressive disorder or bipolar disorder entered a naturalistic follow-up (T1) with clinical evaluations at one week (T2), 1 month (T3), and 3 months (T4). A quantitative analysis of Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D), Montgomery–Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS), and Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS) total scores, through repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) (T1–T4) and paired t-test for comparing specific time points (T1–T2, T2–T3, and T3–T4), was performed. In addition, a qualitative analysis on the basis of treatment response and remission (HAM-D) was performed.ResultsEven though a progressive reduction of follow-up completers was observed from T2 to T4 (95.6% at T2, 65.2% at T3, and 47.8% at T4), the antidepressant effects of acute tDCS persisted over 3 months in almost half of the sample. Of note, no post-acute side effects emerged during the follow-up observation. The most frequent causes of drop-out from this study included major modifications in therapeutic regimen (30%) and poor adherence to follow-up visits (17%).ConclusionsIn this mid-term, open, follow-up study, tDCS showed mixed results. Further controlled studies are urgently needed to assess its effects beyond the acute phase.

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