Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a neuromodulatory method that has been tested experimentally and has already been used as an adjuvant therapeutic option to treat a number of neurological disorders and neuropsychiatric diseases. Beyond its well known local effects within the brain, tDCS also transiently promotes systemic glucose uptake and reduces the activity of the neurohormonal stress axes. We aimed to test whether the effects of a single tDCS application could be replicated upon double stimulation to persistently improve systemic glucose tolerance and stress axes activity in humans. In a single‐blinded cross‐over study, we examined 15 healthy male volunteers. Anodal tDCS vs sham was applied twice in series. Systemic glucose tolerance was investigated by the standard hyperinsulinaemic‐euglycaemic glucose clamp procedure, and parameters of neurohormonal stress axes activity were measured. Because tDCS‐induced brain energy consumption has been shown to be part of the mechanism underlying the assumed effects, we monitored the cerebral high‐energy phosphates ATP and phosphocreatine by 31phosphorus magnetic resonance spectroscopy. As hypothesised, analyses revealed that double anodal tDCS persistently increases glucose tolerance compared to sham. Moreover, we observed a significant rise in cerebral high‐energy phosphate content upon double tDCS. Accordingly, the activity of the neurohormonal stress axes was reduced upon tDCS compared to sham. Our data demonstrate that double tDCS promotes systemic glucose uptake and reduces stress axes activity in healthy humans. These effects suggest that repetitive tDCS may be a future non‐pharmacological option for combating glucose intolerance in type 2 diabetes patients.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
customersupport@researchsolutions.com
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.