Effects of transcranial direct current stimulation in children and young people with psychiatric disorders: a systematic review

Abstract

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has demonstrated benefits in adults with various psychiatric disorders, but its clinical utility in children and young people (CYP) remains unclear. This PRISMA systematic review used published and ongoing studies to examine the effects of tDCS on disorder-specific symptoms, mood and neurocognition in CYP with psychiatric disorders. We searched Medline via PubMed, Embase, PsychINFO via OVID, and Clinicaltrials.gov up to December 2022. Eligible studies involved multiple session (i.e., treatment) tDCS in CYP (≤ 25 years old) with psychiatric disorders. Two independent raters assessed the eligibility of studies and extracted data using a custom-built form. Of 33 eligible studies (participant N = 517), the majority (n = 27) reported an improvement in at least one outcome measure of disorder-specific symptoms. Few studies (n = 13) examined tDCS effects on mood and/or neurocognition, but findings were mainly positive. Overall, tDCS was well tolerated with minimal side effects. Of 11 eligible ongoing studies, many are sham-controlled RCTs (n = 9) with better blinding techniques and a larger estimated participant enrolment (M = 79.7; range 15–172) than published studies. Although encouraging, the evidence to date is insufficient to firmly conclude that tDCS can improve clinical symptoms, mood, or cognition in CYP with psychiatric disorders. Ongoing studies appear of improved methodological quality; however, future studies should broaden outcome measures to more comprehensively assess the effects of tDCS and develop dosage guidance (i.e., treatment regimens).

Transcranial direct current stimulation as early augmentation in adolescent obsessive compulsive disorder: A pilot proof-of-concept randomized control trial

“…Meanwhile, the long-term effects of tDCS, particularly on developing brains have not been studied thoroughly. Data from tDCS use in children with neurodevelopmental and motor disorders does not show any serious long-term adverse effects[ 29 ]. But long-term follow-up studies in mood and anxiety disorders in children are lacking.…”

Stress and Right Prefrontal Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) Interactive Effects on Visual Working Memory and Learning

“…Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is an accessible, safe, and inexpensive neuromodulation technique [1][2][3]. It has attracted growing research attention as a noninvasive intervention that improves the cognitive functioning scores of clinical patients and healthy individuals [4][5][6]. Initial studies suggested enhanced working memory performance after dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) tDCS stimulation (see review [7]).…”

Anodal transcranial direct‐current stimulation and non‐verbal intelligence in autism spectrum disorder: A randomized controlled trial

“…A systematic review reported that most eligible studies (27 out of 33) involving multiple tDCS sessions in children and young people with psychiatric disorders, including ASD, reported improvement in at least one disorder‐specific symptom outcome measure. However, the evidence so far is insufficient to conclude firmly that tDCS can improve clinical symptoms, mood, or cognition 13 …”

“…However, the evidence so far is insufficient to conclude firmly that tDCS can improve clinical symptoms, mood, or cognition. 13 A study protocol for a randomized, double-blind, sham-controlled clinical trial on adolescents with ASD comprised 10 anodal or sham tDCS sessions applied over the LDLPFC within 2 consecutive weeks. It provided information about the persistence of treatment effects and the clinical symptomatology up to 6 months after the end of the intervention.…”