Evaluation of different procedure involved in the Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) technique experimental application

Abstract

Introduction: The transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a non-invasive technique, which induces neuroplastic changes in the central nervous system of animals and humans. Furthermore, tDCS has been suggested as a therapeutic tool for pain management. The aim of this study was to standardize a non-invasive tDCS technique indexed by the nociceptive response of rats submitted to different conditions necessary to the tDCS application.

Effects of transcranial direct current stimulation associated or combined with exercise on musculoskeletal pain: systematic review

“…As pain can also be related to emotional factors, the application of tDCS in another brain area, such as the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, for example, may have better effects than when applied to the primary motor cortex 29 . It's important to note that the primary motor cortex is a brain area capable of releasing neurotransmitters that can increase the production of endogenous opioids and consequently reduce pain 6,15,19 and tDCS, as well as therapeutic exercises, act on this cortical area. Therefore, the stimulation of a same cortical area by the association or combination of these two resources can explain the limited analgesic effect of the use of exercise alone 6 .…”

“…On the other hand, tDCS is a passive and relatively recent technique that consists in the use of a low intensity continuous electric current applied to the scalp in order to stimulate specific cortical areas of the brain [12][13][14] . This stimulus may cause modulations in neural excitability and inhibit or excite the cortical and subcortical regions, thus inducing the release of endogenous opioids that favor the downward modulation of pain [15][16][17] . Because it is inexpensive, painless, non-invasive and relatively simple to apply 18 , tDCS has been used for MSP treatment.…”