Dysfunctional frontal cortical areas associated with clinical features are observed in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This study attempted to identify any potential therapeutic effects of bilateral anodal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) applied over the left and right prefrontal and motor areas on the clinical characteristics of children with ASD. Fifty children with confirmed ASD medical diagnoses were divided equally and randomly into a tDCS treatment group and a control group. The tDCS treatment group underwent 10 sessions (20-min durations, five per week) of bilateral anodal tDCS stimulation applied simultaneously over the left and right prefrontal and motor areas, whereas the control group underwent the same procedures but with the use of sham tDCS stimulation. Total scores and sub-scores of autism treatment evaluation checklist (ATEC) (language and communication; sociability; sensory awareness; and behavioral, health, and physical conditions) were measured before and after the tDCS treatment sessions of both groups. There were significant decreases in total ATEC scores (P = 0.014), sociability sub-scores (P = 0.021), and behavioral, health, and physical condition sub-scores (P = 0.011) in the tDCS treatment group. No significant changes were observed in total ATEC scores and sub-scores in the control group. In conclusion, compared to the control group, bilateral anodal tDCS showed potential therapeutic effects on children with ASD in terms of improvements in sociability, behavior, health, and physical conditions with no reported side effects. Autism Res 2020, 13: 828-836.

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BackgroundSleep dysfunctions impose a large burden on quality of life for patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD). Several studies on PD reported potential therapeutic effects of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on motor and non-motor functions, but not related to sleep quality. Therefore, the present study examined sleep quality, depression perception, and quality of life changes after bilateral anodal tDCS in patients with PD.Material/MethodsTwenty-one patients (n=21) with PD underwent 10 sessions (20 min each, 5 per week) of bilateral anodal tDCS stimulation applied simultaneously over the left and right prefrontal and motor areas. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) total score and sub-scores, Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS), and Health-related quality of life questionnaire (SF-36) were measured pre/post bilateral tDCS anodal stimulation.ResultsPSQI total score (P=0.045), sleep latency sub-score (P=0.02), and GDS total score (P=0.016) significantly decreased, and physical and mental components scores of SF-36 (P=0.018 and P=0.001, respectively) significantly increased after bilateral anodal tDCS stimulation. The GDS score decrease was directly correlated with decrease in PSQI total score (P=0.01), sleep latency sub-score (P=0.002), and sleep disturbance sub-score (P=0.003). In addition, the GDS score decrease was inversely correlated with increasing mental component score of SF-36 (P=0.001), which was directly correlated with an increase in sleep efficiency sub-score (P=0.03) and the physical component score of SF-36 (P=0.0001).ConclusionsBilateral anodal tDCS stimulation showed potential therapeutic effects in patients with PD in terms of sleep quality and depression level improvement, which together improved mental and physical quality of life in patients with PD.

Bilateral anodal tDCS is a safe stimulation protocol that leads to motor functions' improvement and BDNF serum level increase in patients with Parkinson's disease, however the findings of this feasible study are preliminary and further study is needed.

Our data showed that bilateral anodal tDCS serves as an effective, safe and feasible approach for rehabilitation of patients with PD with the issues related to balance and fear of fall.