The Efficacy of Transcranial Current Stimulation Techniques to Modulate Resting-State EEG, to Affect Vigilance and to Promote Sleepiness

Abstract

Transcranial Current Stimulations (tCSs) are non-invasive brain stimulation techniques which modulate cortical excitability and spontaneous brain activity by the application of weak electric currents through the scalp, in a safe, economic, and well-tolerated manner. The direction of the cortical effects mainly depend on the polarity and the waveform of the applied current. The aim of the present work is to provide a broad overview of recent studies in which tCS has been applied to modulate sleepiness, sleep, and vigilance, evaluating the efficacy of different stimulation techniques and protocols. In recent years, there has been renewed interest in these stimulations and their ability to affect arousal and sleep dynamics. Furthermore, we critically review works that, by means of stimulating sleep/vigilance patterns, in the sense of enhancing or disrupting them, intended to ameliorate several clinical conditions. The examined literature shows the efficacy of tCSs in modulating sleep and arousal pattern, likely acting on the top-down pathway of sleep regulation. Finally, we discuss the potential application in clinical settings of this neuromodulatory technique as a therapeutic tool for pathological conditions characterized by alterations in sleep and arousal domains and for sleep disorders per se.

Can accelerated transcranial direct current stimulation improve memory functions? An experimental, placebo-controlled study

“…Even if our aim was to stimulate temporal cortex, other cortical areas may also have been affected (e.g frontal cortex), since tDCS may lead to a widespread alterations of functional connectivity ( Keeser et al., 2011 ). It is suggested that tDCS may enhance alerting attention ( Coffman et al., 2012 ) and affecting the resting state networks (e.g Annarumma et al., 2018 ; Kirov et al., 2009 ) This could improve executive function, and thus lead to better scores on TMT-B. Effects of tDCS on resting state connectivity may be different in younger adults ( Prehn and Flöel, 2015 ; Woods et al., 2019 ).…”

“…Memory improvement from tDCS could be due to enhanced excitability in the temporal cortex ( Boggio et al., 2012 ; Ferrucci et al, 2008 ). Some studies also suggest that tDCS may enhance memory consolidation by affecting resting state networks and brain-wave frequency (e.g Annarumma et al., 2018 ; Kirov et al., 2009 ; Marshall et al., 2011 ).…”

Comparing the Effectiveness of Neurofeedback and Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation on Sleep Quality of Patients With Migraine

“…Additionally, both sleep disturbances and headache are probably the signs of an underlying illness. A headache at night or immediately after waking up can be regarded as a sign of sleep disorder (Annarumma, D'Atri, Alfonsi, & De Gennaro, 2018). In Sullivan & Martin (2017) study, it was concluded that the frequency of migraine attacks has a significant correlation with sleep duration and poor sleep quality.…”

Vigilance Enhancement Using Computerized Techniques

“…Changes in cortical excitability lasted over one hour and have been demonstrated after few minutes of stimulation [33]. Interestingly, there has been an increasing amount of research in the use of tDCS on cognition and clinical studies [34][35][36]. Recent studies have examined the effects of tDCS on vigilance, attention and at alleviating problem at workplace [34,35,[37][38][39][40][41][42][43].…”