Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation as a Treatment Tool for Mild Traumatic Brain Injury

Abstract

Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) has been defined as a transient (<24 h) condition of confusion and/or loss of consciousness for less than 30 min after brain injury and can result in short- and long-term motor and cognitive impairments. Recent studies have documented the therapeutic potential of non-invasive neuromodulation techniques for the enhancement of cognitive and motor function in mTBI. Alongside repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS), the main technique used for this purpose is transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS). The focus of this review was to provide a detailed, comprehensive (i.e., both cognitive and motor impairment) overview of the literature regarding therapeutic tDCS paradigms after mTBI. A publication search of the PubMed, Scopus, CINAHL, and PsycINFO databases was performed to identify records that applied tDCS in mTBI. The publication search yielded 14,422 records from all of the databases, however, only three met the inclusion criteria and were included in the final review. Based on the review, there is limited evidence of tDCS improving cognitive and motor performance. Surprisingly, there were only three studies that used tDCS in mTBI, which highlights an urgent need for more research to provide additional insights into ideal therapeutic brain targets and optimized stimulation parameters.

Randomized, controlled clinical trial of acoustic stimulation to reduce postconcussive symptoms

“…We are currently testing the next generation of allostatic neurotechnology which translates brain electrical activity to not only auditory tones, but also very low‐level electrical stimulation of the scalp. An elegant series of preclinical and clinical studies 53 , 54 , 55 , 56 , 57 , 58 , 59 suggest that highly localized electrical stimulation of the scalp, at levels so low that they are not consciously recognized, can have a significant impact on the brain. We will report these results for mTBI upon the completion of that study.…”

Preliminary Observations of Personalized Repetitive Magnetic Stimulation (PrTMS) Guided by EEG Spectra for Concussion

“…Electrical stimulation and assessment of the brain for the treatment of persistent concussion symptoms has long been considered for the treatment of TBI, and has emerged in recent years via several different modalities including transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), magnetoencephalography (MEG), and rTMS. Rudroff and Workman, 2021, conducted a comprehensive review of the effects of tDCS in mTBI [ 47 ]. The authors found just three studies that examined tDCS for mTBI, and concluded that there is high intersubject variability in outcomes and limited evidence that tDCS has a significant beneficial effect in mTBI.…”

Efeitos da estimulação transcraniana por corrente contínua associada ao treino cognitivo na função executiva, atenção e memória após trauma cranioencefálico: um ensaio clínico crossover, randomizado, duplo-cego e placebo-controlado

“…Uma metanálise publicada em 2016 comparou estudos com ETCC e concluiu que a aplicação simultânea com TC gerou resultados melhores na memória operacional (HILL et al, 2016). Da mesma forma, Martin et al, (2014) BEGEMANN et al, 2020;DENDOCKER et al, 2016;HARA et al, 2021;RAZZA et al, 2021;RUDROFF et al, 2021).…”