Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation: An Update

It’s been a while since I posted a blog article on transcranial direct current stimulation. Probably not an exciting new therapy for psychiatric conditions but a exciting oportunity to study the actions of certain brain parts and a way of influencing these superficial parts of the brain. You can see the procedure in a video here: Video of Transcranial Dirrect Current Stimulation and Efficacy in Cognitive Neurorehabilitation.

The first publication on memory and tDCS and it’s mechanism of action can be read here: Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation, Brain Boost and Side-Effects. A recent publication shows that Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), applied to the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) can improve working memory performance in both healthy and clinical participants. However, whether this effect can be enhanced by cognitive activity undertaken during tDCS has not yet been explored.

An overview of publications about tDCS can be found here: Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) electrifying?.

Stimulation with cathodal transcranial direct current stimulation of the primary motor cortex improves selective muscle activation in the ipsilateral arm. In the future this might help rehabilitation after stroke.

Andrews SC, Hoy KE, Enticott PG, Daskalakis ZJ, & Fitzgerald PB (2011). Improving working memory: the effect of combining cognitive activity and anodal transcranial direct current stimulation to the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. Brain stimulation, 4 (2), 84-89 PMID: 21511208

McCambridge, A., Bradnam, L., Stinear, C., & Byblow, W. (2011). Cathodal transcranial direct current stimulation of the primary motor cortex improves selective muscle activation in the ipsilateral arm Journal of Neurophysiology DOI: 10.1152/jn.00171.2011