Safety precautions for the use of tDCS technology

Since the emergence of tDCS technology more than 20 years ago, thousands of studies published in international professional academic journals and a large number of clinical experiments have fully verified its safety and reliabili.

Professor Li Chunbo (Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine - Institute of Psychological and Behavioral Sciences) published an article in the "Journal of Shanghai Jiaotong University (Medical Edition)" last year (2021), specifically discussing the safety of this technolo.

Professor Li Chunbo

The adverse reactions of tDCS are rare and mild in adult patients;

A number of foreign clinical trials have also shown that: tDCS is well tolerated in minor patients;

A foreign study includes 14 tDCS studies (a detailed analysis of this study follows, the study is the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Michigan-School of Medicine, Chandramuli Krishnan, Luciana Santos two professors), the current intensity was 03-0mA; it was found that the adverse reactions of tDCS in juvenile patients were similar to those in adult patients, the discomfort subsided after a few minutes at the onset of stimulation, and the irritation-related skin redness and swelling It disappeared within 1-2 hours after the end of treatment, and no delayed adverse reactions occurr.

Conclusion: tDCS is relatively safe in children and adolescents with relatively few adverse reactio.

Tips: Introduction to the University of Michigan

The University of Michigan is one of the oldest research universities in the United States, founded in September 181 In the history of the school, 8 graduates and 12 professors have won the Nobel Prize, including the famous Chinese physicist Ding Zhaozho.

University of Michigan School of Medicine

Safety analysis of tDCS technology for minors

The following content is based on papers by Pr.

Non-invasive brain stimulation technology (NIBS) is most commonly used in clinical, including transcranial magnetic (TMS technology), transcranial direct current (tDCS technology) and so .

The common discomfort reactions of the two are scalp discomfort, local skin redness or itching, e.

The unpleasant reactions of TMS technology also include headache, convulsions, emotional changes, tinnitus, fatigue, e.

As shown in the figure above, scalp discomfort and headache are the most common discomfort reactions of rTMS; skin tingling and redness are the most common discomfort reactions of tDCS, and the incidence and degree of discomfort reactions of tDCS are lower than those of rT.

Analysis of the causes of discomfort symptoms in tDCS technique

In actual use, 9% sodium chloride solution is commonly us.

In addition, some skin discomforts (such as tingling, redness) are mostly related to the use of ordinary water to soak the electrodes instead of the prescribed solution (such as 9% sodium chloride solution), and the symptoms disappear immediately after changing the soluti.

Problems that need special attention in the use of tDCS technology

Under normal circumstances, since tDCS does not trigger action potentials in cerebral cortical neurons, the risk of serious adverse events such as epileptic seizures can be avoided to the greatest extent, which is also the advantage of tDCS over rT.

However, it should be noted that the currently accepted threshold of tDCS current density is <129 mA/cm Above the threshold, there is a risk of developing epilep.

As shown in the figure: the current density exceeds the threshold, and the pulse pattern brings EEG spikes and induces the risk of epilep.

Analysis conclusion

Pr.

references

"Research progress of transcranial direct current stimulation in the treatment of children and adolescents with mental disorders"

Safety of Noninvasive Brain Stimulation in Children and Adolescents