Psychiatry Investig.  2018 May;15(5):434-444. 10.30773/pi.2018.01.10.

Modulation of Electrophysiology by Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation in Psychiatric Disorders: A Systematic Review

• Kim M
• Kwak YB
• Lee TY
• Kwon JS

• KMID: 2462782
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.30773/pi.2018.01.10

Abstract

OBJECTIVE
Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a non-invasive neuromodulation technique increasingly used to relieve symptoms of psychiatric disorders. Electrophysiologic markers, such as electroencephalography (EEG) and event-related potentials (ERP), have high temporal resolution sensitive to detect plastic changes of the brain associated with symptomatic improvement following tDCS application.
METHODS
We performed systematic review to identify electrophysiological markers that reflect tDCS effects on plastic brain changes in psychiatric disorders. A total of 638 studies were identified by searching PubMed, Embase, psychINFPO. Of these, 21 full-text articles were assessed eligible and included in the review.
RESULTS
Although the reviewed studies were heterogeneous in their choices of tDCS protocols, targeted electrophysiological markers, and disease entities, their results strongly support EEG/ERPs to sensitively reflect plastic brain changes and the associated symptomatic improvement following tDCS.
CONCLUSION
EEG/ERPs may serve a potent tool in revealing the mechanisms underlying psychiatric symptoms, as well as in localizing the brain area targeted for stimulation. Future studies in each disease entities employing consistent tDCS protocols and electrophysiological markers would be necessary in order to substantiate and further elaborate the findings of studies included in the present systematic review.

Keyword

Brain plasticity; Electrophysiology; Neuromodulation; Psychiatric disorders; Transcranial direct current stimulation

MeSH Terms

Brain
Electroencephalography
Electrophysiology*
Evoked Potentials
Plastics
Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation*
Plastics