Brain Current Abstracts - Transcranial Direct Current Stimulator

Brain Current Abstracts - Transcranial Direct Current Stimulator

Transcranial direct current stimulators (tDCS) are a technique for altering neuronal excitability by applying weak direct current over the scalp to the brain, thereby improving cognitive function and contributing to disease treatment. This non-invasive and simple technique is expected to be used in the field of neurological rehabilitation, such as recovery of motor function after stroke and alleviation of symptoms of Parkinson's disease, and is also being applied to the treatment of psychiatric disorders such as depression and schizophrenia. Research is also underway to enhance memory and attention span for healthy people, and even "everyday brain training" using commercially available devices is becoming a reality. The effectiveness of this technology is also being explored as a solution to chronic pain such as fibromyalgia.

Although the safety profile is relatively high and side effects are reported to be limited to skin irritation and mild headaches, some have pointed out that biased changes in the nervous system due to overuse and the effects on children and the elderly have not been fully verified. There is also deep-seated concern that home-use products are becoming increasingly popular without sufficient scientific support for individual differences in effectiveness and long-term effects. Today, in 2025, tDCS is quietly expanding its potential and discussion at the interface of medicine and daily life, as it is being used in combination and compared with transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and alternating current stimulation (tACS).