Zhao Haichao, Qiao Lei, Fan Dongqiong, Zhang Shuyue, Turel Ofir, Li Yonghui, Li Jun, Xue Gui, Chen Antao, He Qinghua
Faculty of Psychology, Southwest UniversityChongqing, China.
School of Education, Guangxi UniversityNanning, China.
Front Psychol. 2017 May 10;8:685. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2017.00685. eCollection 2017.
Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a widely-used tool to induce neuroplasticity and modulate cortical function by applying weak direct current over the scalp. In this review, we first introduce the underlying mechanism of action, the brief history from discovery to clinical scientific research, electrode positioning and montages, and parameter setup of tDCS. Then, we review tDCS application in clinical samples including people with drug addiction, major depression disorder, Alzheimer's disease, as well as in children. This review covers the typical characteristics and the underlying neural mechanisms of tDCS treatment in such studies. This is followed by a discussion of safety, especially when the current intensity is increased or the stimulation duration is prolonged. Given such concerns, we provide detailed suggestions regarding safety procedures for tDCS operation. Lastly, future research directions are discussed. They include foci on the development of multi-tech combination with tDCS such as with TMS and fMRI; long-term behavioral and morphological changes; possible applications in other research domains, and more animal research to deepen the understanding of the biological and physiological mechanisms of tDCS stimulation.
经颅直流电刺激（tDCS）是一种广泛应用的工具，通过在头皮上施加微弱直流电来诱导神经可塑性并调节皮质功能。在本综述中，我们首先介绍tDCS的潜在作用机制、从发现到临床科研的简要历史、电极定位与组合以及参数设置。然后，我们综述tDCS在临床样本中的应用，包括药物成瘾者、重度抑郁症患者、阿尔茨海默病患者以及儿童。本综述涵盖了此类研究中tDCS治疗的典型特征及潜在神经机制。接下来讨论安全性，特别是当电流强度增加或刺激持续时间延长时的安全性。鉴于这些问题，我们提供了关于tDCS操作安全程序的详细建议。最后，讨论了未来的研究方向。这些方向包括专注于tDCS与其他技术（如TMS和fMRI）的多技术组合开发；长期行为和形态变化；在其他研究领域的可能应用，以及更多动物研究以加深对tDCS刺激生物学和生理机制的理解。
