Workman Craig D, Ponto Laura L Boles, Kamholz John, Rudroff Thorsten
Department of Health and Human Physiology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA.
Department of Radiology, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA.
Brain Sci. 2020 Feb 4;10(2):82. doi: 10.3390/brainsci10020082.
Animal and transcranial magnetic stimulation motors have evoked potential studies suggesting that the currently used transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) intensities produce measurable physiological changes. However, the validity, mechanisms, and general efficacy of this stimulation modality are currently being scrutinized. The purpose of this pilot study was to investigate the effects of dorsolateral prefrontal cortex tDCS on cerebral blood flow. A sample of three people with multiple sclerosis underwent two blocks of five randomly assigned tDCS intensities (1, 2, 3, 4 mA, and sham; 5 min each) and [O]water positron emission tomography imaging. The relative regional (i.e., areas under the electrodes) and global cerebral blood flow were calculated. The results revealed no notable differences in regional or global cerebral blood flow from the different tDCS intensities. Thus, 5 min of tDCS at 1, 2, 3, and 4 mA did not result in immediate changes in cerebral blood flow. To achieve sufficient magnitudes of intracranial electrical fields without direct peripheral side effects, novel methods may be required.
动物和经颅磁刺激运动诱发电位研究表明，目前使用的经颅直流电刺激（tDCS）强度会产生可测量的生理变化。然而，这种刺激方式的有效性、机制和总体疗效目前正在接受审查。这项初步研究的目的是调查背外侧前额叶皮质tDCS对脑血流量的影响。三名多发性硬化症患者的样本接受了两组，每组五个随机分配的tDCS强度（1、2、3、4毫安和假刺激；每组5分钟）以及[氧]水正电子发射断层扫描成像。计算了相对局部（即电极下方区域）和全脑血流量。结果显示，不同tDCS强度下的局部或全脑血流量没有显著差异。因此，1、2、3和4毫安的tDCS持续5分钟并未导致脑血流量立即发生变化。为了在没有直接外周副作用的情况下实现足够强度的颅内电场，可能需要新的方法。
