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What Effect Does tDCS Have on the Brain? Basic Physiology of tDCS

  • Neuromodulation (C Stagg, Section Editor)
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Abstract

Purpose of the Review

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) can effectively modulate a wide range of clinical and cognitive outcomes by modulating cortical excitability. Here, we summarize the main findings from both animal and human neurophysiology literature, which have revealed mechanistic evidence for the acute and neuroplastic after-effects of tDCS.

Recent Findings

Insights into the magnitude and geometric orientation of transcranially induced currents have been provided by the combination of computational modeling of current flow in animal slice preparations and intracranial recordings in humans. In addition to its synaptic effects, stimulation also induces after-effects on the glial and vascular systems, the latter also observed in humans by magnetic resonance imaging. Several studies have also observed non-linear or antagonistic effects of tDCS parameters, which warrants further systematic studies to explore and understand the basic mechanisms.

Summary

tDCS is a valuable and promising technique across the neurophysiological, cognitive neuroscience, and clinical domains of research. Primary and secondary effects of tDCS still remain to be completely understood. An important challenge for the field is advancing tDCS protocols forward for optimal intervention and treatment strategies.

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Acknowledgements

We thank Dr. Fatemeh Yavari and Dr. Charlotte Stagg for providing helpful comments on earlier drafts of the manuscript.

Funding

MAN received support from the EC Horizon 2020 Program, FET Grant, 686764-LUMINOUS, and grants from the German Ministry of Research and Education (GCBS grant 01EE1403C, TRAINSTIM grant 01GQ1424E).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department Psychology and Neurosciences, Leibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors, Ardeystr. 67, 44139, Dortmund, Germany

    Asif Jamil & Michael A. Nitsche

  2. University Medical Hospital Bergmannsheil, 44789, Bochum, Germany

    Michael A. Nitsche

Authors
  1. Asif Jamil
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  2. Michael A. Nitsche
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Correspondence to Asif Jamil.

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Conflict of Interest

Dr. Jamil has nothing to disclose. Dr. Nitsche is a member of the Advisory Board of Neuroelectrics.

Human and Animal Rights

All reported studies/experiments with human or animal subjects performed by the authors have been previously published and complied with all applicable ethical standards (including the Helsinki declaration and its amendments, institutional/national research committee standards, and international/national/institutional guidelines).

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This article is part of the Topical Collection on Neuromodulation

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Jamil, A., Nitsche, M.A. What Effect Does tDCS Have on the Brain? Basic Physiology of tDCS. Curr Behav Neurosci Rep 4, 331–340 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40473-017-0134-5

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