Comparative effects of microcurrent stimulation on EEG spectrum and correlation dimension

Abstract

Two mathematical derivatives of electroencephalogram (EEG), Fast Fourier Transform (FFT), and correlation dimension from chaos analysis were used to assess the objective effects of earlobe versus mid-trapezius microcurrent stimulation on brain EEG. These measures were considered to be clinically relevant since low points in the FFT have been associated with attention deficit disorder, and declining correlation dimension has been associated with onset of epilepsy. Thirty Subjects (30) were assigned randomly to one of three groups: earlobe, trapezius, and a double blind placebo control Earlobe stimulation (CES) was hypothesized to alter BEG since research suggests CES enters the brain directly, through a perineural or vascular path via the auditory meatus. Results showed that trapezius microcurrent therapy proved more effective in producing significant declines in FFT spectral smoothing, with an average standard deviation (SD) in the FFT of 1.1, as compared to the CES group showing an SD of 2.9. Correlation dimension in both trapezius and CES stimulation groups increased significantly (p<.001) as compared to placebo, with the correlation dimension measures for earlobe, trapezius, and placebo being 5.7, 5.6, and 3.7, respectively. The author discusses the significance of using body points for promoting clinically beneficial effects in brain electrophysiology as evidenced by improved FFT and correlation dimension.