tDCS

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a wearable, portable brain stimulation technology that delivers low electrical current to the scalp. The placement of the anode and cathode electrodes determines which brain region is targeted. The current delivered is sub-threshold — not strong enough to trigger action potentials — but it modifies the electrical firing patterns of neurons, enhancing synaptic transmission and plasticity.

tDCS devices are compact, battery-powered units with a control panel for setting stimulation duration and intensity. Electrodes are held against the scalp by a headband. When activated, current flows from the device through the electrodes and across the targeted brain region.

Side effects are mild and limited to the electrode site: temporary skin redness, itching, twitching, headache, nausea, and dizziness. Notably, the last three have been reported at similar rates during placebo stimulation when tDCS is applied insufficiently. Most patients report only a slight tingling or warmth that disappears when stimulation ends.

Clinical evidence supports tDCS for depression, schizophrenia, aphasia, addiction, and memory enhancement. It has also been shown to reduce anxiety in multiple trials and to accelerate learning in healthy individuals.