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Case study of man who experienced full recovery following transcranial direct current stimulation

Cheesus

Senior Member
Messages
1,292
Location
UK
MAINTENANCE TDCS: A CASE OF FULL AND DURABLE RECOVERY FROM MYALGIC ENCEPHALOMYELITIS/CHRONIC FATIGUE SYNDROME (ME/CFS)

Brain Stimulation, Volume 10, Issue 4, Pages e69-e71 (July 2017)
Shelly M. Menolascino, Mitchell Belgin, Genevieve N. Izzo, Lillian E. Fisher

Abstract

A middle-aged man with progressive myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) was referred for neuromodulation.

His condition, likely virally induced decades ago, was characterized by recurring periods of extreme fatigue, lasting months at a time.

Medication trials provided partial benefit. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) was chosen as a neuromodulation treatment, allowing cumulative, ongoing treatment to target ongoing inflammation [1].

Patient was trained with tDCS in the office and then treatment was self-administered at home daily.

The protocol was: anode (left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex), cathode (right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex), 2 mA/min, 20 minutes, 40 mA total dose, using 1.5” diameter electrode pads.

Patient reported significant benefit early in the day during the first month of daily tDCS. After four weeks, maintenance tDCS sessions were increased to twice daily.

Over the next few months the patient experienced full clinical recovery. Follow-up quantitative EEG (qEEG) and neurophysiological testing was done 14 months after initial presentation; pre- and post- comparison studies provide insight into possible treatment biomarkers that may help to explain this patient’s full and unexpected recovery

http://www.brainstimjrnl.com/article/S1935-861X(17)30770-2/abstract

Full text available on Sci Hub.

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I came across tDCS quite by accident whilst reading a magazine. The article I read was primarily discussing its use by DIY brain hackers for performance enhancements. I plugged "TDCS ME CFS" into Google and found this 2017 article.
 

Skippa

Anti-BS
Messages
841
Cool,

A) did he have to continue treatment daily forever?

B) any links to a good brain unit I can buy to, erm, experiment please?
 

perchance dreamer

Senior Member
Messages
1,688
My biofeedback clinic treats some patients with the NeuroStar, a type of TMS device. They use it mainly to treat depression, but it may have other applications. I see that tDCS is a little different from TMS and will ask the therapist about it the next time I go to the clinic.
 
Messages
3,263
My biofeedback clinic treats some patients with the NeuroStar, a type of TMS device. They use it mainly to treat depression, but it may have other applications. I see that tDCS is a little different from TMS and will ask the therapist about it the next time I go to the clinic.
Yes, tDCS is very different. You put two electrodes on a band around our head, and pass a really small current between them. You can learn to do it at home once you have the kit.

But if you are paying real money, then I wouldn't recommend spending it on this. Those of us who've used tDCS in research are not convinced its effects are real and replicable. Its very likely to be a big placebo.

If you don't have to pay, then sure, give it a try. There are no side effects at the 'safe' levels. But of course, no side effects very probably means no effects at all.