Effect of anodal high-definition transcranial direct current stimulation on the pain sensitivity in a healthy population: a double-blind, sham-controlled study

In Brief High-definition transcranial direct current stimulation (HD-tDCS) of brain areas related to pain processing may provide analgesic effects evident in the sensory detection and thresholds. The somatosensory sensitivity was assessed after HD-tDCS targeting primary motor cortex (M1) and/or dorsolateral prefrontal (DLPFC). Eighty-one (40 females) subjects were randomly assigned 1 4 anodal protocols (20 minutes) applied on 3 consecutive days: Sham-tDCS, DLPFC-tDCS, M1-tDCS, DLPFC&M1-tDCS (simultaneous [tDCS] DLPFC M1). Subjects experimenter blinded tDCS protocols. each day, before by thresholds thermal mechanical skin stimulation, vibration thresholds, pressure effectively protocol, with no significant difference rates whether they received real or placebo between groups. Compared none active caused changes Independent protocols, except increased immediately first protocol compared baseline (P < 0.05). Overall, not able induce modulation this healthy population sham-tDCS. Unrelated a decreased found intervention, indicating effect possible habituation quantitative testing assessments. These findings add increasing literature null modulatory system. high-definition configurations significantly more effective than sham modulating sensitivity.