The tDCS Technology
The Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) technology is a non-invasive, easy-to-perform, and painless neuromodulation technique capable of inducing, through the activation of mechanisms that modify (excitatory/inhibitory) the neuronal membrane potential, persistent changes in the activities of specific areas of cortical nervous tissue.
At the transcranial level, it is CE certified and approved for clinical use in the following therapeutic areas:
- CHRONIC PAIN,
- MAJOR DEPRESSION,
- POST-STROKE REHABILITATION.
The first tDCS system was produced by Newronika at the end of the 1990s, developed and refined by physicians, bioengineers, and researchers.
Today, the therapy is known and used in several countries internationally in both clinical and research settings for more than 20 years.
tDCS System: HDCKit
- Modular system for tDCS
- Specifically designed for research and clinical use
- Cost-effective also for home use
It consists of an HDCprogr programmer and an HDCStim stimulator.
The stimulator and programmer are two separate units. The programmer ensures that the treatment is delivered correctly at each use; physicians who prescribe the use of an HDCkit System for their patients have full control over it.
The HDCStim stimulation unit is portable, powered by small batteries (AA type), and designed for home use as well, which can be operated directly by the patient or a properly trained caregiver.
A set of HDCel electrodes completes the system for proper therapy delivery.
From a scientific standpoint, numerous studies published in the literature confirm the efficacy and safety of tDCS in its therapeutic applications and in other areas under research or clinical trials.
Currently, more than 30,000 publications referencing tDCS technology can be found on PubMed.
Below are links to some of the most significant review articles, divided into the three main current therapeutic areas of application:
General reviews:
- “Evidence-based guidelines on the therapeutic use of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS)”; Jean-Pascal Lefaucheur et al. – Clinical Neurophysiology 128 (2017) 56–92.
- “Evidence-Based Guidelines and Secondary Meta-Analysis for the Use of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation in Neurological and Psychiatric Disorders”; Felipe Fregni et al. – International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology (2021) 24(4): 256–313.
Chronic Pain:
- “Methods and strategies of tDCS for the treatment of pain: current status and future directions”; Kevin Pacheco-Barrios et al. – Expert Rev Med Devices. 2020 September ; 17(9): 879–898.
Depression:
- “Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation in Psychiatric Disorders: A Comprehensive Review”; Adriano H. Moffa, Psychiatr Clin N Am 41 (2018) 447–463.
Post-stroke rehabilitation:
- “Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation in Stroke Rehabilitation: A Review of Recent Advancements”; Andrea Gomez Palacio Schjetnan et al. – Stroke Research and Treatment · February 2013.