Transcranial direct current stimulation in the treatment of anorexia

SummaryTranscranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a non-invasive technique for brain stimulation and it increasingly being used in the treatments of some neurological/psychiatric conditions (e.g. chronic pain, epilepsy, depression, motor rehabilitation after stroke and Parkinson’s disease). With tDCS, cortical neurons excitability increases in the vicinity of the anodal electrode and suppressed near the cathodal electrode. There is evidence that anorexia is associated with hyperactivity in right-hemisphere frontal regions. tDCS, therefore has a promising potential in facilitating inter-hemispheric balance. A tDCS protocol is proposed: the anode electrode placed over the left prefrontal cortex and the cathode electrode located, either on the right homotopic region for non-SSRI-medicated anorexics, or on a non-cephalic site for SSRI-medicated anorexics. Together with nutritional supplements, psychotherapy and other treatments, tDCS have a good potential, as a complementary tool, in the treatment of anorexia.