The Tdcs Brain Stimulation Therapy

By Tammie Caldwell


This procedure is known as the transcranial direct current stimulation. This is a procedure that has gained prominence in use over the recent past. It entails the use of a current directed to a specific target on the brain using some electrodes. The process aims at creating some excitement to the brain neurons either by increasing this or reducing it. The stimulation was originally aimed at helping patients suffering from brain injuries such as the stroke patients. The tdcs has however been developed more and it has been realized that the procedure can help more in the therapy of other tasks.

The practice has also been used to enhance the attention span, mathematical abilities, memory loss, coordination, language and even problem solving. This depends with the location where the stimulation is intended to effect. The practice has been highly adapted in recent years as more people continue to learn of its merits. There are many studies that have been conducted to prove its safety and they have shown that it is safe for human use. This is however subject to proper maintenance of safety protocols.

The practice works by the sending of constant low and direct current through some electrodes to the regions of interest. The electrodes are placed on the scalp of the brain at the designated areas where the current is used to induce some intracerebral current flow. The wrong placement could lead to faults.

This current is then intended to raise or reduce the level of excitement by the neurons in the brain point of interest. The change effected causes the brain to react differently and thus induce some activities. This is what helps in enhancing some functions like attention span.

You require some very few equipment to set up the procedure. You need two electrodes and a battery powered device that will be able to deliver a constant and direct current flow. This device will provide you a positively charged electrode which is known as the anode and a negatively charged electrode which is called the cathode. The anode dissipates the current and its ions flow from it, though the conducting body and towards the cathode.

The skin where the electrodes will be placed is then prepared well to create a strong connection between the electrodes and the scalp when they will be placed on it. The electrodes should be well fixated to the point of interest for effective results. The smaller the size of the sponge electrode, the more focused it will be to effectively deliver the current on the desired point.

The anode or cathode is placed on the place of interest and then the other is placed at the neck or shoulder. This is known as the reference electrode. The current is then allowed too flow freely from one end to another until the time set lapses. The flow can be gradually increased or decreased.

The recent studies have shown ways on how to greatly make this process more effective. This is by the use of multiple electrodes instead of two. Some multiple gel electrodes are placed at several points on the scalp to effectively deliver more current to multiple areas. The effects are therefore higher and more long lasting in this case.




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