• Clin J Pain · Sep 2024

    Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation Reduces Pressure Pain Sensitivity in Patients with Non-Malignant Chronic Pain.

    • Daniela M Zolezzi, Sebastian Kold, Christina Brock, Anne Birthe Helweg Jensen, Sarah Thorius Jensen, Isabelle Myriam Larsen, Søren Schou Olesen, Carsten Dahl Mørch, Asbjørn Mohr Drewes, and Thomas Graven-Nielsen.
    • Center for Neuroplasticity and Pain (CNAP), Department of Health Science and Technology, Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark, Selma Lagerløfs Vej 249, 9260 Gistrup, Denmark.
    • Clin J Pain. 2024 Sep 23.

    ObjectivesNon-malignant chronic pain is a clinical challenge because pharmacological treatment often fails to relieve pain. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a treatment that could have the potential for pain relief and improvement in quality of life. However, there is a lack of clinical trials evaluating the effects of tDCS on the pain system. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of 5 days of anodal tDCS treatment on the pain system in chronic non-malignant pain patients using quantitative sensory testing (QST) and quality of life questionnaires: (1) Brief Pain Inventory-short form (BPI-sf), (2) European Organization for Research and Treatment of Life Questionnaire (EORTC-C30), and (3) Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale (HADS).MethodsEleven non-malignant chronic pain patients (51±13.6 years old, 5M) participated in the study. Anodal tDCS was applied for five consecutive days, followed by sham stimulation after a washout period of at least two weeks. Pressure pain thresholds (PPT) and pain tolerance thresholds (PTT) were assessed in different body regions on days 1 and 5.ResultsAnodal tDCS appeared to maintain PTT at C5 (clavicle) on day 5, but sham stimulation decreased PTT (P=0.007). Additionally, anodal tDCS increased PTT compared to sham at day 5 at Th10 ventral dermatomes (P=0.014). Both anodal and sham tDCS decreased the BPI-sf total and interference scores, and the EORTC-C30 fatigue score, but no interaction effect was observed.DiscussionThis study adds to the evidence in the literature that tDCS may be a potential therapeutic tool for the management of non-malignant chronic pain.Copyright © 2024 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.

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