Monday, May 25, 2015

The Tdcs Brain Stimulation Therapy

By Tammie Caldwell


The transcranial direct current stimulation refers to a process that involves the simulation of a brain area using some constant but low current. This form of neuron-stimulation involves the delivery of this current to the brain area using some electrodes that are carefully placed on a scalp. The procedure was initially developed to help treat patients diagnosed with brain injuries like strokes. As studies and research about the same have advanced, tDCS has been known to help increase cognitive person with relation to a variety of tasks.

Depending on the part or area of the brain being stimulated, this practice has helped in activities such as the enhancing of language, attention span, problem solving, memory loss, mathematical abilities and some coordination activities. Its use has been developing over the years and more research studies have been conducted to check its positive and negative effects. The stimulation is now frequently used because it is safe for human use as along some safety protocols are maintained.

The procedure involves simply passing some constant and direct flow of current through the neurons in the brains using some electrodes. The therapist places the electrodes on an area of interest with proper precision in order to attain successful results. The current passing through is intended to induce intracerebral activity.

The flow of a current used is manipulated to either increase or reduce the excitability of neurons at the specific area being targeted. This change in the excitability then alters brain function and thus becomes relevant for various therapies.

The stimulation process is a relatively simple procedure that only requires a simple set up. It requires you to have two electrodes and a battery powered device which is going to be used to deliver constant current. The device has a cathode and an anode. The anode is the positively charged electrode while the cathode is the negatively charged one. The current is conventionally known as to flow from the anode to the cathode through the conducting tissue which in this case are the neurons.

To start the procedure, you need to set up the equipment correctly. The skin where the electrodes are supposed to be placed is prepared properly in order for the electrodes to have a strong connection to the scalp. The pads come in different sizes. The smaller their size, the more they are able to focus to the current on the specified target to give a more desired result.

The electrode to complete a circuit can be placed on the neck, shoulder or opposite side of the first electrode. Current is then let to flow through and can be increased gradually. After the process is started, current will flow for the set time and then turn off automatically.

Recent studies have shown that the effectiveness of this stimulation can be improved by the use of multiple electrodes. These gel electrodes are placed at more specific points unlike for the sponge ones. They in turn help to achieve better results.




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