Therapeutical impacts of transcranial direct current stimulation on drug-resistant epilepsy in pediatric patients: A double-blind parallel-group randomized clinical trial

Farah Ashrafzadeh; Javad Akhondian; Narges Hashemi; Mahla Esmaeilzadeh; Ali Ghanaee; Hanieh Yavarzadeh; Shima Imannezhad; Nazanin Saeedi Zand; Hanieh Sadat Mirzadeh; Mehran Beiraghi Toosi

doi:10.1016/j.eplepsyres.2022.107074

Therapeutical impacts of transcranial direct current stimulation on drug-resistant epilepsy in pediatric patients: A double-blind parallel-group randomized clinical trial

Epilepsy Res. 2023 Feb:190:107074. doi: 10.1016/j.eplepsyres.2022.107074. Epub 2023 Jan 5.

Affiliations

¹ Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
² Student Research Committee (SRC), Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
³ Department of Psychology, Faculty of Education and Psychology, Ferdowsi University, Mashhad, Iran.
⁴ MA Student of Psychology, Faculty of Education and Psychology, Ferdowsi University, Mashhad, Iran.
⁵ Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran. Electronic address: beiraghitm1@gmail.com.

PMID: 36657251
DOI: 10.1016/j.eplepsyres.2022.107074

Abstract

Background: Drug-resistant epilepsy is a challenging problem in pediatrics. Transcranial direct current stimulation (TDCS) is a non-invasive neurostimulation technique suggested as a promising method for treating epilepsy. This study aims to evaluate the efficacy of TDCS in focal epilepsy in children with drug-resistant epilepsy.

Method: We conducted a randomized sham-controlled study with 18 subjects between 6 and 16 years of age, divided equally into two groups. TDCS was performed in 20-minute daily stimulation protocol for five days for both groups. The current intensity was one mA for the first three days, increasing to 1.5 mA on day four and 2 mA on the last day of stimulation. EEG was done before and after the intervention.

Results: There was a significant reduction in seizure duration in the case group compared with the sham group.

Conclusion: five consecutive days of performing TDCS significantly reduced seizure duration in children with focal Drug-resistant epilepsy. However,further studies in this field are necessary to test the effectiveness and set up a coherent and comprehensive protocol.

Keywords: Drug Resistant Epilepsy; Pediatrics; Transcranial direct current stimulation.

Publication types

Randomized Controlled Trial

MeSH terms

Child
Double-Blind Method
Drug Resistant Epilepsy* / therapy
Epilepsies, Partial* / therapy
Humans
Seizures / therapy
Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation* / methods