Transcranial direct current stimulation is more effective than pregabalin in controlling nociceptive and anxiety-like behaviors in a rat fibromyalgia-like model

Abstract

Despite the fact that fibromyalgia, a widespread disease of the musculoskeletal system, has no specific treatment, patients have shown improvement after pharmacological intervention. Pregabalin has demonstrated efficacy; however, its adverse effects may reduce treatment adherence. In this context, neuromodulatory techniques such as transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) may be employed as a complementary pain-relieving method. Consequently, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of pregabalin and tDCS treatments on the behavioral and biomarker parameters of rats submitted to a fibromyalgia-like model.

Keywords

• reserpine
• fibromyalgia-like model
• pregabalin
• tdcs
• rats
• nociceptive behavior