Recent advances on transcranial direct current stimulation in intractable epilepsy

Abstract

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), as an emerging non⁃invasive neuromodulation technology, has high safety and provides a choice for intractable epilepsy patients without surgical indications or unable to benefit from surgical treatment. Among them, negative electrode tDCS can reduce epileptic discharge and seizure frequency by inhibiting abnormal cortical excitation in epilepsy patients, restoring the balance of brain functional network. However, due to the heterogeneity among the results of various studies, its application in the treatment of epilepsy still needs further exploration. This article reviews the principle of tDCS, its potential mechanism in the treatment of epilepsy and its clinical application in intractable epilepsy in the past three years, providing evidence for the potential and safety of tDCS in the clinical treatment of intractable epilepsy.

Keywords

• transcranial direct current stimulation
• drug resistant epilepsy
• review