The Effect of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS)
on Seizure Control and Epilepsy Prevention

Roya Zahedi Moghadam¹, Rabi Atabaki¹, Hossein Khaleghzadeh-Ahangar^1,2

 

Roya Zahedi Moghadam¹, Rabi Atabaki¹, Hossein Khaleghzadeh-Ahangar^1,2

 

SUMMARY

 

Introduction. Epilepsy is one of the most common neurological diseases. It is an uncontrollable neuronal activity of different parts of the brain leading to convulsion and/or fainting. Although epileptic seizure control and therapeutics have significant advances, 20% - 30% of individuals still have uncontrolled seizures. Patients under the medication's control are not free from the drug's side effects and complications. Epileptic patients experience many different challenges. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a safe and non-invasive brain stimulation method applied in drug-resistant seizures and epilepsies. It transmits positive/negative electrical current toward deep brain parts, modulating their electrical activity.

Methods. This is a review article. All relevant articles which were accessible were reviewed. The effectiveness of tDCS in preventing epilepsy in patients undergoing seizures was reviewed in this article.

Conclusion. According to the studies, this method can probably be an auxiliary method in preventing and treating seizures. As epileptic seizures were induced and confirmed in some studies after the application of tDCS, the method should be cautiously applied.

 

Keywords: seizure, convulsion, prevention, epilepsy, tDCS

 

Corresponding author:

Hossein Khaleghzadeh-Ahangar

e-mail: h.khaleghzadeh@mail.mubabol.ac.ir, h.khaleqzadeh@gmail.com