Prefrontal versus motor cortex transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) effects on post-surgical opioid use

Pain is often a complaint that precedes total knee arthroplasty (TKA), however the procedure itself is associated with considerable post-operative pain lasting days to weeks which can predict longer-term surgical outcomes. Previously, we reported significant opioid-sparing effects of motor cortex transcranial direct current stimulation from a single-blind trial. In the present study, we used double-blind methodology to compare motor cortex tDCS and prefrontal cortex tDCS to both sham and active-control (active electrodes over non-pain modulating brain areas) tDCS.

Source: BRAIN STIMULATION: Basic, Translational, and Clinical Research in Neuromodulation - September 6, 2017 Category: Neurology Authors: Jeffrey J. Borckardt, Scott T. Reeves, Cole Milliken, Brittan Carter, Thomas I. Epperson, Ryan J. Gunselman, Alok Madan, H. Del Schutte, Harry A. Demos, Mark S. George Source Type: research