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Updated: May 30, 2026
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Placement of Extracranial Stimulating Electrodes and Measurement of Cerebral Blood Flow and Intracranial Electrical Fields in Anesthetized Mice
Published on: June 2, 2023
Cerebral blood flow modulation by transcutaneous cranial electrical stimulation with Limoge's current
D Gense de Beaufort1, M Sesay, L Stinus
1Service de Neuroradiologie, Hôpital Pellegrin, Place Amélie-Raba-Léon, 33076 Bordeaux cedex, France. dgense@hotmail.fr
Journal of Neuroradiology = Journal De Neuroradiologie
|August 13, 2011
Summary
Transcutaneous cranial electrical stimulation (TCES) affects local cerebral blood flow (CBF) in brain regions associated with pain and anxiety, but does not alter overall CBF. This finding offers insight into TCES
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Medical Technology
Background:
- Transcutaneous cranial electrical stimulation (TCES) is known to enhance anesthesia and analgesia.
- The precise physiological mechanisms underlying TCES's effects are not fully understood.
- A hypothesis suggests TCES modulates cerebral blood flow (CBF) via the endogenous opioid system.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effects of TCES on cerebral blood flow (CBF).
- To elucidate the physiological mechanisms of TCES in potentiating anesthesia and analgesia.
Main Methods:
- A double-blind, randomized controlled trial was conducted with 36 healthy volunteers.
- Participants were assigned to either active TCES or placebo (sham) TCES using the Anesthelec™ device.
- Cerebral blood flow (CBF) was measured using Xenon-enhanced computed tomography (XeCT™) before and after a two-hour stimulation period.
Main Results:
- Overall CBF remained unchanged following TCES.
- A significant decrease in local CBF was observed in the brainstem and thalamus.
- These brain regions are critically involved in pain perception and anxiety modulation.
Conclusions:
- TCES has the capacity to modulate local CBF.
- TCES does not exert a significant effect on global CBF.
- The findings suggest a localized effect of TCES on specific brain regions involved in pain and anxiety pathways.
