Multiple sclerosis fatigue relief by bilateral somatosensory cortex neuromodulation

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Neurology
• Rehabilitation Medicine

Background:

• Multiple sclerosis (MS)-related fatigue is a prevalent and often treatment-resistant symptom.
• Fatigue significantly impairs the quality of life for individuals with MS.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the efficacy of anodal bilateral primary somatosensory areas transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) for treating MS-related fatigue.
• To assess the impact of personalized neuromodulation on fatigue severity in MS patients.

Main Methods:

• A randomized, double-blind, sham-controlled, cross-over study involving ten fatigued MS patients.
• Application of two blocks of 5-day anodal bilateral primary somatosensory areas tDCS using personalized electrodes.
• Fatigue levels were assessed before and after real and sham stimulation.

Main Results:

• Real anodal tDCS significantly reduced fatigue by an average of 26% (p = 0.002).
• No significant change in fatigue was observed after sham stimulation (p = 0.901).
• All patients receiving real tDCS experienced fatigue relief.

Conclusions:

• Anodal tDCS over bilateral somatosensory areas is an effective non-pharmacological treatment for multiple sclerosis fatigue.
• This neuromodulation technique shows promise for improving the quality of life in mildly disabled MS patients experiencing severe fatigue.
• Modulating sensorimotor network activity may be a viable therapeutic strategy for MS fatigue.