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Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) prevents chronic stress-induced hyperalgesia in rats
F Fregni1, I C Macedo2, L N Spezia-Adachi3
1Laboratory of Neuromodulation, Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital & Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School and Center for Non-invasive Brain Stimulation, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States.
Background:
Chronic stress (CS) is associated with a decrease in pain threshold caused by the changes in neural pain circuits. It can be associated to glucocorticoid imbalance with alterations in neural circuitry. Inhibition of stress-induced pain-related neural changes by using techniques that safely induce neuroplasticity such as transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) may prevent hyperalgesia triggered by CS.
Objective:
This study aimed to verify the effect of tDCS performed prior to CS exposure on nociceptive response.
Methods:
Thirty-two rats were distributed in the following groups: control; stress; sham-tDCS + stress; and tDCS + stress. Bicephalic active tDCS was performed for 8 consecutive days before the CS exposure. The pain threshold was evaluated using a hot plate and tail flick latency (TFL) tests.
Results:
The tDCS exposure increased the pain threshold on stressed rats.
Conclusion:
The data obtained indicate that the treatment with bicephalic active tDCS before chronic stress exposure prevents stress-induced hyperalgesia.
