Related Experiment Video
Updated: Nov 19, 2025
Simultaneous Application of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation during Virtual Reality Exposure
Published on: January 18, 2021
Simultaneous Application of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation during Virtual Reality Exposure
Mascha van 't Wout-Frank1, Noah S Philip2
1VA RR&D Center for Neurorestoration and Neurotechnology, Providence VA Medical Healthcare System; Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Alpert Brown Medical School; COBRE Center for Neuromodulation, Butler Hospital; Mascha_vant_Wout@brown.edu.
This study tested a new treatment combining transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) with virtual reality (VR) for veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder. The tDCS+VR protocol aims to reduce hyperarousal symptoms by modulating neural activity during trauma cue exposure.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Psychiatry
- Medical Technology
Background:
- Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a safe, non-invasive brain stimulation technique.
- tDCS modulates neural resting membranes, influencing neuronal firing likelihood.
- tDCS is cost-effective and can be applied during cognitive tasks, potentially targeting intrinsically active neural regions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To outline a novel protocol for simultaneous tDCS and virtual reality (VR) exposure therapy (tDCS+VR).
- To investigate tDCS as a potential psychiatric treatment for veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
- To assess the adjunctive effects of tDCS on hyperarousal during VR-based trauma cue exposure.
Main Methods:
- A double-blind protocol involving 2 mA tDCS or sham stimulation for 25 minutes.
- Participants underwent six sessions of tDCS+VR over 2-3 weeks.
- Stimulation targeted the ventromedial prefrontal cortex using a unilateral 1x1 cm electrode setup.
- Psychophysiology, specifically skin conductance reactivity, was measured during VR exposure to standardized trauma-related drives.
Main Results:
- The protocol allows for testing within- and between-session changes in hyperarousal.
- The study design enables evaluation of the adjunctive effects of tDCS on PTSD symptoms.
- Skin conductance reactivity was measured to assess psychophysiological responses to VR events.
Conclusions:
- The tDCS+VR protocol offers a novel approach for PTSD treatment in veterans.
- This method allows for simultaneous brain stimulation and controlled exposure to trauma cues.
- Further research is needed to establish the efficacy of tDCS+VR for PTSD.
