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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Sep 3, 2025

Electrode Positioning and Montage in Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation
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Inter-individual variability in current direction for common tDCS montages.

Carys Evans1, Catharina Zich2, Jenny S A Lee1

  • 1Department for Clinical and Movement Neurosciences, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, 33 Queen Square, London, WC1N 3BG, United Kingdom.

Neuroimage
|July 25, 2022
PubMed
Summary

Inter-individual anatomical differences cause significant variability in transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) current direction. This variability impacts neuromodulation, highlighting the need for personalized tDCS electrode montages to control current flow.

Keywords:
Brain stimulationCurrent flow modellingInter-individual variabilityTranscranial electrical stimulation

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Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Biophysics
  • Medical Imaging

Background:

  • Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) effectiveness is influenced by electric current direction relative to cortical surface.
  • Individual anatomical variations can alter tDCS current direction at target cortical regions.
  • The extent of this anatomical variability and its impact on tDCS outcomes remain largely undetermined.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To quantify inter-individual variability in tDCS current direction at the left primary motor cortex (M1).
  • To compare current direction and intensity across three different tDCS electrode montages.
  • To investigate the potential for landmark-based methods to guide tDCS application.

Main Methods:

  • Current flow modelling (CFM) was employed using 50 healthy brain scans from the Human Connectome Project.
  • Three tDCS montages targeting M1 were simulated: PA-tDCS, ML-tDCS, and conventional-tDCS.
  • Current direction and intensity were extracted from grey matter surfaces of M1 and surrounding areas (S1).

Main Results:

  • Substantial inter-individual variability (50%-150%) in current direction was observed across all tested montages.
  • PA-tDCS predominantly induced radial inward current in M1's sulcal bank, while conventional-tDCS targeted the gyral crown.
  • ML-tDCS resulted in more tangential current, associated with weaker neuronal polarization.

Conclusions:

  • Significant variability in tDCS current direction across individuals likely contributes to inconsistent neuromodulation effects.
  • Different tDCS montages result in distinct current distributions within M1, suggesting varied mechanisms of action.
  • Electrode placement can approximate current direction, offering a potential MRI-free method for optimizing tDCS application.