Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation as a Therapeutic Approach for Anxiety and Related Markers: Comprehensive...

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Psychiatry
• Medical Technology

Background:

• Anxiety disorders represent a significant global health burden.
• Transcranial electrical stimulation (tES) is an emerging neuromodulation technique.
• Existing research on tES for anxiety lacks consistent findings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review the effects of tES on anxiety symptoms in adults.
• To evaluate physiological markers (HRV, EEG, cortisol, IL-6) and rating scales.
• To assess the methodological quality and identify research gaps.

Main Methods:

• Systematic literature search across major databases (PubMed, Scopus, etc.) following PRISMA guidelines.
• Inclusion of 34 studies with 1567 participants (aged 18-65).
• Risk of bias and study quality assessed using JADAD scale.

Main Results:

• 19 studies reported reduced anxiety symptoms with tES.
• 10 studies found no significant difference in anxiety levels.
• Two studies yielded inconclusive results regarding tES efficacy.

Conclusions:

• Evidence for tES in anxiety treatment is currently mixed and inconclusive.
• Significant heterogeneity exists in tES protocols and methodologies.
• Low methodological quality and lack of standardization impede definitive conclusions.