transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) for the treatment and investigation of Phantom Limb Pain (PLP)
Journal article, 2022

Phantom limb pain (PLP) is a complex medical condition that is often difficult to treat, and thus can become detrimental to patients’ quality of life. No standardized clinical treatments exist and there is no conclusive understanding of the underlying mechanisms causing it. Noninvasive brain stimulation (NIBS) has been used to find correlations between changes in brain activity and various brain conditions, including neurological disease, mental illnesses, and brain disorders. Studies have also shown that NIBS can be effective in alleviating pain. Here, we examined the literature on a particular type of NIBS, known as transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), and its application to the treatment of PLP. We first discuss the current hypotheses on the working mechanism of tDCS and then we examine published evidence of its efficacy to treat PLP. We conclude this article by discussing how tDCS alone, and in combination with brain imaging techniques such as electroencephalography (EEG) and magnetic resonance imagining, could be applied to further investigate the mechanisms underlying PLP.

Neuropathic pain

noninvasive brain modulation

brain imaging

phantom limb pain

pain rehabilitation

transcranial direct current stimulation

guided plasticity therapy

Author

Shahrzad Damercheli

Chalmers, Electrical Engineering, Systems and control

Malin Ramne

Chalmers, Electrical Engineering, Systems and control

Max Jair Ortiz Catalan

Chalmers, Electrical Engineering, Systems and control

Psychoradiology

2634-4416 (ISSN) 2634-4416 (eISSN)

Vol. 2 1 23-32

Novel technology to alleviate intracable pain caused by motor impairment

Promobilia foundation (15103), 2016-01-01 -- 2017-12-31.

Subject Categories

Other Medical Engineering

Neurosciences

Neurology

Areas of Advance

Health Engineering

DOI

10.1093/psyrad/kkac004

More information

Latest update

10/27/2023