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. 2010 Dec;121(12):2083-9.
doi: 10.1016/j.clinph.2010.05.005. Epub 2010 Jun 8.

Transcranial direct current stimulation of the motor cortex induces distinct changes in thermal and mechanical sensory percepts

Cornelius G Bachmann  1 , Sebastian Muschinsky, Michael A Nitsche, Roman Rolke, Walter Magerl, Rolf-Detlef Treede, Walter Paulus, Svenja Happe
Affiliations

Transcranial direct current stimulation of the motor cortex induces distinct changes in thermal and mechanical sensory percepts

Cornelius G Bachmann et al. Clin Neurophysiol. 2010 Dec.

Abstract

Objective: The aim of this single-blinded, complete crossover study was to evaluate the effects of tDCS on thermal and mechanical perception, as assessed by quantitative sensory testing (QST).

Methods: QST was performed upon the radial part of both hands of eight healthy subjects (3 female, 5 male, 25-41years of age). These subjects were examined before and after cathodal, anodal or sham tDCS, applied in a random order. TDCS was administered for 15min at a 1mA current intensity, with the active electrode placed over the left primary motor cortex and the reference electrode above the right orbit.

Results: After cathodal tDCS, cold detection thresholds (CDT), mechanical detection thresholds (MDT), and mechanical pain thresholds (MPT) significantly increased in the contralateral hand, when compared to the baseline condition.

Conclusions: Cathodal tDCS temporarily reduced the sensitivity to A-fiber mediated somatosensory inputs.

Significance: Impairment of these somatosensory percepts suggests a short-term suppression of lemniscal or suprathalamic sensory pathways following motor cortex stimulation by cathodal tDCS.

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