Effects of Electrical Stimulation in the head or ear region in adults with chronic stress

Not Applicable

• Conditions: Psychological Stress; F01.145.126

• Registration Number: RBR-2ww2ts8
• Lead Sponsor: niversidade Federal de Alfenas

Brief Summary

Background: Chronic stress is a condition characterized by prolonged stimulation, leading to mental and physical weakness. It can have detrimental effects on individuals' mental health and cognitive function, potentially causing various health issues. Objective: This article explores the potential of noninvasive neuromodulation techniques, specifically transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) and transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS), in managing chronic stress and improving sleep quality. Methods: The study conducted a randomized, double-blinded, controlled trial with participants experiencing chronic stress. In total, 100 participants were randomly assigned to the anodal tDCS group or the sham tDCS group, or taVNS group or the sham taVNS group, which received 5 sessions of the 20 min tDCS over the DLPFC (2 mA; n = 50) or taVNS on the left ear (20Hz; n=50), or the sham treatments. Stress, perceived stress and sleep quality were assessed at baseline, post intervention and four weeks after the intervention. Results: The tDCS and taVNS interventions resulted in reduced stress levels, improved sleep quality, and enhanced perception of stress. Conclusions:These findings suggest that tDCS and taVNS hold promise as effective treatments for chronic stress, offering a safe and accessible approach to improving individuals' well-being and overall quality of life.

Detailed Description

Not available

Study Timeline

• Results First Posted: 1900-01-01
• Study Completion: 2022-12-30
• Study Start: 2023-11-22
• Last Update Posted: 19 December 2023

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: Data analysis completed
• Sex: Not specified
• Target Recruitment: Not specified

Inclusion Criteria

Inclusion criteria consider individuals diagnosed with stress; Lipp adult stress symptom inventory score above 4; cognitive ability to read and interpret the purpose of the research and to respond to assessment instruments; and knowledge and consent of the free and informed consent form; Male or female volunteers aged between 20 and 50 will be recruited

Exclusion Criteria

Os critérios de exclusão são indivíduos fumantes; com história de tontura ou convulsão; gravidez; sinais de gravidade e/ou indicações de internação ou psicoterapia; uso de ansiolíticos; uso de antidepressivos; efeitos adversos detectados no grupo tratado com tDCS e taVNS, entre os quais coceira, formigamento, dor de cabeça, ardor, sensação e desconforto; diagnóstico de depressão; diagnóstico de ansiedade; transtorno de humor bipolar com sintomas depressivos, maníacos ou hipomaníacos no último ano; esquizofrenia ou outros transtornos psicóticos; autismo; dependência de substâncias; diagnóstico de epilepsia ou uso de anticonvulsivantes; contraindicações para a TDCS (implantes metálicos, tumor, cirurgias cerebral prévia, alteração anatômica cranioencefálica importante); contraindicações para a estimulação não invasiva do nervo vago (implante coclear, cirurgia plástica na orelha, má formação na orelha); iniciar e/ou intensidade de estimulação (mA), a largura de pulso (duração do pulso elétrico, ms), a frequência de pulso (Hz), e a relação on/off do ciclo de estímulo (medido em segundos ou minutos) são ajustados para otimizar a eficácia e tolerabilidade, porém ainda são um assunto a ser debatido.

Study & Design

• Study Type: Intervention
• Study Design: Not specified