Effects of Transcranial Direct Current Electrical Stimulation on right and left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex or Noninvasive Vagus Nerve Stimulation in Chronically Stressed adults

Introduction: Chronic stress is a condition characterized by prolonged stimulation, leading to mental and physical weakness. May have harmful effects on mental health and cognitive function of individuals, potentially causing various health problems problems. Objective: This article explores the potential of non-invasive neuromodulation techniques, specifically transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) and transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) in the management of chronic stress and improving sleep quality. Methods: The study conducted a randomized, double-blind, controlled trial with participants in chronic stress situations. In total, 100 participants were randomly assigned to either the anodic tDCS group or the sham tDCS group, or taVNS group or sham taVNS group, which received 20-min tDCS sessions over DLPFC (2 mA; n = 50) or taVNS on the left ear (20Hz; n=50), or sham treatments. Stress, perceived stress and sleep quality were assessed at baseline, after the intervention, and four weeks after the intervention. Results: The tDCS and taVNS interventions resulted in stress reduction levels, improved sleep quality and enhanced perception of stress. Conclusions: These findings suggest that tDCS and taVNS are promising as effective treatments for chronic stress, offering a safe and affordable approach to improve the well-being of individuals and overall quality of life.