Recommendations for the use of tDCS in clinical research

The expanding array of neurostimulation techniques in recent years has led to a greater understanding of functional-anatomic relationships of the human brain. An improved understanding of the underlying mechanisms of action from these emerging technologies has in turn spurred the development of novel therapeutic interventions. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is one such technique that has been the focus of significant recent attention. This has partly been due to its non-invasive nature and also a result of the utility of the technique. Reports indicate that tDCS has been used in the neuropsychiatric domain for the treatment of affective disorders such as depression and anxiety (1) and also within the neurological domain assisting in the motor rehabilitation of stroke patients (2) making it a viable non-surgical treatment option.