ArticleJournal of clinical medicine2019
Cathodal Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation of the Occipital cortex in Episodic Migraine: A Randomized Sham-Controlled Crossover Study.
Article in Journal of clinical medicine, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 14 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
14 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 27 citations in OpenAlex.
- Comparative Efficacy and Acceptability of Noninvasive Brain Stimulation for Migraine: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.Brain and behavior · 2026Pooled it
- Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation in Episodic Migraine: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.Medical sciences (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Pooled it
- Which is the best transcranial direct current stimulation protocol for migraine prevention? A systematic review and critical appraisal of randomized controlled trials.The journal of headache and pain · 2021Pooled it
- Occipital transcranial direct current stimulation in episodic migraine patients: effect on cerebral perfusion.Scientific reports · 2023Trial
- Tracking tDCS induced grey matter changes in episodic migraine: a randomized controlled trial.The journal of headache and pain · 2021Trial
- Green Light and Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation in Migraine Patients: A Preliminary Randomized Control Trial.Brain sciences · 2025Article
- Treatment of Chronic Neck Pain with Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation: A Single-Blinded Randomized Clinical Trial.Biomedicines · 2025Article
- [Using electricity to combat headache : Electrotherapy and tDCS in the 1870s/1880s and today].Schmerz (Berlin, Germany) · 2025Review
- Effect of Anodal Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation on the Intensity of Post-dural Puncture Headache: Results of Two Randomized Sham Controlled Trials.Neurology and therapy · 2025Article
- Review
- Effectiveness of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation and Monoclonal Antibodies Acting on the CGRP as a Combined Treatment for Migraine (TACTIC): Protocol for a Randomized, Double-Blind, Sham-Controlled Trial.Frontiers in neurology · 2022Article
- Low Intensity, Transcranial, Alternating Current Stimulation Reduces Migraine Attack Burden in a Home Application Set-Up: A Double-Blinded, Randomized Feasibility Study.Brain sciences · 2020Article
- Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation and Migraine-The Beginning of a Long Journey.Journal of clinical medicine · 2020Article
- Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation of the Occipital Cortex in Medication Overuse Headache: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Cross-Over Study.Journal of clinical medicine · 2020Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
9 authors at 5 institutions in 3 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Three consecutive daily sessions of cathodal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) was sufficient to show a significant decrease in headache duration and intensity as well as tablets consumption, in patients suffering from episodic migraine.
backgroundMigraine prophylaxis is recommended in patients with frequent and/or intense headaches, but poor tolerability and lack of efficacy of preventive drugs are common in clinical practice. Hence, new prophylactic strategies are needed.
objectiveThe aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of tDCS in terms of migraine prophylaxis.
methodsThis was a double blind and sham-controlled trial. Forty-two migraine patients were randomly assigned in a crossover design to receive three consecutive daily sessions of both sham and cathodal tDCS stimulation (2.0 mA, 20 min) over the occipital cortex of the dominant side of the migraine pain (O1/O2). Migraine duration and intensity, number of analgesic tablets, and number of headache-free days (where no headache abortive medications are taken) were recorded one week before and two weeks after treatment. A washout period of one week was allowed before crossing to the other treatment arm.
resultsRelative to sham, cathodal stimulation was associated with a significant reduction in the number of headache days, tablets consumption, and pain intensity; and a significant increase in the number of headache-free days. These beneficial effects were sustained over two weeks. No serious side effects were observed, and the procedure was well tolerated.
conclusionBased on these findings, cathodal tDCS applied to the occipital cortex seems to be an effective and well tolerated alternative to pharmacotherapy in patients with episodic migraine.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.