Evidence map›Paper›PMID 32748372›Full record

ArticleEating and weight disorders : EWD2021

Effect of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on food craving and eating when using a control method that minimizes guessing of the real vs. control condition.

Carl E Stevens, Marissa A Lausen, Laura E Wagstaff, Tommy R McRae, Bethany R Pittman, Franklin R Amthor, Mary M Boggiano

Abstract read
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In one paragraph

Article in Eating and weight disorders : EWD, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

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.

2 · The registry

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.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Trial
  2. Article
  3. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Carl E StevensDepartment of Psychology, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, 415 Campbell Hall, 1300 University Blvd., Birmingham, AL, 35294-1170, USA.
Marissa A LausenDepartment of Psychology, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, 415 Campbell Hall, 1300 University Blvd., Birmingham, AL, 35294-1170, USA.
Laura E WagstaffDepartment of Psychology, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, 415 Campbell Hall, 1300 University Blvd., Birmingham, AL, 35294-1170, USA.
Tommy R McRaeDepartment of Psychology, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, 415 Campbell Hall, 1300 University Blvd., Birmingham, AL, 35294-1170, USA.
Bethany R PittmanDepartment of Psychology, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, 415 Campbell Hall, 1300 University Blvd., Birmingham, AL, 35294-1170, USA.
Franklin R AmthorDepartment of Psychology, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, 415 Campbell Hall, 1300 University Blvd., Birmingham, AL, 35294-1170, USA.
Mary M BoggianoDepartment of Psychology, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, 415 Campbell Hall, 1300 University Blvd., Birmingham, AL, 35294-1170, USA. boggiano@uab.edu.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3662-155X

Funding

Why is the prevalence of obesity so high in U.S. Southern States? Regional predictors of BMI and obesity treatment response.P30DK056336 · NIDDK · UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA AT BIRMINGHAM · PI BARBARA A GOWER · 2000 to 2026
$31.9M
NIDDK NIH HHS P30 DK056336
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeValidation of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) to treat obesity is hampered by evidence that participants can distinguish real from the traditional-control condition. Correctly guessing the real condition precludes knowing if it is neuromodulation or expectation that suppresses food craving and eating. Therefore, this study tested the putative efficacy of tDCS to the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) to reduce food craving and eating when an alternative control condition was used that would be difficult to distinguish from the real condition.

methodsN = 28 adults with a 26-50 BMI range received a typical 20-min 2 mA current session of tDCS targeting the DLPFC as the real condition and a same duration/current tDCS session targeting the sensorimotor cortex (SMC), a region not expected to affect appetite, as the control. Food image craving ratings, in-lab food consumption, and momentary ratings of physical sensations were measured.

resultsDLPFC failed to reduce food craving and consumption compared to SMC stimulation. When interviewed, 71% of participants were unable to guess real from control conditions. Those who guessed DLPFC tDCS as real attributed their guess to increased number and frequency of sensations. However, their sensation ratings during tDCS did not differ between conditions.

conclusionsThe results question if tDCS suppresses craving and eating at all, or if the DLPFC is the best target to do so. The results also indicate that alternate-site constant stimulation as the control method may strengthen the scientific evaluation of tDCS to treat obesity. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level I, experimental study.

Indexed as

Transcranial Direct Current StimulationAdultAppetiteCravingHumansObesityPrefrontal CortexDLPFCEating behaviorNeuromodulationObesitySham tDCSTreatment

Identifiers

PMID32748372

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

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.