Evidence map›Paper›PMID 32845195›Full record

ReviewExpert review of medical devices2020

Methods and strategies of tDCS for the treatment of pain: current status and future directions.

Kevin Pacheco-Barrios, Alejandra Cardenas-Rojas, Aurore Thibaut, Beatriz Costa, Isadora Ferreira, Wolnei Caumo, Felipe Fregni

4 registry-linked trialsOpen access · greenAbstract readReview
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Review in Expert review of medical devices, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to 4 registered trials, which are not on this map. Cited by 82 papers, 7 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
82citing papers in PubMed, 7 pooled it
4.8field-weighted citation impact, top 4% of its field
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.

NCT05757609 narecruitingnot on this mapstarted 2023, after this paper: background citation

Innovative Non-invasive Brain Stimulation in the Rehabilitation of Patients With Chronic Low Back Pain

TypeinterventionalSponsorStephane ARMANDRan2023 to 2026Enrolled48ConditionsChronic Low Back PainArmsAnodal tDCS combined with active physiotherapy, Sham anodal tDCS combined with active physiotherapy
NCT05780450 naunknown statusnot on this mapstarted 2023, after this paper: background citation

Effectiveness of Transcranial Direct Current (tDCS) Treatment in Patients With Persistent Covid Who Present Headaches and Chronic Body Pain.

TypeinterventionalSponsorFundación Universidad Católica de Valencia San Vicente MártirRan2023 to 2023Enrolled27ConditionsCOVID-19, Long COVID, Long Covid19, SARS CoV 2 InfectionArmsTranscranial Direct Current Therapy (tDCS)
NCT05830851 naunknown statusnot on this mapstarted 2023, after this paper: background citation

Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation Combined With Aerobic Exercise for the Treatment of Chronic Nonspecific Low Back Pain: a Randomized Clinical Trial

TypeinterventionalSponsorEuropean University of MadridRan2023 to 2024Enrolled38ConditionsLow Back Pain, Chronic Low-back PainArmsreal tDCS and aerobic exercise, sham tDCS and aerobic exercise
NCT06994390 nanot yet recruitingnot on this mapstarted 2026, after this paper: background citation

Neuropathic Pain Intervention With tDCS in Brazilian Military Personnel Randomized Controlled Trial

TypeinterventionalSponsorHospital da Polícia Militar de GoiásRan2026 to 2030Enrolled120ConditionsNeuropathic Pain, Sleep Quality, Transcranial Direct Current StimulationArmstDCS, sham intervention
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

82 citing papers in PubMed, 7 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 123 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Efficacy of neuromodulation and rehabilitation approaches on pain relief in patients with spinal cord injury: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Neurological sciences : official journal of the Italian Neurological Society and of the Italian Society of Clinical Neurophysiology · 2025
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  5. Brain stimulation targets for chronic pain: Insights from meta-analysis, functional connectivity and literature review.Neurotherapeutics : the journal of the American Society for Experimental NeuroTherapeutics · 2024
    Pooled it
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  8. Effects of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation and Individualized Physical Therapy on Pain and Function in Individuals With Chronic Knee Pain: A Pilot Study.Physiotherapy research international : the journal for researchers and clinicians in physical therapy · 2026
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  19. High-definition tDCS over primary motor cortex modulates brain signal variability and functional connectivity in episodic migraine.Clinical neurophysiology : official journal of the International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology · 2024
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22 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.

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 at 4 institutions in 4 countries.

Kevin Pacheco-BarriosNeuromodulation Center and Center for Clinical Research Learning, Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital and Massachusetts General Hospital , Boston, Massachusetts, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7166-2816
Alejandra Cardenas-RojasNeuromodulation Center and Center for Clinical Research Learning, Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital and Massachusetts General Hospital , Boston, Massachusetts, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8464-6866
Aurore ThibautNeuromodulation Center and Center for Clinical Research Learning, Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital and Massachusetts General Hospital , Boston, Massachusetts, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5991-1747
Beatriz CostaNeuromodulation Center and Center for Clinical Research Learning, Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital and Massachusetts General Hospital , Boston, Massachusetts, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9404-7066
Isadora FerreiraNeuromodulation Center and Center for Clinical Research Learning, Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital and Massachusetts General Hospital , Boston, Massachusetts, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4709-8952
Wolnei CaumoLaboratory of Pain and Neuromodulation at UFRGS, Pain and Palliative Care Service at Hospital De Clínicas De Porto Alegre (HCPA) , Porto Alegre, Brazil.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5083-4658
Felipe FregniNeuromodulation Center and Center for Clinical Research Learning, Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital and Massachusetts General Hospital , Boston, Massachusetts, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9359-8643
Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital · USUniversidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul · BRUniversidad San Ignacio de Loyola · PEUniversity of Liège · BE

Funding

Optimized tDCS for fibromyalgia: targeting the endogenous pain control systemR01AT009491 · NCCIH · SPAULDING REHABILITATION HOSPITAL · PI FREGNI, FELIPE · 2018 to 2023
$2.3M
NCCIH NIH HHS R01 AT009491
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionTranscranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a noninvasive neuromodulation technique that has been widely studied for the treatment of chronic pain. It is considered a promising and safe alternative pain therapy. Different targets have been tested, each having their own particular mechanisms for modulating pain perception. AREAS COVERED: We discuss the current state of the art of tDCS to manage pain and future strategies to optimize tDCS' effects. Current strategies include primary motor cortex tDCS, prefrontal tDCS and tDCS combined with behavioral interventions while future strategies, on the other hand, include high-intensity tDCS, transcutaneous spinal direct current stimulation, cerebellar tDCS, home-based tDCS, and tDCS with extended number of sessions. EXPERT COMMENTARY: It has been shown that the stimulation of the prefrontal and primary motor cortex is efficient for pain reduction while a few other new strategies, such as high-intensity tDCS and network-based tDCS, are believed to induce strong neuroplastic effects, although the underlying neural mechanisms still need to be fully uncovered. Hence, conventional tDCS approaches demonstrated promising effects to manage pain and new strategies are under development to enhance tDCS effects and make this approach more easily available by using, for instance, home-based devices.

Indexed as

Chronic PainCognitive Behavioral TherapyHome Care ServicesHumansPain ManagementTranscranial Direct Current StimulationBrain stimulationneuromodulationneuroplasticitypaintranscranial direct current stimulation

Identifiers

PMID32845195
PMCPMC7674241
OpenAlexW3080723187

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceTDM
Read underepoch 390

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.