SynthesisCNS neuroscience & therapeutics2022
Transcranial direct current stimulation for migraine: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.
Synthesis in CNS neuroscience & therapeutics, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 17 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled 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.
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.
Who cites it
17 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 28 citations in OpenAlex.
- Effectiveness of neuromodulation techniques for migraine prophylaxis: a systematic review and network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.BMC complementary medicine and therapies · 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
- Transcranial direct current stimulation for migraine: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.CNS neuroscience & therapeutics · 2022Pooled it
- Trial
- Efficacy of prefrontal-occipital transcranial direct current stimulation for refractory chronic migraine.BMC neurology · 2026Article
- Non-pharmacological approaches for migraine management: a mini-review.Frontiers in pain research (Lausanne, Switzerland) · 2026Review
- 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
- Update on Neuromodulation for Migraine and Other Primary Headache Disorders: Recent Advances and New Indications.Current pain and headache reports · 2025Review
- Chronic Stress and Headaches: The Role of the HPA Axis and Autonomic Nervous System.Biomedicines · 2025Review
- The Short- and Long-Term Efficacy of Non-Invasive Brain Stimulation for Migraine: A Meta-Analysis.Journal of pain research · 2025Review
- Efficacy of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) on Neuropsychiatric Symptoms in Multiple Sclerosis (MS)-A Review and Insight into Possible Mechanisms of Action.Journal of clinical medicine · 2024Review
- The safety and feasibility of transcranial direct current stimulation combined with conservative treatment for patients with cervicogenic headaches: A double-blinded randomized control study protocol.Contemporary clinical trials communications · 2024Article
- Hallmarks of primary headache: part 1 - migraine.The journal of headache and pain · 2024Review
- The Efficacy of Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) versus Transcranial Direct-Current Stimulation (tDCS) on Migraine Headaches: A Randomized Clinical Trial.Advanced biomedical research · 2024Article
- Non-Pharmacological Treatment for Chronic Migraine.Current pain and headache reports · 2023Review
- Non-Pharmacological Treatment of Primary Headaches-A Focused Review.Brain sciences · 2023Review
- Non-invasive brain stimulation treatments for migraine prophylaxis: a network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.Acta neurologica Belgica · 2023Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
5 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundTranscranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a promising method for migraine treatment. In this study, we investigated the efficacy and safety of tDCS for migraine by conducting a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs).
methodsWe searched PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science up to December 02, 2021 for RCTs reporting tDCS for migraine treatment. Two authors independently evaluated the eligibility of the retrieved trials and extracted relevant data. Outcomes for the quantitative synthesis were reduction in migraine days per month and adverse events.
resultsEleven RCTs that included 425 patients with migraine were evaluated in the meta-analysis. The efficacy and safety of anodal or cathodal stimulation targeting different brain areas, including primary motor cortex (M1), primary sensory cortex (S1), dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), and visual cortex (VC), were assessed in the RCTs enrolled. We found that tDCS with M1 and VC activation could reduce No. of migraine days per month in patients with migraine. Meanwhile, tDCS with VC inhibition could also reduce No. of migraine days per month in patients with migraine. However, there were no differences in the incidence of adverse events between the two groups.
conclusiontDCS activates M1 or activates/inhibits VC which could improve migraine symptoms. tDCS is an effective, preventive, and safe treatment for migraine.
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What OpenQuestion holds
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.