SynthesisFrontiers in neurology2022
Effectiveness of transcranial direct current stimulation over dorsolateral prefrontal cortex in patients with prolonged disorders of consciousness: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
Synthesis in Frontiers in neurology, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 9 papers, 5 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
9 citing papers in PubMed, 5 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 13 citations in OpenAlex.
- Efficacy of transcranial direct current stimulation for disorders of consciousness: an updated systematic review and meta-analysis based on sham-controlled randomized trials.Frontiers in neuroscience · 2026Pooled it
- Noninvasive neuromodulation for disorders of consciousness: an updated systematic review and meta-analysis.Critical care (London, England) · 2025Pooled it
- Effects of non-invasive brain stimulation on arousal and alertness among traumatic brain injury patients with disorders of consciousness or persistent vegetative State: a systematic review.Acta neurologica Belgica · 2025Pooled it
- Effects and safety of transcranial direct current stimulation on multiple health outcomes: an umbrella review of randomized clinical trials.Molecular psychiatry · 2024Pooled it
- The Neurological Rehabilitation of Adults With Coma and Disorders of Consciousness.Deutsches Arzteblatt international · 2023Guideline
- Non-invasive neuroregulation techniques applied to patients with consciousness disorders: a narrative review.Frontiers in human neuroscience · 2026Review
- Cognitive Effects of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation Plus Robotic Verticalization in Minimally Conscious State.Biomedicines · 2024Article
- The integrity of thalamo-dorsolateral prefrontal cortex tract: a key factor in residual consciousness in disorders of consciousness patients.Frontiers in neurology · 2024Article
- Effect of single and combined median nerve stimulation and repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation in patients with prolonged disorders of consciousness: a prospective, randomized, single-blinded, controlled trial.Frontiers in aging neuroscience · 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
9 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Background: Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has been widely studied for treatment of patients with prolonged disorders of consciousness (PDOC). The dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) is a hot target for intervention, but some controversies remain. Purpose: This review aimed to systematically investigate the therapeutic effects of DLPFC-anodal-tDCS for patients with PDOC through a meta-analysis approach. Data sources: Searches for relevant articles available in English were conducted using EMBASE, Medline, Web of Science, EBSCO, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials from inception until March 26, 2022. Study selection: All randomized parallel or cross-over controlled trials comparing the effect of intervention with active-tDCS and Sham-tDCS on Coma Recovery Scale Revised (CRS-R) score in individuals with PDOC were included. Data extraction: Two authors independently extracted data, assessed the methodological quality, and rated each study. Data synthesis: Ten randomized parallel or cross-over controlled trials were eligible for systematic review, and eight of the studies involving 165 individuals were identified as eligible for meta-analysis. Compared with Sham-tDCS, the use of anode-tDCS over DLPFC improved the CRS-R score (SMD = 0.71; 95% CI: 0.47-0.95, Limitations: Failure to evaluate the long-term effects and lack of quantitative analysis of neurological examination are the main limitations for the application of anode-tDCS. Conclusions: Anodal-tDCS over the left DLPFC may be advantageous to the recovery of patients with MCS and clinically diagnosed with CVA or TBI. There is a lack of evidence to support the duration of the disease course will limit the performance of the treatment. Further studies are needed to explore the diversity of stimulation targets and help to improve the mesocircuit model. Systematic review registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=279391, identifier: CRD42022279391.
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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.