Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40875070›Full record

SynthesisBrain topography2025

The Effect of Single-Session Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation on Cerebral Blood Flow: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Jianmeng Song, Edgardo Torres-Carmona, Ali Abdolizadeh, Yasaman Kambari, Aron Amaev, Fumihiko Ueno, Teruki Koizumi, Gary Remington, Vincenzo Deluca, Ariel Graff-Guerrero and 1 more

Abstract readSystematic ReviewMeta-Analysis
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Brain topography, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing 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

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. 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

11 authors.

Jianmeng SongMultimodal Imaging Group, Research Imaging Centre, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), Toronto, ON, Canada.
Edgardo Torres-CarmonaMultimodal Imaging Group, Research Imaging Centre, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), Toronto, ON, Canada.
Ali AbdolizadehMultimodal Imaging Group, Research Imaging Centre, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), Toronto, ON, Canada.
Yasaman KambariMultimodal Imaging Group, Research Imaging Centre, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), Toronto, ON, Canada.
Aron AmaevMultimodal Imaging Group, Research Imaging Centre, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), Toronto, ON, Canada.
Fumihiko UenoMultimodal Imaging Group, Research Imaging Centre, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), Toronto, ON, Canada.
Teruki KoizumiMultimodal Imaging Group, Research Imaging Centre, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), Toronto, ON, Canada.
Gary RemingtonMultimodal Imaging Group, Research Imaging Centre, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), Toronto, ON, Canada.
Vincenzo DelucaInstitute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
Ariel Graff-GuerreroMultimodal Imaging Group, Research Imaging Centre, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), Toronto, ON, Canada.
Philip GerretsenMultimodal Imaging Group, Research Imaging Centre, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), Toronto, ON, Canada. philgerretsen@yahoo.com.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a form of non-invasive brain stimulation that delivers a constant low electric current through electrodes placed on the scalp. A significant amount of research has explored the clinical potential of tDCS in psychiatric disorders. However, the mechanism of tDCS' behavioural effects remains largely unknown. Cerebral blood flow (CBF) is a surrogate marker of neural activity and has been used as an index of brain dysfunction in various psychiatric disorders. Studies have shown that single-session tDCS can modulate regional CBF in humans, however, these results as yet have not been systematically reviewed. The primary objective of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to evaluate the immediate effects of single-session tDCS on regional CBF. A literature search of English language publications in humans was conducted through Ovid database using Medline, Embase, and PsycINFO (last search in August 2023). The following search terms were used: (transcranial direct current stimulation or tDCS) and (cerebral blood flow or cerebrovascular circulation). Studies that reported sufficient data for calculating the pooled effect size of regional CBF change from baseline to immediately post-tDCS were included. The analysis was separated by anodal, cathodal, and sham stimulation. The search identified 188 English language publications. Four papers were deemed eligible for the analysis, while two of them were based on the same sample. Studies varied in terms of tDCS montage, stimulation protocol, and population studied. The meta-analysis found a decrease in regional CBF following single-session cathodal tDCS stimulation (n = 34) and no effect of single-session anodal (n = 58) or sham tDCS (n = 52). However, increased regional CBF following anodal tDCS was significantly associated with older age, sex (% male), and higher current intensity and density based on the results of exploratory moderator and subgroup analyses. The results of this meta-analysis contribute to the growing body of knowledge investigating the cerebral mechanisms of tDCS. Given the limited number and heterogeneity of available studies, further investigation into the effects of single- and multi-session tDCS on regional CBF in clinical or healthy participant samples is warranted to gain a better mechanistic understanding of tDCS' therapeutic effects.

Indexed as

BrainCerebrovascular CirculationTranscranial Direct Current StimulationHumansCerebral blood flowMeta-analysisNeuroimagingNon-invasive brain stimulationSystematic reviewTranscranial direct current stimulation

Identifiers

PMID40875070

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.