ArticleResearch square2026
Reducing state anxiety with alpha-frequency transcranial alternating current stimulation.
Article in Research square, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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Abstract
Background: Anxiety reactivity to acute stress is a transdiagnostic vulnerability factor. We tested whether a single session of alpha-frequency transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) targeting the frontoparietal control network reduces stress-evoked state anxiety in healthy adults. Methods: In a randomized, blinded, sham-controlled study, 42 participants (mean age 58.9 years) completed an acute stress task before and after stimulation. The task was an adapted moving-circles paradigm in which circle collisions triggered a brief aversive event (mild electric shock plus unpleasant noise and a white flash). Active stimulation consisted of 20 min of 10-Hz tACS (2.0 mA/channel; 30-s ramp up/down) delivered via electrodes at F3, P3, Cz, and T7 (0° phase at F3/P3; 180° at Cz/T7). Sham stimulation used the same montage and ramp periods but no sustained current. Results: State anxiety showed a significant Time × Protocol interaction (F(1,35)=4.22, p=0.047): STAI-S decreased after active tACS (Δ=-3.16) but increased slightly after sham (Δ=+1.17). Perceived stress appraisal (SAAS) did not change. Resting-state alpha power at F3/P3 showed no reliable pre-post effects. During the task, left-frontal relative alpha differed by protocol and showed a trend toward larger increases following active tACS. Electrodermal and pupil indices changed across sessions in both groups, with no differential stimulation effects. Conclusions: A single alpha-tACS session produced a modest, selective reduction in stress-evoked state anxiety, supporting oscillatory neuromodulation as a scalable approach to dampen anxiety reactivity.
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