SynthesisBMC psychiatry2026
Transcranial alternating current stimulation for chronic insomnia: a meta-analytic evaluation of sleep restoration and safety in adults.
Synthesis in BMC psychiatry, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.
What it found
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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.
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Who cites it
1 citing paper in PubMed.
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Authors and funding
10 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundChronic insomnia affects approximately one-third of adults globally, imposing substantial health burdens with limited effective treatments. Transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) emerges as a non-invasive neuromodulatory approach, though its efficacy and safety profile require systematic evaluation.
methodsWe systematically searched PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials through July 2025 for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating tACS in adults with chronic insomnia. Primary outcomes included Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) scores, sleep onset latency (SOL), total sleep time (TST), and subjective sleep efficiency. Secondary outcomes encompassed remission/response rates, daytime disturbances, mood symptoms, and adverse events. Data were pooled using random-effects models. Risk of bias and evidence certainty were assessed via Cochrane RoB 2.0 and GRADE.
resultsFour RCTs (n = 247) were included. tACS significantly reduced SOL at 2 weeks (MD = −56.90 min; 95% CI: −74.44 to −39.36) and 4 weeks (MD = −52.20 min; −67.03 to −37.37), improved PSQI (MD = −5.73; −8.35 to −3.10; p < 0.0001), increased TST (MD = +85.29 min; 33.42 to 137.15; p = 0.0013), and reduced daytime disturbances (MD = −0.94; −1.13 to −0.76; p < 0.0001). Response rates favored tACS (RR = 11.21; 3.20–39.23; p = 0.0002). Mood improvements were not sustained beyond 8 weeks. No significant adverse events emerged versus sham (RR = 1.06; 0.16–6.95). Heterogeneity ranged moderate-to-high (I2 = 46.9–97.2%).
conclusiontACS demonstrates rapid efficacy (2–6 weeks) and safety for core insomnia symptoms. Sustained benefits require protocol optimization and long-term evaluation.
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