Home-based transcranial direct current stimulation paired with cognitive training to reduce fatigue in multiple sclerosis
Abstract Fatigue is a common and often debilitating feature of multiple sclerosis (MS) that lacks reliably effective treatment options for most patients. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), a safe and well-tolerated type of noninvasive brain stimulation, is a low-cost and home-based appr...
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Nature Portfolio
2025-02-01
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-88255-2 |
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| author | Leigh Charvet Judith D. Goldberg Xiaochun Li Pamela Best Matthew Lustberg Michael Shaw Lana Zhovtis Josef Gutman Abhishek Datta Marom Bikson Giuseppina Pilloni Lauren Krupp |
| author_facet | Leigh Charvet Judith D. Goldberg Xiaochun Li Pamela Best Matthew Lustberg Michael Shaw Lana Zhovtis Josef Gutman Abhishek Datta Marom Bikson Giuseppina Pilloni Lauren Krupp |
| author_sort | Leigh Charvet |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Fatigue is a common and often debilitating feature of multiple sclerosis (MS) that lacks reliably effective treatment options for most patients. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), a safe and well-tolerated type of noninvasive brain stimulation, is a low-cost and home-based approach with the potential to reduce fatigue in MS. We conducted a double-blind, sham-controlled, randomized clinical trial to compare active vs. low-dose (sham) tDCS paired with computer-based cognitive training, delivered as a home-based intervention, to reduce MS-related fatigue. Participants with MS-related fatigue, but without depression, were stratified by neurologic disability using the Extended Disability Status Scale (EDSS) and randomized to complete 30 daily sessions over six weeks of either active or sham tDCS paired with online cognitive training (BrainHQ). The primary outcome was the change in PROMIS Fatigue score from baseline to the end of the intervention. A total of 117 participants were randomized, with 92% completing all treatment sessions. Both groups showed significant reductions in fatigue, with no significant difference between them. This suggests that tDCS does not provide any additional benefit over cognitive training alone in reducing fatigue, but confirms the feasibility and tolerance of this home-based intervention. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-d21c6a401fdc4a45a3fbbdc86cff1fd3 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-02-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
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| spelling | doaj-art-d21c6a401fdc4a45a3fbbdc86cff1fd32025-02-09T12:29:37ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-02-0115111110.1038/s41598-025-88255-2Home-based transcranial direct current stimulation paired with cognitive training to reduce fatigue in multiple sclerosisLeigh Charvet0Judith D. Goldberg1Xiaochun Li2Pamela Best3Matthew Lustberg4Michael Shaw5Lana Zhovtis6Josef Gutman7Abhishek Datta8Marom Bikson9Giuseppina Pilloni10Lauren Krupp11Department of Neurology, NYU Grossman School of MedicineDepartment of Population Health, NYU Grossman School of MedicineDepartment of Population Health, NYU Grossman School of MedicineStony Brook MedicineDepartment of Neurology, NYU Grossman School of MedicineDepartment of Psychology, Binghamton UniversityDepartment of Neurology, Hackensack Meridian Health, Jersey Shore University Medical CenterDepartment of Neurology, NYU Grossman School of MedicineResearch and Development, Soterix Medical IncDepartment of Biomedical Engineering, City College of New YorkDepartment of Neurology, NYU Grossman School of MedicineDepartment of Neurology, NYU Grossman School of MedicineAbstract Fatigue is a common and often debilitating feature of multiple sclerosis (MS) that lacks reliably effective treatment options for most patients. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), a safe and well-tolerated type of noninvasive brain stimulation, is a low-cost and home-based approach with the potential to reduce fatigue in MS. We conducted a double-blind, sham-controlled, randomized clinical trial to compare active vs. low-dose (sham) tDCS paired with computer-based cognitive training, delivered as a home-based intervention, to reduce MS-related fatigue. Participants with MS-related fatigue, but without depression, were stratified by neurologic disability using the Extended Disability Status Scale (EDSS) and randomized to complete 30 daily sessions over six weeks of either active or sham tDCS paired with online cognitive training (BrainHQ). The primary outcome was the change in PROMIS Fatigue score from baseline to the end of the intervention. A total of 117 participants were randomized, with 92% completing all treatment sessions. Both groups showed significant reductions in fatigue, with no significant difference between them. This suggests that tDCS does not provide any additional benefit over cognitive training alone in reducing fatigue, but confirms the feasibility and tolerance of this home-based intervention.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-88255-2Transcranial direct current stimulationBrain stimulationNoninvasive brain stimulationMultiple sclerosisFatigueCognitive training |
| spellingShingle | Leigh Charvet Judith D. Goldberg Xiaochun Li Pamela Best Matthew Lustberg Michael Shaw Lana Zhovtis Josef Gutman Abhishek Datta Marom Bikson Giuseppina Pilloni Lauren Krupp Home-based transcranial direct current stimulation paired with cognitive training to reduce fatigue in multiple sclerosis Scientific Reports Transcranial direct current stimulation Brain stimulation Noninvasive brain stimulation Multiple sclerosis Fatigue Cognitive training |
| title | Home-based transcranial direct current stimulation paired with cognitive training to reduce fatigue in multiple sclerosis |
| title_full | Home-based transcranial direct current stimulation paired with cognitive training to reduce fatigue in multiple sclerosis |
| title_fullStr | Home-based transcranial direct current stimulation paired with cognitive training to reduce fatigue in multiple sclerosis |
| title_full_unstemmed | Home-based transcranial direct current stimulation paired with cognitive training to reduce fatigue in multiple sclerosis |
| title_short | Home-based transcranial direct current stimulation paired with cognitive training to reduce fatigue in multiple sclerosis |
| title_sort | home based transcranial direct current stimulation paired with cognitive training to reduce fatigue in multiple sclerosis |
| topic | Transcranial direct current stimulation Brain stimulation Noninvasive brain stimulation Multiple sclerosis Fatigue Cognitive training |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-88255-2 |
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