Effects of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation on pain and pain-related outcomes: an umbrella review.

IF 3.1 3区医学 Q2 CLINICAL NEUROLOGY

Korean Journal of Pain Pub Date : 2025-10-01 DOI:10.3344/kjp.25019

Meiram Tungushpayev, Dmitriy Viderman

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Abstract

Background: This study examines Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS), a non-invasive brain stimulation technique, as an alternative for pain management given the limitations of pharmacological treatments.

Methods: We searched PubMed, Scopus, and the Cochrane Library for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (SRMAs) on the efficacy of tDCS across pain-related conditions. Outcomes included treatment regimens, mechanisms, effects, and adverse events. Methodological quality was assessed with AMSTAR-2 and evidence levels with GRADE.

Results: Forty-one SRMAs were included. Positive effects were observed across 14 pain-related conditions, including 10 pain mechanism-specific outcomes and 6 other pain-related outcomes. Analgesic effects were reported in the short-, mid-, and long-term (up to 4 weeks), especially with stimulation over the primary motor cortex.

Conclusions: Our findings suggest that tDCS might be effective for fibromyalgia, migraine, and neuropathic pain associated with spinal cord injury and stroke. However, further evidence is needed for chronic orofacial pain, multiple sclerosis, knee osteoarthritis, central post-stroke pain, intra-abdominal pain, and phantom limb pain. As most of the evidence stems from reviews with "critically low" quality, more high-quality studies are needed in the future.

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经颅直流电刺激对疼痛和疼痛相关结果的影响：综述。

背景：本研究探讨了经颅直流电刺激（tDCS），一种非侵入性脑刺激技术，作为疼痛管理的替代药物治疗的局限性。方法：我们检索PubMed、Scopus和Cochrane图书馆，对tDCS治疗疼痛相关疾病的疗效进行系统评价和meta分析（srma）。结果包括治疗方案、机制、效果和不良事件。采用AMSTAR-2评价方法学质量，采用GRADE评价证据水平。结果：纳入41例srma。在14种疼痛相关疾病中观察到积极效果，包括10种疼痛机制特异性结果和6种其他疼痛相关结果。短期、中期和长期（长达4周）的镇痛效果均有报道，特别是对初级运动皮层的刺激。结论：我们的研究结果表明，tDCS可能对纤维肌痛、偏头痛和与脊髓损伤和中风相关的神经性疼痛有效。然而，慢性口面部疼痛、多发性硬化症、膝骨关节炎、中枢性卒中后疼痛、腹内疼痛和幻肢痛需要进一步的证据。由于大多数证据来自质量“极低”的综述，因此未来需要更多高质量的研究。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Korean Journal of Pain Medicine-Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine

CiteScore

5.40

自引率

7.10%

发文量

审稿时长

16 weeks

期刊介绍： Korean Journal of Pain (Korean J Pain, KJP) is the official journal of the Korean Pain Society, founded in 1986. It has been published since 1988. It publishes peer reviewed original articles related to all aspects of pain, including clinical and basic research, patient care, education, and health policy. It has been published quarterly in English since 2009 (on the first day of January, April, July, and October). In addition, it has also become the official journal of the International Spinal Pain Society since 2016. The mission of the Journal is to improve the care of patients in pain by providing a forum for clinical researchers, basic scientists, clinicians, and other health professionals. The circulation number per issue is 50.