Analgesia of noninvasive electrical stimulation of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Objective

The dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) is implicated in pain modulation, suggesting its potential as a therapeutic target for pain relief. However, studies on transcranial electrical stimulation (tES) over the DLPFC yielded diverse results, likely due to differences in stimulation protocols or pain assessment methods. This study aims to evaluate the analgesic effects of DLPFC-tES using a meta-analytical approach.

Methods

A meta-analysis of 29 studies involving 785 participants was conducted. The effects of genuine and sham DLPFC-tES on pain perception were examined in healthy individuals and patients with clinical pain. Subgroup analyses explored the impact of stimulation parameters and pain modalities.

Results

DLPFC-tES did not significantly affect pain outcomes in healthy populations but showed promise in reducing pain-intensity ratings in patients with clinical pain (Hedges' g = −0.78, 95% CI = [−1.33, −0.24], p = 0.005). Electrode placement significantly influenced the analgesic effect, with better results observed when the anode was at F3 and the cathode at F4.

Conclusions

DLPFC-tES holds potential as a cost-effective pain management option, particularly for clinical populations. Optimizing electrode placement, especially with an symmetrical configuration, may enhance therapeutic efficacy. These findings underscore the promise of DLPFC-tES for alleviating perceived pain intensity in clinical settings, emphasizing the importance of electrode placement optimization.