Title:Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation for Treatment of ADHD: A Review of the Mechanisms of Action
Volume: 14
Issue: 4
Author(s): Maryam Mirzaiyan, Pramod S Kunwar, Rosette Uzayisenga and Samaneh Rashidi*
Affiliation:
- Bioelectromagnetic Clinic, Imam Khomeini Hospital, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz,Iran
Keywords:
Transcranial direct current stimulation, ADHD, clinical trials, mechanism of action, efficacy, hyperactiveimpulsive
type.
Abstract: Background and Objective: Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common
neuropsychiatric disorder. The current pharmaceutical treatments are associated with side effects
and with low efficacy so that about one third of the adults do not respond to these treatments.
Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a non-invasive and safe brain modulation technique
with promising therapeutic effects on ADHD symptoms. This paper aims to comprehensively
review the clinical trials of tDCS conducted in humans for the treatment of ADHD. We aim to review
the clinical efficacy and mechanisms of action of the technique in ADHD treatment.
Method: The databases of PubMed (1990-2017), Web of Sciences (1990-2017), Google Scholar
(1990-2017) and Scopus (1990-2017) were searched using the keywords “Attention deficit hyperactivity
disorder” OR “ADHD” AND “Transcranial direct current stimulation” OR “tDCS” AND
"treatment" AND "mechanism". The title and abstract of the papers were reviewed by at least two
authors and the relevant papers were selected for in depth review. We selected the preclinical and
clinical trials that studied the effects of tDCS on ADHD patients through measuring behavioral,
hemodynamic, or neurophysiological features.
Results: The current evidence supports the therapeutic efficacy of tDCS in the improvement of
ADHD, but, the findings are controversial. Anodal tDCS seems to be more effective than cathodal
in ADHD. In addition, the appropriate sites of stimulation are frontal cortex in particular left dorsolateral
prefrontal cortex and right inferior frontal gyrus. The tDCS can improve inhibitory control
and interference control in ADHD patients.
Conclusion: tDCS has shown promising but limited clinical efficacy for ADHD treatment. However,
the current evidence supports continuing the preclinical and clinical studies to determine
physiological mechanisms and dose response of tDCS in ADHD to establish a clinical protocol.