Transcranial direct current stimulation of the prefrontal cortex modulates the desire for specific foods.
We aimed to assess whether modulation of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLFPC) with noninvasive brain stimulation, namely transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), modifies food craving in healthy subjects. We performed a randomized sham-controlled cross-over study in which 23 subjects received sham and active tDCS (anode left/cathode right and anode right/cathode left) of the DLPFC. Subjects were exposed to food and also watched a movie of food associated with strong craving. Desire for food consumption was evaluated by visual analogue scales (VAS) and food consumption before and after treatment. In addition we measured visual attention to food using an eye tracking system. Craving for viewed foods as indexed by VAS was reduced by anode right/cathode left tDCS. After sham stimulation, exposure to real food or food-related movie increased craving; whereas after anode left/cathode right tDCS, the food-related stimuli did not increase craving levels, as revealed by the VAS scale. Moreover, compared with sham stimulation, subjects fixated food-related pictures less frequently after anode right/cathode left tDCS and consumed less food after both active stimulation conditions. These changes were not related to mood changes after any type of tDCS treatment. The effects of tDCS on food craving might be related to a modulation of neural circuits associated with reward and decision-making.
Fregni
Felipe
F
Berenson-Allen Center for Noninvasive Brain Stimulation, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, 330 Brookline Avenue #KS 454, Boston, MA, 02215, USA. ffregni@bidmc.harvard.edu
Orsati
Fernanda
F
Pedrosa
Waldelle
W
Fecteau
Shirley
S
Tome
Fatima A M
FA
Nitsche
Michael A
MA
Mecca
Tatiana
T
Macedo
Elizeu C
EC
Pascual-Leone
Alvaro
A
Boggio
Paulo S
PS
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D003463:Cues; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D004599:Electric Stimulation Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D001068:Feeding and Eating Disorders / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D005518:Food Preferences / Q000502:physiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017397:Prefrontal Cortex / Q000502:physiology*