title: Cerebral blood flow modulation by transcutaneous cranial electrical stimulation with Limoge's current.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Transcutaneous cranial electrical stimulation (TCES) delivers a high-frequency (166 kHz) pulsed biphasic balanced current with a pulse repetition frequency of 100 Hz with 40% duty cycle through a negative electrode and two positive electrodes over the skull. TCES has a proven ability to potentiate anesthesia and analgesia, although the physiological mechanisms of this effect remain unclear. We hypothesized that the mechanism is a modulation of CBF in the central endogenous opioid system. This study aimed at determining the effects of TCES on CBF to elucidate its physiological mechanism.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-six healthy volunteers were randomly assigned to active or placebo TCES, and all assessments were double blind. TCES was performed using the Anesthelec™ device. In the stimulated group, an active cable was used, and in the control group (sham), the cable was inactive. CBF was measured by XeCT™ before and after two hours of TCES.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Globally, CBF was unchanged by TCES. However, locally, TCES induced a significant CBF decrease in the brainstem and thalamus, which are structures involved in pain and anxiety (TCES and control CBF decrease were 18.5 and 11.9 mL/100g brain tissue/min, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  TCES can modulate local CBF but it has no effect on overall CBF. [Clinical Trials. gov number: NCT00273663].
authors.affiliation: Service de Neuroradiologie, Hôpital Pellegrin, Place Amélie-Raba-Léon, 33076 Bordeaux cedex, France. dgense@hotmail.fr
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Gense de Beaufort
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sesay
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Stinus
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Thiebaut
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Auriacombe
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Dousset
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity / Q000502:physiology / Q000528:radiation effects; D001933:Brain Stem / Q000502:physiology* / Q000528:radiation effects; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation / Q000502:physiology* / Q000528:radiation effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013788:Thalamus / Q000502:physiology* / Q000528:radiation effects; D004561:Transcutaneous Electric Nerve Stimulation / Q000379:methods*