title: Effects of transcranial random noise stimulation (tRNS) on affect, pain and attention in multiple sclerosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Pain and cognitive impairment are frequent symptoms in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). Neglecting experimental pain and paying attention to demanding tasks is reported to decrease the pain intensity. Little is known about the interaction between chronic neuropathic pain and attention disorders in MS. Recently, transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) was used to modulate various cognitive and motor symptoms in MS. We aimed to study the effects of transcranial random noise stimulation (tRNS), a form of transcranial electric stimulation, over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) on attention and neuropathic pain in MS patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  16 MS patients were included in a randomized, sham-controlled, cross-over study. Each patient randomly received two tRNS blocks, separated by three weeks of washout interval. Each block consisted of three consecutive daily sessions of either active or sham tRNS. The patients were evaluated for pain, attention and mood and further underwent an electrophysiological evaluation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared to sham, tRNS showed a trend to decrease the N2-P2 amplitudes of pain related evoked potentials and improve pain ratings. Attention performance and mood scales did not change after stimulations.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study suggests the role of tRNS in pain modulation, which could have been more evident with longer stimulation protocols.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Henri Mondor Hospital, Assistance Publique - Hôpitaux de Paris, Créteil, France.|Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Ludwig-Maximilian University Munich, Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: Ulrich
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Palm
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Henri Mondor Hospital, Assistance Publique - Hôpitaux de Paris, Créteil, France.|EA 4391, Nerve Excitability and Therapeutic Team, Faculty of Medicine, Paris Est Créteil University, Créteil, France.
authors.forename: Moussa A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Chalah
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Ludwig-Maximilian University Munich, Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Padberg
authors.affiliation: EA 4391, Nerve Excitability and Therapeutic Team, Faculty of Medicine, Paris Est Créteil University, Créteil, France.
authors.forename: Tarik
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Al-Ani
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Henri Mondor Hospital, Assistance Publique - Hôpitaux de Paris, Créteil, France.
authors.forename: Mohamed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Abdellaoui
authors.affiliation: EA 4391, Nerve Excitability and Therapeutic Team, Faculty of Medicine, Paris Est Créteil University, Créteil, France.
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sorel
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Henri Mondor Hospital, Assistance Publique - Hôpitaux de Paris, Créteil, France.
authors.forename: Dalia
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Dimitri
authors.affiliation: EA 4391, Nerve Excitability and Therapeutic Team, Faculty of Medicine, Paris Est Créteil University, Créteil, France.|Department of Neurology, Henri Mondor Hospital, Assistance Publique - Hôpitaux de Paris, Créteil, France.
authors.forename: Alain
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Créange
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Henri Mondor Hospital, Assistance Publique - Hôpitaux de Paris, Créteil, France.|EA 4391, Nerve Excitability and Therapeutic Team, Faculty of Medicine, Paris Est Créteil University, Créteil, France.
authors.forename: Jean-Pascal
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Lefaucheur
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Henri Mondor Hospital, Assistance Publique - Hôpitaux de Paris, Créteil, France.|EA 4391, Nerve Excitability and Therapeutic Team, Faculty of Medicine, Paris Est Créteil University, Créteil, France.
authors.forename: Samar S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Ayache
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D004569:Electroencephalography; D005071:Evoked Potentials / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019964:Mood Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000150:complications; D009437:Neuralgia / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D010147:Pain Measurement; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013826:Theta Rhythm / Q000502:physiology; D065908:Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation / Q000379:methods*
keywords: Transcranial random noise stimulation; attention; depression; fatigue; multiple sclerosis; pain; tRNS