An overview of transcranial direct current stimulation for tic symptoms in Tourette’s syndrome

Introduction While there are many treatment options available for Tourette Syndrome, including pharmacotherapy and behavioral therapy, these treatments may lead to incomplete symptom relief or side effects. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a noninvasive brain stimulation technique that uses constant, low current delivered via electrodes attached to the scalp in order to modulate brain signals. tDCS has been explored as an alternative treatment option for tics in both pediatric and adult populations. While some studies have demonstrated that cathodal tDCS over the Supplementary Motor Area leads to improvement in tics compared to baseline as well as trends toward improvement in tics compared to sham stimulation, other studies have had mixed results or worsening of symptoms.