Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation of the Prefrontal Cortex Modulates the Desire for Specific Foods

Overview

Journal Appetite

Specialties Nutritional Sciences
Social Sciences

Date 2008 Feb 5

PMID 18243412

Citations 98

Authors

Felipe Fregni

Fernanda Orsati

Waldelle Pedrosa

Shirley Fecteau

Fatima A M Tome

Michael A Nitsche

Tatiana Mecca

Elizeu C Macedo

Alvaro Pascual-Leone

Paulo S Boggio

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

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.

Citing Articles

Reduced plasma interleukin-6 concentration after transcranial direct current stimulation to the prefrontal cortex.

Aydin B, Stinson E, Travis K, Krakoff J, Rodzevik T, Chang D Behav Brain Res. 2024; 474:115201.

PMID: 39151649 PMC: 11401619. DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2024.115201.

Self-regulation training generalizability using the regulation of craving task. An fMRI study.

Torres Morillo I, Pasqualini M, Brucks M, Martin L Front Psychol. 2024; 15:1399456.

PMID: 39108432 PMC: 11302383. DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1399456.

The Effectiveness of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) and Omega-3 on Food Craving, Executive Functions, Weight, and Depressive Symptoms in Patients with Depression and Overweight: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Tabasi M, Mostafavi S, Oreyzi H, Mohammadi M, Khaleghi A Iran J Psychiatry. 2024; 19(2):158-173.

PMID: 38686306 PMC: 11055968. DOI: 10.18502/ijps.v19i2.15102.

Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation in neurogenetic syndromes: new treatment perspectives for Down syndrome?.

Faralli A, Fuca E, Lazzaro G, Menghini D, Vicari S, Costanzo F Front Cell Neurosci. 2024; 18:1328963.

PMID: 38456063 PMC: 10917937. DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2024.1328963.

Changes in resting-state functional MRI connectivity during and after transcranial direct current stimulation in healthy adults.

Bouchard A, Renauld E, Fecteau S Front Hum Neurosci. 2023; 17:1229618.

PMID: 37545594 PMC: 10398567. DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2023.1229618.

References

Nitsche M, Liebetanz D, Antal A, Lang N, Tergau F, Paulus W . Modulation of cortical excitability by weak direct current stimulation--technical, safety and functional aspects. Suppl Clin Neurophysiol. 2003; 56:255-76. DOI: 10.1016/s1567-424x(09)70230-2. View

Antal A, Nitsche M, Paulus W . External modulation of visual perception in humans. Neuroreport. 2001; 12(16):3553-5. DOI: 10.1097/00001756-200111160-00036. View

Wang G, Yang J, Volkow N, Telang F, Ma Y, Zhu W . Gastric stimulation in obese subjects activates the hippocampus and other regions involved in brain reward circuitry. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2006; 103(42):15641-5. PMC: 1592230. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0601977103. View

Fregni F, Boggio P, Lima M, Ferreira M, Wagner T, Rigonatti S . A sham-controlled, phase II trial of transcranial direct current stimulation for the treatment of central pain in traumatic spinal cord injury. Pain. 2006; 122(1-2):197-209. DOI: 10.1016/j.pain.2006.02.023. View

Nitsche M, Niehaus L, Hoffmann K, Hengst S, Liebetanz D, Paulus W . MRI study of human brain exposed to weak direct current stimulation of the frontal cortex. Clin Neurophysiol. 2004; 115(10):2419-23. DOI: 10.1016/j.clinph.2004.05.001. View

Purpura D, MCMURTRY J . INTRACELLULAR ACTIVITIES AND EVOKED POTENTIAL CHANGES DURING POLARIZATION OF MOTOR CORTEX. J Neurophysiol. 1965; 28:166-85. DOI: 10.1152/jn.1965.28.1.166. View

Strafella A, Paus T, Barrett J, Dagher A . Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation of the human prefrontal cortex induces dopamine release in the caudate nucleus. J Neurosci. 2001; 21(15):RC157. PMC: 6762641. View

Pridmore S, Bruno R, Turnier-Shea Y, Reid P, Rybak M . Comparison of unlimited numbers of rapid transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) and ECT treatment sessions in major depressive episode. Int J Neuropsychopharmacol. 2001; 3(2):129-134. DOI: 10.1017/S1461145700001784. View

Pignatti R, Bertella L, Albani G, Mauro A, Molinari E, Semenza C . Decision-making in obesity: a study using the Gambling Task. Eat Weight Disord. 2006; 11(3):126-32. DOI: 10.1007/BF03327557. View

10.

Boggio P, Sultani N, Fecteau S, Merabet L, Mecca T, Pascual-Leone A . Prefrontal cortex modulation using transcranial DC stimulation reduces alcohol craving: a double-blind, sham-controlled study. Drug Alcohol Depend. 2007; 92(1-3):55-60. DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2007.06.011. View

11.

Wilson S, Sayette M, Fiez J . Prefrontal responses to drug cues: a neurocognitive analysis. Nat Neurosci. 2004; 7(3):211-4. PMC: 2637355. DOI: 10.1038/nn1200. View

12.

Goeders N . Stress and cocaine addiction. J Pharmacol Exp Ther. 2002; 301(3):785-9. DOI: 10.1124/jpet.301.3.785. View

13.

Eichhammer P, Johann M, Kharraz A, Binder H, Pittrow D, Wodarz N . High-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation decreases cigarette smoking. J Clin Psychiatry. 2003; 64(8):951-3. DOI: 10.4088/jcp.v64n0815. View

14.

Nitsche M, Lampe C, Antal A, Liebetanz D, Lang N, Tergau F . Dopaminergic modulation of long-lasting direct current-induced cortical excitability changes in the human motor cortex. Eur J Neurosci. 2006; 23(6):1651-7. DOI: 10.1111/j.1460-9568.2006.04676.x. View

15.

Fecteau S, Knoch D, Fregni F, Sultani N, Boggio P, Pascual-Leone A . Diminishing risk-taking behavior by modulating activity in the prefrontal cortex: a direct current stimulation study. J Neurosci. 2007; 27(46):12500-5. PMC: 6673338. DOI: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.3283-07.2007. View

16.

Fecteau S, Pascual-Leone A, Zald D, Liguori P, Theoret H, Boggio P . Activation of prefrontal cortex by transcranial direct current stimulation reduces appetite for risk during ambiguous decision making. J Neurosci. 2007; 27(23):6212-8. PMC: 6672163. DOI: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.0314-07.2007. View

17.

McBride D, Barrett S, Kelly J, Aw A, Dagher A . Effects of expectancy and abstinence on the neural response to smoking cues in cigarette smokers: an fMRI study. Neuropsychopharmacology. 2006; 31(12):2728-38. DOI: 10.1038/sj.npp.1301075. View

18.

Fregni F, Boggio P, Nitsche M, Marcolin M, Rigonatti S, Pascual-Leone A . Treatment of major depression with transcranial direct current stimulation. Bipolar Disord. 2006; 8(2):203-4. DOI: 10.1111/j.1399-5618.2006.00291.x. View

19.

Knoch D, Pascual-Leone A, Meyer K, Treyer V, Fehr E . Diminishing reciprocal fairness by disrupting the right prefrontal cortex. Science. 2006; 314(5800):829-32. DOI: 10.1126/science.1129156. View

20.

Johann M, Wiegand R, Kharraz A, Bobbe G, Sommer G, Hajak G . [Transcranial magnetic stimulation for nicotine dependence]. Psychiatr Prax. 2003; 30 Suppl 2:S129-31. View