Category Archives: Article

Inside the Strange New World of DIY Brain Stimulation | Magazine | WIRED

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Nicely done! Brent Williams in Wired magazine.

Williams is one of its leaders. The treatments have made a huge difference in his life, he says. He retains more information from the tedious journal articles he has to read for work, and he feels more creative. On his blog, SpeakWisdom, he posts technically detailed reviews of stimulation devices and cheerfully gives advice to anyone considering trying it for the first time. He’s got lots of company. A subreddit devoted to the practice has nearly 4,000 subscribers who actively follow the scientific research and share tips on where to place the electrodes on your head if, say, you’re depressed, too impulsive, or just want to amp up your creativity.

Williams is spreading the brain-zapping idea closer to home too. He has built brain stimulators for his wife (he couldn’t keep the secret very long) and several friends and acquaintances. All in all, he has persuaded at least a dozen people to give it a try. One says she’s gone off antidepressants for the first time in 20 years. Another says brain stimulation is helping him get his ADD under control. Several ambitious middle-­aged professionals say the devices have boosted their memory and focus.

via Inside the Strange New World of DIY Brain Stimulation | Magazine | WIRED.

The Unfinished Science Behind the New Wave of Electrical Brain Stimulation | Science | WIRED

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Just as the scientists are taking stock of what they do and don’t know about tDCS and refining their experiments, the DIY community seems to be enthusiastically forging ahead. Driven by frustration with pills that don’t adequately manage their depression or chronic pain, or by the desire to be sharper and more focused, ordinary people taking the science out of the lab and into their lives.

They’re able to do it, in part, because the scientific literature is becoming more accessible than ever, and online forums like blogs and reddit are providing new ways for likeminded people to find each other and share information. It helps that a tDCS device is relatively cheap and easy to purchase or assemble.

via The Unfinished Science Behind the New Wave of Electrical Brain Stimulation | Science | WIRED.

Here’s how we should regulate brain enhancement devices

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“Until recently, it had been the preserve of the DIY tDCS community: people would construct their own devices from batteries, wires and electrodes,” Maslen says. “Now, an online market has emerged for whole-unit devices specifically manufactured for non-therapeutic tDCS.” Demand appears to be highest from gamers, who are looking for a hidden edge, whether it’s greater focus or faster reaction times.

Until laboratory experiments prove conclusively that these devices can improve certain cognitive functions in healthy individuals, say the Oxford researchers, the primary regulatory principle should be that all cognitive enhancement devices — even ones not marketed for medical and therapeutic purposes — should be regulated as medical devices.

via Here’s how we should regulate brain enhancement devices.

Mind Readers: The Scientists Setting Coma Victims Free | Gizmodo Australia

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tDCS mentioned only briefly in this in-depth article on vegetative state patients. How exciting that tDCS may prove to be a useful tool in determining brain state of patients.

The awareness network can be electrically roused. Laureys and his colleagues recently tested transcranial direct-current stimulation (tDCS), in which scalp electrodes are used to pass a weak direct current through the skull to alter the excitability of underlying brain tissue. The Liège team applied tDCS for 20 minutes to part of the mesocircuits of 55 people who were in a minimally conscious or vegetative state. They found that 15 showed glimmers of consciousness as a result. Some showed responses to commands, even though it was several years after they had been declared minimally conscious. Most dramatic, for two patients who had been declared minimally conscious a few months earlier, tDCS enabled them to nod or move their eyes in response to six questions.

The method offers a powerful way to probe which circuits have to be manipulated to awaken a silent brain. “In theory, at least, tDCS offers another way to reactivate circuits to help a damaged brain to recover some functionality, even several years after suffering severe damage,” Laureys explains.

via Mind Readers: The Scientists Setting Coma Victims Free | Gizmodo Australia.

SpeakWisdom | Wisdom for the Leading Edge of Life

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Dr. Brent Williams of Speak Wisdom recently published an article, ‘Roadmap to tDCS Success’ which outlines his perspective on using tDCS. (Link at bottom to full article.)

This article is designed to provide a roadmap to successful and safe use of tDCS and so points to a number of references that should be reviewed before any attempt at using tDCS is made. If you will carefully examine the items listed below, you will be much better informed as you make decisions about tDCS and its appropriateness for you and your situation.

1. What is tDCS and How Does it Work?

If you want to understand tDCS and what it is all about, you have to dig a little.Start with the basics: http://speakwisdom.wordpress.com/2013/11/05/can-a-9-volt-battery-save-a-life-even-yours/

Please watch this video: Prof. Vince Clark from UC Davis tDCS Summit 2013: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dUMUIXNeBRQ

Then read this article (it’s a bit dense, but get what you can): Transcranial DC Stimulation by Dave Siever, CET: https://www.mindalive.com/1_0/article%2011.pdf

You should also review these safety standards: tDCS Safety Standards: http://speakwisdom.wordpress.com/2013/10/31/diy-tdcs-code-of-safety/

via SpeakWisdom | Wisdom for the Leading Edge of Life ™.

Brain zap rouses people from years of vegetative state – – New Scientist

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Wow! This is significant.

TALK about an awakening. People who have been in a minimally conscious state for weeks or years have been temporarily roused using mild electrical stimulation.
Soon after it was applied to their brains, 15 people with severe brain damage showed signs of consciousness, including moving their hands or following instructions using their eyes. Two people were even able to answer questions for 2 hours before drifting back into their previous uncommunicative state.

“I don’t want to give people false hope – these people weren’t getting up and walking around – but it shows there is potential for the brain to recover functionality, even several years after damage,” says Steven Laureys at the University of Liège in Belgium, who led the research.
People with severe brain trauma often fall into a coma. If they “awaken”, by showing signs of arousal but not awareness, they are said to be in a vegetative state. This can improve to a state of minimal consciousness, where they might show fluctuating signs of awareness, which come and go, but have no ability to communicate.
External stimulation of the brain has been shown to increase arousal, awareness and aspects of cognition in healthy people. So Laureys and his colleagues wondered if it would do the same in people with severe brain damage. They used transcranial direct current stimulation tDCS, which doesn’t directly excite the brain, but uses low-level electrical stimulation to make neurons more or less likely to fire.

via Brain zap rouses people from years of vegetative state – health – 26 February 2014 – New Scientist. See Also: Waking up from a coma

Stanford Law School tDCS Survey

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Background: I was contacted by a Stanford researcher about the survey via email. She got my contact information from Nick Fitz http://ubc.academia.edu/NicholasFitz whose interest in tDCS relates to the ethics of cognitive enhancement. While I don’t know the ultimate purpose of the survey, I know that it associates with Stanford professor Hank Greely who “…specializes in the ethical, legal, and social implications of new biomedical technologies, particularly those related to neuroscience, genetics, or stem cell research.” Certainly the notion of community includes researchers and scientists. In that most of us will be reporting 0 side effects, I can see how it could be beneficial to have Stanford-level researchers armed with good and correct information. I don’t see a downside and encourage participation.

They’ve done their homework!
Please select the tDCS device you bought (You can choose more than one):
FOC.US headset
tDCS Transcranial Stimulation Kit (www.trans-cranial.com)
tDCS device kit (tdcsdevicekit.com)
Oasis Pro (www.mindalive.com)
Dynatron ibox Iontophoresis Delivery Device
Chattanooga Ionto™ Iontophoresis System
Activa Dose II Contoller Ionto Device
The Biocurrent Kit
The DC-Stimulator (www.neuroconn.de)

As the first systematic study on DIY tDCS user community, the goal of this research is to understand what is happening in this community, and more specifically to know about current patterns of usage and users’ thoughts on effects and safety of tDCS. I believe that this research will provide a precious opportunity to collect the voice of DIY tDCS user community.

Do you want to share your experiences with DIY tDCS?

Stanford University Law School is now conducting a research study on the DIY tDCS user community. We’d love to know about who you are, why you are using tDCS and what your thoughts and concerns, if any, are regarding this special device. We believe that this research will provide a precious opportunity to collect the voices of DIY tDCS users.

Please click the following link to participate in an online survey on your tDCS experiences!
https://stanforduniversity.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_9HN1EKmcwkiK9Ap

Jump-Starter Kits for the Mind – NYTimes.com

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Yes, the promise of tDCS and yet… having just listened to 6 or so hours of leading edge tDCS science I’d have to say we are actually farther away from the dream of simple and easy cognitive enhancement than when I first became interested. Things like… What if 2mA doesn’t have twice the effect of 1mA, but has an entirely different effect altogether? What if the differences in the shapes of people’s heads renders any notion of standard current flow a ludicrous idea? What if most of the experiments on which we base our understanding of tDCS were poorly designed and in fact don’t tell us anything like what they say they do? Did you know that the standard tDCS dose of 1-2mA was a ‘historical accident’? Certainly the questions are becoming finely focused and it does look to me like some very smart scientists are highly motivated to get a better understanding of what exactly is going on. Stay tuned!

Whether it’s hitting a golf ball, playing the piano or speaking a foreign language, becoming really good at something requires practice. Repetition creates neural pathways in the brain, so the behavior eventually becomes more automatic and outside distractions have less impact. It’s called being in the zone.

But what if you could establish the neural pathways that lead to virtuosity more quickly? That is the promise of transcranial direct current stimulation, or tDCS — the passage of very low-level electrical current through targeted areas of the brain. Several studies conducted in medical and military settings indicate tDCS may bring improvements in cognitive function, motor skills and mood.

Jump-Starter Kits for the Mind – NYTimes.com.

SpeakWisdom | Wisdom for the Leading Edge of Life

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Brent Williams shares his vision for the future of tDCS…

I have been reading studies, attending training, experimenting with, and writing about transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) for about two years now.  Needless to say, I am enthusiastic about what tDCS can do for many people who use it for depression, chronic pain, enhanced creativity, and memory. It may also may have positive effect for other important conditions such as stroke, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s – there are certainly studies that show that to be the case.

Given that it has positive effect on many who try it, it could improve the quality of life of millions of people around the world. All of this without drugs, without the cost of drugs, and with no significant side-effects.

With all the great things I’ve learned about tDCS, I thought I’d share a little of my tDCS Wish List for the next five years:

In The Next Five Years I Wish That:

every appropriate medical practitioner (and counselor) would at least become aware of tDCS. A treatment this good, this simple, this safe, with so much positive effect should not be overlooked. It should be a tool in the kit of considered-treatments for every practitioner

SpeakWisdom | Wisdom for the Leading Edge of Life

Wright State Research Institute hires nationally recognized neuroscientist Michael Weisend « Wright State University

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The Wright State Research Institute has hired renowned neuroscientist Michael Weisend, Ph.D., as a senior research scientist. Weisend is a pioneer in the application of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), which applies electricity to specific areas of the brain to enhance learning.

“We’re thrilled to have Mike join our team,” said WSRI Director Jason Parker, Ph.D. “His research is truly profound and has the potential to transform human performance and healthcare. He’s an excellent addition to the group of talented neuroscience researchers at Wright State and the Research Institute.”

via Wright State Newsroom – Wright State Research Institute hires nationally recognized neuroscientist « Wright State University.

Would TDCS make me smarter? – Mary H K Choi – Aeon

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One of the first things I notice about TDCS is that it’s like being able to set an appointment for a power nap. Time goes by at an unbelievable clip. Twenty minutes is a long time just to sit near someone blinking at you, so Fugedy leaves the room. He gives me a big gold Salvation Army bell so I can alert him when the 20 minutes are up. When he comes back into the room, I think he must have forgotten something. It feels like only five minutes, but it turns out 19 have already passed. I’m even slightly annoyed, as if I’ve been interrupted.

TDCS sort of feels like you’re about to fall asleep while knowing that you won’t completely conk out. My breathing slowed way down, and I started to feel cold. I was so relaxed, I couldn’t imagine having to shoot a gun like Sally Adee. I don’t know what ‘flow’ feels like but my thoughts became jumbled. I often daisy-chain absurd thoughts to entertain myself as I drift into sleep but this was different. I felt like I had no control over the remote.

via Would TDCS make me smarter? – Mary H K Choi – Aeon.
With the most valuable bit of info in the comments from Mrd about the montage he uses for his bipolar disorder…

What I currently do which involves suppressing the area between p4 and t4 while activating the left motor cortex or Wernickes area which means the current goes across from one side of the brain to the other has worked very well. I compliment this with using the typical montage for depression on alternate days.. I have found that I no longer need to do these as much probably due to neuroplasticity.

Articles of Note – March 2013

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(What happened to February?)
Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) of the visual cortex: a proof-of-concept study based on interictal electrophysiological abnormalities in migraine (pdf)
with anodal tDCS turned out to be beneficial in MoA (migraine without aura patients) migraine attack frequency, migraine days, attack duration and acute medication intake significantly decreased during the treatment period compared to pre-treatment baseline
Tags: Migraine, visual cortex,

The Mental Cost of Cognitive Enhancement (pdf)
Stimulation to the the posterior parietal cortex facilitated numerical learning, whereas automaticity for the learned material was impaired. In contrast, stimulation to the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex impaired the learning process, whereas automaticity for the learned material was enhanced.
Wired Version
New Scientist Version
Tags: Roi Cohen Kadosh,

Keith Spalding’s Simple DIY TDCS circuit using CRDs
A DIY schematic for tDCS using CRDs for current regulation.
Tags: DIY, CRD

Noninvasive transcranial direct current stimulation over the left prefrontal cortex facilitates cognitive flexibility in tool use
…we hypothesized that cathodal (inhibitory) transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) will facilitate performance in a flexible use generation task.
The results support the hypothesis that certain tasks may benefit from a state of diminished cognitive control.
Tags: inhibitory benefits,

When Anger Leads to Rumination
Induction of Relative Right Frontal Cortical Activity With Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation Increases Anger-Related Rumination
…results suggest that anger associated with greater relative left frontal cortical activity predicts approach-oriented aggressive action, whereas anger associated with greater relative right frontal cortical activity predicts inhibited rumination.

Potential of transcranial direct current stimulation shown in fibromyalgia
Transcranial direct current stimulation delivered focally to the left primary motor cortex of patients with fibromyalgia significantly reduced perceived pain compared with sham stimulation in a proof-of-principle pilot trial.
Tags, fibromyalgia, pain

tDCS and rTMS: Is brain stimulation safe and effective? – Slate Magazine

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Well-balanced and chock full of relevant links. Check out the full article.

Almost every expert who talks about tDCS will tell you, “Don’t try this at home.” But a lot of people are starting to do just that. And it’s no wonder, given the parade of amazing results that researchers have reported achieving on subjects in the lab. It seems like you can make people better at just about anything if you just put the electrodes in the right place. To name just a few of the findings:

Applying the electrodes to the prefrontal cortex can improve learning and increase your working memory.

Applying them to the motor cortex can raise your threshold for pain and make you more adept with your nondominant hand.

Position them above the posterior portion of the left perisylvian area (in right-handed people) and they can facilitate language acquisition.

Stimulation of the parietal cortex can improve numerical reasoning.

via tDCS and rTMS: Is brain stimulation safe and effective? – Slate Magazine.

The Hidden Costs of Cognitive Enhancement | Wired Science

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And the link to the full paper. The Mental Cost of Cognitive Enhancement (HatTip ComradeSergey)

Those who had the parietal area involved in numerical cognition stimulated learned the new number system more quickly than those who got sham stimulation, the researchers report today in the Journal of Neuroscience. But at the end of the weeklong study their reaction times were slower when they had to put their newfound knowledge to use to solve a new task that they hadn’t seen during the training sessions. ”They had trouble accessing what they’d learned,” Cohen Kadosh said.

The volunteers who had the prefrontal area involved in learning and memory stimulated showed the opposite pattern. They were slower than the control group to learn the new numerical system, but they performed faster on the new test at the end of the experiment. The bottom line, says Cohen Kadosh, is that stimulating either brain region had both benefits and drawbacks. ”Just like with drugs, there seem to be side effects,” he said.

via The Hidden Costs of Cognitive Enhancement | Wired Science | Wired.com.
See Also: Brain-Boosting Technique Might Help Some Functions While Hurting Others