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CLINICAL TRIAL article

Front. Psychol.
Sec. Psychology for Clinical Settings
Volume 15 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1343413

Effects of multisession prefrontal cortex tDCS or taVNS on stress, perceived stress and sleep quality: A double-blind, randomized controlled study

Provisionally accepted
Laya D. dos Reis Laya D. dos Reis 1Laura Pereira Generoso Laura Pereira Generoso 1Maria Gabriela Maziero Capello Maria Gabriela Maziero Capello 1Renato O. de Castro Renato O. de Castro 1Edvaldo Cardoso Edvaldo Cardoso 1Robson D. Scoz Robson D. Scoz 2Luciano M. Ferreira Luciano M. Ferreira 2Marcelo Silva Marcelo Silva 1Josie Silva Josie Silva 1*
  • 1 Federal University of Alfenas, Alfenas, Minas Gerais, Brazil
  • 2 Egas Moniz Center for Interdisciplinary Research (CiiEM), Almada, Setúbal, Portugal

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    Chronic stress is a condition characterized by prolonged stimulation, leading to mental and physical weakness. It can have detrimental effects on individuals' mental health and cognitive function, potentially causing various health issues.This article explores the potential of non-invasive neuromodulation techniques, specifically transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) and transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS), in managing chronic stress and improving sleep quality. The study conducted a randomized, double-blinded, controlled trial with participants experiencing chronic stress. In total, 100 participants were randomly assigned to one of four conditions: the anodal tDCS group (n = 50), the sham tDCS group (n = 50), the taVNS group (n = 50), or the sham taVNS group (n = 50). Within each condition, participants received 5 sessions of either active treatment or sham treatment, with 20 minutes of tDCS over the DLPFC (2 mA) for the tDCS groups, or taVNS on the left ear (20Hz) for the taVNS groups. At baseline, post-intervention, and four weeks thereafter, we evaluated stress using the Lipp's Inventory of Stress Symptoms for Adults (LSSI), perceived stress through the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10), and sleep quality via the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). The tDCS and taVNS interventions resulted in reduced stress levels, improved sleep quality, and enhanced perception of stress. These findings suggest that tDCS and taVNS hold promise as effective treatments for chronic stress, offering a safe and accessible approach to improving individuals' well-being and overall quality of life.

    Keywords: chronic stress, transcranial direct current stimulation, Transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation, sleep quality, Neuromodulation

    Received: 01 Dec 2023; Accepted: 18 Apr 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 dos Reis, Pereira Generoso, Maziero Capello, de Castro, Cardoso, Scoz, Ferreira, Silva and Silva. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence: Josie Silva, Federal University of Alfenas, Alfenas, 37130-000, Minas Gerais, Brazil

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.