New Chapter: "Transcranial Electrical Stimulation" in Neural Engineering

Dr. Dennis Q. Truong, Dr. Niranjan Khadka, and Dr. Marom Bikson publish a chapter "Transcranial Electrical Stimulation" in the textbook Neural Engineering, edited by Bin He, published by Springer.

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Chapter abstract: Transcranial electrical stimulation (tES) includes a range of devices where electric current is applied to electrodes on the head to modulate brain function. Various tES devices are applied to indications spanning neurological and psychiatric disorders, neuro-rehabilitation after injury, and altering cognition in healthy adults. All tES devices share certain common features including a waveform generator (typically current controlled), disposable electrodes or electrolyte, and an adhesive or headgear to position the electrodes. tES “dose” is defined by the size and position of electrodes and the waveform (current pattern, duration, and intensity). Many subclasses of tES are named based on dose. This chapter is largely focused on low-intensity (few mA) tES. Low-intensity tES includes transcranial direct-current stimulation (tDCS), transcranial alternating- current stimulation (tACS), and transcranial pulsed-current stimulation (tPCS). Electrode design is important for reproducibility, tolerability, and influences when and what dose can be applied. Stimulation impedance measurements monitor contact quality, while current control is typically used to ensure consistent current delivery despite electrode impedance unknowns. Computational current flow models support device design and programming by informing dose selection for a given outcome. Consensus on the safety and tolerability of tES is protocol-specific, but medical-grade tES devices minimize risk.

Keywords Transcranial · Electrical · Stimulation · tES · tDCS · tACS · tPCS · Neuromodulation · Electrode design · Noninvasive · Medical devices

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