(July 16, 2015) Researchers
have discovered a new technique to enhance brain excitability that could
improve physical performance in healthy individuals such as athletes and
musicians.
The technique could also improve treatments for neurological
and neuropsychological conditions such as stroke, depression and chronic pain.
The idea of stimulating different parts of the brain with
electricity may sound futuristic, but these types of treatments have a
remarkably long history. Early physicians and scientists such as Claudius Galen
(the Roman physician) and Avicenna (the Persian physician) did not understand
exactly why electrical therapy (using torpedo fish) was effective, but they did
recognise that it could be used to non-invasively treat a number of illnesses
such as joint pain, headaches and epilepsy.
Current treatment methods used are transcranial direct
current simulation (tDCS) - which is application of a low intensity direct
(constant) current between two electrodes on the head, and transcranial
alternating current simulation (tACS) - which sees a constant electrical
current flow back and forth.
The treatments are favoured, as they are non-invasive with
no or minimal side effects.
In 2013, Dr Shapour Jaberzadeh and his group, from the
Department of Physiotherapy at Monash University, discovered a new technique
that compared to conventional tDCS, significantly increases the brain
excitability.