NYU Langone Health

Author Of 1 Presentation

Symptom Management Poster Presentation

P1112 - Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) Results in Lasting Reduction in MS-Related Fatigue (ID 1916)

Presentation Number
P1112
Presentation Topic
Symptom Management

Abstract

Background

Fatigue is a common and often debilitating symptom of multiple sclerosis (MS) that remains without an effective treatment. Noninvasive brain stimulation with transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a promising therapeutic approach with controlled clinical trials demonstrating its near-term benefit in reducing MS fatigue. However, the persisting benefit of treatment has not yet been characterized.

Objectives

To test whether there is persisting benefit for the treatment of MS-related fatigue with noninvasive brain stimulation using tDCS.

Methods

As part of a larger study participants with MS-related fatigue completed the Modified Fatigue Impact Scale (MFIS) and the Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS) at baseline and following 20 daily at-home remotely supervised or RS-tDCS sessions (open-label, 20min x 2.0mA, anode over left DLPFC and cathode over right DLPFC) paired with computerized cognitive training (BrainHQ). Assessments were repeated at 3-months post-treatment.

Results

Participants were n=17 with MS, mean age 49.1 ± 10.8, EDSS median 5.0 (0-7) and clinically significant fatigue at baseline (FSS= 51.2 ± 10.4). Consistent with prior studies, there was a significant reduction in fatigue following 20 daily treatment sessions (51.6 ± 15.5 vs. 37.9 ± 13.1, mean difference -13.7, p= 0.007). Statistically significant reductions in fatigue were further seen across all MFIS sub scores: physical (24.1 ± 7.3 vs. 19.0 ± 7.55, p= 0.024), cognitive (22.5 ± 9.1 vs. 14.9 ± 7.8, p= 0.004), and psychological/social (5.0 ± 2.0 vs. 4.0 ± 1.6, p= 0.033). At three months post treatment, fatigue benefit persisted (51.6 ± 15.5 vs. 41.4 ± 11.7, mean difference -10.2, p= 0.02). Statistically significant reductions in fatigue were maintained 3-months post-treatment in the social (p= 0.004) and physical (p= 0.02) MFIS sub scores.

Conclusions

A period of repeated daily treatment with left anodal dorsolateral prefrontal cortex tDCS can lead to persisting reductions in MS-related fatigue 3-months post treatment.

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