BRAIN STIMULATION? NOT SO FAST.....

Sorry in advance.

This is simply shocking!

I wrote about this protocol before and in my typical tongue-in-cheek response I conjured up visions of Frankenstein and melting brains. This actually has been researched for centuries and there is real validation. For me? Call me old fashioned but I really believe there are things you shouldn't mess with and randomly shocking your brain is one of them. I know there are times for this protocol; actually they call it brain stimulation, and it can be used for major depression and seizure therapy. 

How would you like to be in that clinical trial?

Just imagine......you can stimulate your brain and have no pain. Whoa.....I should be in advertising.....stimulate your brain and have no pain. What a campaign.....there I go again.... it just never ends......anyway......

It's actually called High Definition transcranial Direct Current Stimulation or HD-tDCS. You put a few electrodes on your scalp and voila!  A few electric shocks later.....your brain releases opioid like painkillers. 

Sounds simple......

Wait...it's a 20 minutes session and it said it reduces the pain perception and it is safe using established safety protocols. Hmmmm.....I may be one of those people that are sensitive to wording. Must be from years of reading the fine print in contracts. 

There can be some side effects. A phosphene (a brief flash of light) at the start of stimulation, headache, dizziness and nausea. Ok, I'm gone at the mere mention of nausea. The one to two milliamps that are used isn't enough to make neurons start firing but the therapeutic value hasn't totally been established either. Granted the dose of electricity is very small compared to the doses used for clinical depression or seizures.  Studies have indicated that it is safe for a single use stimulation but results aren't in for long term stimulation. 

My problem with all of this is people get on the bandwagon and some person will figure out a way to have a DIY (do it yourself) way to assemble this and start opening clinics. Once that happens all legitimate research is tainted. It will absolutely fall under the category "that some is good, more is better and too much is just enough." Laboratories and universities have protocols in order and once you get outside of that arena all those safety protocols go out the window. 

I just want to know is how they figured all this out. 

How many brains did they have to melt?

Anyway.....the kicker?

The researchers don't know why this works. 

That sentence speaks for itself.

Again, with proper safety protocols...........