Why I Love tDCS and the New tDCS Device from SSD

Introduction: Why I Love tDCS

I’ve been involved with transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) research and application for almost three years now.  When I stumbled upon it, I could not believe (like most of you) that something so simple could do so much good. A 9-volt battery curing depression, relieving chronic pain, improving memory, speeding learning, and much more – really?!  It turns out to be true.

(The new SSD tDCS Device. see below)

I’ve provided information on tDCS to dozens of people (thousands via my blog) with an array of needs and interests who have had great success helping themselves improve their lives through tDCS.  I could provide many examples, but here is one to illustrate my point:

A woman, (friend of the family), came to me describing deep, debilitating depression – to the point of becoming suicidal. Normally I would immediately refer such a person to Dr. James Fugedy, a tDCS practitioner in Atlanta – as I am a PhD, not MD.  But she had already failed on other kinds of treatments via other doctors, including medication, talk therapy, and was at the end of her rope. She was very, very depressed – but wanted to get better – she just had no idea how to go about it.

I talked to her about tDCS and the published information that shows improvement for some challenging depression cases. I showed her how to use a tDCS device and where studies have shown electrodes should be placed for treating depression – but left it up to her to treat herself or not.  She immediately started once-a-day 25 minute tDCS sessions (1.5 mA). Within five days her mood had lifted greatly and I think she had moved out of the suicide danger zone. She continued daily tDCS treatments for the next four weeks. As she did so, her depression fully lifted. She recovered so well that she felt motivated to enroll in a technical school to learn a new skill – and in her classes scored the highest on all tests (a side-effect of the tDCS?)

She now lives a normal, happy life (yes – with its ups and downs like anyone.)

Seeing people get their lives back in such a simple way, with no debilitating side-effects, has made me a cheerleader for tDCS.

Does it work for everyone? It won’t work for everyone – but what treatment (or pill) does? My observation is that tDCS works for those motivated and willing to consistently use it in the way research studies have shown it should be used. tDCS in combination with talk-therapy seems particularly well suited to treating depression – which in many has its roots in a brain dysfunction – not evil-spirits, selfishness, or a bad attitude as some suggest. By modifying the firing potential of the neurons in key portions of the brain it seems real healing can be achieved.

Review: New tDCS Device from SSD

Super Specific Devices has released a tDCS device that might be just right for that DIY tDCS person on your holiday shopping list (perhaps yourself!) The new tDCS device is a well-built variant of a DIY tDCS design that has floated around the internet for about two years now.

The Super Specific Devices (SSD) device offers solid performance, based on a 9 volt battery, and provides a feature I consider nearly essential – a meter that allows you to verify the current being delivered during your tDCS session.  That is coupled with a potentiometer (dial) that allows you to vary current level, making it easy to set 1, 1.5, or 2 mA or anywhere in between.  The user can also gently ramp current up and down using the dial – so discomfort and phosphenes are reduced or eliminated.

(Jack on the side for standard TENS style electrode cables)

What Comes in the Box

The SSD tDCS device is fully assembled and comes with a starter set of stick-on electrodes, a couple of sponges, a connecting wire, basic instructions, and a headband. The unit does not come with a 9 volt battery or any sort of an application manual.  Like many of the US-based cottage-industry building tDCS devices, they leave it up to the purchaser to do their own research on the internet to decide what additional electrodes, electrode placements, etc. are appropriate to the purchaser’s situation.  The intent is probably to keep the company off of the FDA’s radar as the SSD (and similar devices) are not marketed as medical devices – nor does the company provide medical advice.

Features

To use the SSD tDCS device, one needs to insert a 9 volt battery into the socket on the side of the unit, plug in and apply electrodes, and then use the power on-off switch and dial to operate the unit.  To start a session, the dial should be rotated fully counter-clockwise (minimum current) and then switched on. An LED indicator just above the on-off switch will light to show that power is on.  Assuming electrodes are in place, the user then begins rotating the dial clockwise, watching the meter for rising current level.  Note that due to skin resistance, there is a lag between dialing in a higher current level and that level actually being achieved.  It can take a couple minutes or more for current to rise to a set level and stop. An alternative is to turn the dial significantly clockwise and turn it back down as your desired current level is achieved.

On my sample unit, even with electrodes shorted and the dial set fully clockwise, the unit would not deliver more than about 2.7 mA. On the inside is an LM 334 current regulator and a series-connected current limiting diode that limits output current to 2.7 mA – as I found in my testing (good safety feature). This is a nice, simple, practical, current control setup that should prove reliable for many, many years.

(Good build quality. LM 334, CRD and resistors on small circuit board, solder joints were solid, wires nicely dressed.)

Another nice feature of the SSD tDCS device is having a jack on the side of the unit for electrode wire attachment – it’s the standard TENS size that lets you use a variety of connecting wires supplied by Amazon, medical supply houses, etc.

(Electrode wire jack and current adjustment knob can be seen here.)

What Would I Change?

I’ve built several tDCS devices using the same basic design of the SSD tDCS unit.  So I’m very familiar with use, operation, and limitations of this type of device – and I’m allowed to nit-pick.

First, let’s be clear – it’s my opinion that this unit will operate as described by the company and will provide clean, regulated DC current for most common tDCS scenarios.

I happen to prefer using a type 23a 12 volt battery in my tDCS device designs.  Why? 9 volts is sometimes insufficient to overcome losses in the electronics, electrodes, and skin to provide the desired 1, 1.5 or 2 mA used in tDCS sessions.  In fact, 9 volts will probably not be sufficient if one of the electrodes is located on the shoulder or arm for a montage you wish to use. Sometimes a 12 volt battery will barely do it – but the additional 3 volts really seems to help. The downside of the type 23a battery is they don’t last long (2 or 3 months is normal with a lot of use.) But they, like 9 volt batteries (which last much longer in a tDCS device) are cheap (Amazon, Ebay.) I’m betting SSD went for long battery life (and easy availability of cheap batteries) in their design criteria.

( 9 v battery socket on the side. Aesthetically, it would be nicer to locate it inside the roomy box.)

By the way, many “commercial grade” tDCS devices use a voltage boost circuit that can raise delivered voltage to between 60 and 80 volts – as needed – to overcome skin and electrode resistance (like foc.us, Activa Dose II, and others). These boost circuits sometimes add discomfort for the user, increase device cost significantly, and so are not present in lower price tDCS devices like the one from SSD.

Summary

If you are looking for a well-built, inexpensive, tDCS device that includes a lot of good features (meter, adjustability, good current regulation and protection, and more) then this might just be the unit for you (or someone you know.)  You’ll need to do your own research on tDCS, its appropriateness for your situation, tDCS safety, and the electrode placements that address your need.  See any of the following as a starting point:

www.speakwisdom.com

www.diytdcs.com

www.transcranialbrainstimulation.com

www.pubmed.gov (search for tdcs)

…and Google search tDCS

The Super Specific Devices tDCS device sells for $90 at http://www.superspecificdevices.com/ Oddly it sells for a bit more on ebay.com (go to ebay, search for tDCS). SSD also sells the same unit with a digital display for $20 more if you prefer (at their web site and ebay).

Based on my evaluation and use of a sample unit, it’s my opinion that the SSD tDCS device (design, build, and features) is a good value.

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How the WHO Could REALLY Reduce the Global Suicide Rate

Introduction

In September, 2014, the World Health Organization (part of the UN) released a report indicating that over 800,000 people, world-wide, commit suicide every year.  That means about one person every 40 seconds, 24 hours a day, 365 days per year, tragically ends their life.  Reasons and methods vary greatly, of course, but certainly the most significant contributor to the suicide rate is the epidemic of depression. In the United States, about 40,000 people commit suicide every year – again most as a result of depression.

By the way, gathering suicide data is difficult because many suicides go unreported or countries simply don’t collect suicide data – or don’t do it effectively. So if anything, the 800,000 number is, perhaps, a dramatic understatement.

In the same report, WHO indicates they are “committed” to reducing the global suicide rate by a whopping 10% by 2020.  How they plan to accomplish even this anemic goal given the status-quo of diagnosis and methods of treatment is a mystery. Without an aggressive approach, using new technologies that could be widely employed in developed and underdeveloped areas – the WHO goal is meaningless. Part of the problem is that the current medications typically used to treat depression are expensive, not readily available in some locations, may need to be taken for a lifetime, and have side-effects (some serious) that can discourage use.

Enter tDCS

Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation is a simple technology that has been shown to reduce or eliminate depression in many individuals. Treatment involves using a tDCS device for about 30 minutes a day for 30 to 60 days with an occasional follow-up treatment as needed. It also happens that tDCS is safe and easy to administer.   A tDCS device is very simple to construct using readily available components – for perhaps $10 to $20 dollars – much less than the cost of a single month of anti-depressant pills.

For a relatively small investment by the WHO, millions of tDCS devices could be built and distributed world-wide. In day long sessions, doctors, counselors, and other professionals (including an army of volunteers) could be trained to identify, screen, and treat depressive persons. The training could even be conducted over Skype, Google Hangout, or similar means, eliminating the cost and complexity of travel in certain areas. Once trained, the important work of markedly reducing the world-wide suicide rate – by identifying persons in need, teaching them how to treat themselves, and following up as needed to assure positive progress – could begin.

A Simple World-Changer tDCS Device

Below are images of a simple tDCS device that could be cheaply constructed and made widely available to trained professionals and volunteers. I purposely built the device components into a pill-bottle to drive home the point that a tDCS device can be small, cheap to build, and replace expensive, side-effect laden pills for many depression sufferers.

The major components of this tDCS device (above) include a 9-volt battery, two one milliamp current limiting diodes, a pill-bottle for a case, two electrodes to place on the head, and a headband. This design uses two CRDs in series to make the device nearly failure-proof. Should one CRD fail, the second continues to limit treatment current to one milliamp. The CRDs are at the bottom of the picture, shown just before covering them with heat-shrink tubing.

The completed tDCS device is shown with my “test-head” (above), complete with electrodes and a head-band. The tDCS device was constructed in about 30 minutes. Total cost for the tDCS device and wires was about $5. The cost of electrodes varies from about $1 dollar up to $30 dollars depending on the type selected and the supplier. A mass-produced equivalent of this setup could be used prevent thousands of suicide deaths every year – each device, electrodes, and headband costing less than a months supply of anti-depressant pills. Are you paying attention WHO?

Helpful References

If you are new to tDCS, may I suggest you at least examine the below:

1. www.speakwisdom.com

2. www.diytdcs.com

3. www.transcranialbrainstimulation.com

4. www.pubmed.gov (search for tDCS)

Almost Criminal – tDCS Still an Unknown Depression Treatment

Introduction

This blog post deals with a very important topic: treating depression with tDCS. If you know anything at all about transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), you surely know that it has been shown in studies and anecdotal reports to have very positive effect on many depression patients – ranging from those with dysthymia to persons with severe, debilitating, drug resistant  depression.  It does not work for everyone, but what treatment does?

The beauty of tDCS is that it is incredibly simple, has a spotless safety record, has no significant side-effects, and with a little training can be used by a depression sufferer at home or wherever convenient.

Lets review some sobering facts: depression is a worldwide epidemic.  In the US alone, over 14 MILLION people suffer with some form of a major depressive disorder. About 1 in 10 adults now use some form of an antidepressant. Further, about 40,000 people per year commit suicide. (CDC)

What the numbers don’t tell you is that many suffering with depression don’t receive effective treatment – either because they don’t have access, can’t afford it, or commonly, are afraid of the public stigma of having to deal with a brain disorder. And lets be clear depression is a brain disorder.  For some, it can be treated effectively with “talk” therapy. But for many, depression is rooted in a brain physiology and chemistry problem and needs to be recognized and treated as such.

It really bothers me that mental health professionals are still mostly oblivious to the existence of tDCS and its potential benefits for the depressed. Every mental health professional should be aware of tDCS and use it when it seems appropriate – perhaps before or in conjunction with drug therapy.

Three Examples of tDCS Depression Treatment Montages

tDCS involves placing electrodes on the head and passing a very tiny direct current through them in order to achieve a desired effect.  Because the causes of depression are individualized, an electrode placement that works for one individual may not work for another. Current level may also need to be adjusted. It’s important that a depression patient being treated with tDCS be monitored to make sure progress is being made as treatments continue. If no improvement is detected after a few treatments, it may be time to try one of the other depression montages.

A normal depression treatment protocol is for 20 – 25 minutes of tDCS at 1, 1.5, or 2 mA at least 5 days per week for 30 days.  Treatment is sometimes continued for an additional 30 days for maximum result.  “Booster” treatments can be administered at anytime in the future as needed if depression symptoms begin to reappear. Some individuals are unable to tolerate 2 mA tDCS due to skin irritation.

Depression Montage #1

The anode (+ lead) electrode is placed high on the left forehead while the cathode (- lead) electrode is placed on the right forehead. This is the most commonly used depression montage.

 

Depression Montage #2

The anode (+ lead) electrode is placed over the right temple while the cathode (- lead) electrode is placed over the left temple. This montage is interesting because not only can it alleviate depression, it is associated with improvements in intuitive thinking.

Depression Montage #3

The anode (+ lead) electrode is placed over the left forehead (supraorbital region) and the cathode ( – lead) is placed over the occipital region (middle of the back of the head, about even with the ears.) This is a recently published montage that showed very promising results in a small study.

 

Helpful References

If you are new to tDCS, may I suggest you at least examine the below:

1. www.speakwisdom.com

2. www.diytdcs.com

3. www.transcranialbrainstimulation.com

4. www.pubmed.gov (search for tDCS)

tDCS Devices

tDCS devices are entering the marketplace with increasing frequency. Here are some suggested consumer level devices to examine (in no particular order):

1. www.foc.us (buy with accessory kit)

2. www.tdcs-kit.com

3. thebrainstimulator.net

4. www.trans-cranial.com/tct/end-users-patients/tdcs-stimulator-products

5. www.cognitivekit.com

There are many more tDCS devices in the market, including impressive, expensive, professional models.

Conclusion

Its time for mental health professionals to get serious about helping their patients needing more than talk therapy with something other than a prescription drug. There is plenty of evidence and anecdote that tDCS can help many depression patients at the same level or better than medications – without all the side-effects and expense.  Do some research, attend a conference, speak to doctors now using tDCS and help end the epidemic of depression.

THE ROADMAP TO tDCS SUCCESS

Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) is a relatively new technology for treating illnesses like depression, chronic pain (and more) and for enhancing memory, creativity, and various kinds of learning. tDCS is simple, safe (according to current studies), and involves equipment and techniques that are available to almost anyone willing to put in the effort required to learn to use it correctly.

This article is designed to provide a roadmap to successful and safe use of tDCS and so points to a number of references that should be reviewed before any attempt at using tDCS is made. If you will carefully examine the items listed below, you will be much better informed as you make decisions about tDCS and its appropriateness for you and your situation.

1. What is tDCS and How Does it Work?

If you want to understand tDCS and what it is all about, you have to dig a little.

Start with the basics: https://speakwisdom.wordpress.com/2013/11/05/can-a-9-volt-battery-save-a-life-even-yours/

Please watch this video:
Prof. Vince Clark from UC Davis tDCS Summit 2013: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dUMUIXNeBRQ

Then read this article (it’s a bit dense, but get what you can):
Transcranial DC Stimulation by Dave Siever, CET: https://www.mindalive.com/1_0/article%2011.pdf

You should also review these safety standards:
tDCS Safety Standards: https://speakwisdom.wordpress.com/2013/10/31/diy-tdcs-code-of-safety/

2. Pick a tDCS Device

You have two choices – either build your own tDCS device or buy a commercial unit.

Build it Yourself

A Simple tDCS Design: https://speakwisdom.wordpress.com/2013/04/02/a-very-simple-current-regulated-tdcs-device/

Or a little more sophisticated device: https://speakwisdom.wordpress.com/2013/02/10/user-built-tdcs-research-device/

Buy a tDCS Device

Very Simple, Inexpensive: www.tdcs-kit.com (review at http://www.speakwisdom.com )

Also simple and inexpensive: http://thebrainstimulator.net/

The foc.us headset is sophisticated and capable: www.foc.us (I have a series of review articles on the foc.us headset at http://www.speakwisdom.com.)

Another very capable tDCS Device: www.trans-cranial.com

The ActivaDose II is very popular. Technically it is an iontophoresis device but can be used for tDCS: http://www.scriphessco.com/products/activa-activadose-ii-iontophoresis-device/

Electrodes

Look carefully at the electrodes that are (or are not) supplied with the tDCS device you purchase. The foc.us headset, for example, includes electrode sponges and is ready to go. Other suppliers provide stick-on electrodes which are generally not preferred. Most tDCS users and researchers have adopted reusable 3×3 sponge electrodes as a starting point. Amrex is a popular brand and is sold widely (including on Amazon.com). The Amrex sponges use a “banana” plug for connection. As such, you may need an adapter to go from your tDCS device to the Amrex sponges. Most medical suppliers carry adapters (www.scriphessco.com for example) or your tDCS device supplier may have them.

3. USING A tDCS DEVICE

As already mentioned, tDCS can be used to treat an assortment of illnesses or can be used to speed learning, improve memory, enhance creativity and more. Check these links for information on the “montage” that best suits your needs.

General Electrode Placement: http://www.jove.com/video/2744/electrode-positioning-montage-transcranial-direct-current

General Electrode Placements for learning, memory, depression, savant learning, and chronic pain: https://speakwisdom.wordpress.com/2013/08/31/the-foc-us-tdcs-headset-review-part-4-electrode-placements/

Depression: https://speakwisdom.wordpress.com/2012/12/06/area-25-is-way-more-important-than-area-51/

Depression: https://speakwisdom.wordpress.com/2013/03/23/4-inthe-youtube-series-treating-depression-with-tdcs/

Researchers generally start with a treatment time of 20 minutes once per day for up to five days per week. A current level of 1 mA is suggested while you adapt to the scalp tingle that tDCS may create. 2 mA is generally too high for beginners and can cause considerable discomfort.

4. FINAL NOTES

tDCS is a new and developing area of research. You should use due caution when attempting anything related to tDCS. Better, seek out a medical professional for tDCS guidance and assistance. In Atlanta, www.transcranialbrainstimulation.com is a great resource. You should also monitor multiple tDCS information resources such as www.pubmed.gov (search for tDCS), www.diytdcs.com, www.reddit.com/r/tDCS/ , and Google.

I hope you find the information contained in this article useful and will visit all of the postings I have on http://www.speakwisdom.com.

 

 

 

 

 

Thoughts on the Use of tDCS in Education Settings

Why the Interest in tDCS?

Research studies and anecdotal evidence show that tDCS, a simple and safe way to stimulate the brain, does have the ability to enhance memory, speed learning, improve physical skill, and enhance creativity.  There are now well over 1,000 published studies of tDCS with more underway and research participation of institutions ranging from Harvard Medical, MIT, Emory University, to the University of Alabama and dozens more.

(tDCS headset. http://www.foc.us)

Already, high-school and college students are catching on to just what tDCS may do for them.  There are many YouTube and blog posts from and by students discussing their experience with tDCS and others asking for help in setting up and using a tDCS device.  Some indicate substantial improvement in their performance with tDCS. As tDCS devices become more accessible and word of it continues to spread through popular press and internet resources (NYT, Nature, Scientific American and many others have already published tDCS articles), educators can eventually expect to be confronted with some significant ethical and policy questions.

While it’s difficult to pin-down an exact percentage improvement students see in their work, (more studies are required), students use words like “significant”, “substantial”, and “surprising” in their comments. As time goes on, not only will more students demand access to tDCS, it is likely that parents, seeking greater success for their children, will encourage its use.

How Might tDCS Be Used by Students

• During study for tests – including high-stakes (SAT, etc.)
• Learning lists of material (names, dates, places, events, etc.)
• Learning new languages (spoken and written)
• Improving athletic skill
• Enhancing creativity in writing, art, film production, etc.
• To reduce or eliminate depression (a common problem in student populations)

Ethical Issues

Educators must face the reality that certain students will “brain boost” using tDCS and by doing so, improve their classroom performance as well as on assorted tests that are common in education settings. Even “high-stakes” test outcome could be positively influenced for students making proper use of tDCS. Student athletes may use tDCS to improve their performance on the tennis court or football field.

• If a student using tDCS for study can perform 10% better on an SAT test than an equally talented student who does not possess a tDCS device, is there a fairness or ethical issue?
• If a student has a learning disability and through the use of tDCS is able to perform at “non-disability” levels, is there a fairness or ethical issue?
• Will we now enter a new era of “haves and have not’s” in K-12 and higher-education learning?
• Will students from middle-class and above families, able to afford a device and related training, take advantage of it while lower income, less advantaged students will go without?

If tDCS, well used, can improve test scores, is that not ultimately going to be very significant in the lives of some students?

(George Mason University)

Policy Questions

If tDCS is going to play some role in the lives of K-12 and higher ed students in the coming years, then perhaps it’s time to begin creating policy to address tDCS – including:

1. Will tDCS use be permitted (even though it will be impossible to regulate home use)?
2. Will students be trained in proper tDCS use in school? (or after school)
3. Will schools provide tDCS devices for students when the family cannot afford it?
4. Will schools encourage tDCS as a means to improve test scores?
5. Will school clinics offer tDCS treatments for those suffering with depression (rather than medicate them?)
6. Will legal liability issues limit the ability of schools to responsibly encourage and direct the use of tDCS in education settings?

tDCS is a wonderful thing! It has the potential to help the human condition on so many levels – from depression to Parkinson’s disease, with learning enhancements thrown in as a bonus. How will we, as educators, respond to this fascinating new capability – which students have already discovered?

Let the dialog begin!

Contact me via brent@speakwisdom.com

For more information on tDCS see www.speakwisdom.com, http://www.diytdcs.com, http://www.transcranialbrainstimulation.com, http://www.pubmed.gov, and Google!

Can a 9 Volt Battery Save A Life – Even Yours?

 

A 9 Volt Battery???

It’s becoming very clear that persons with serious brain related issues can, in many cases, be very effectively treated with the simple application of an extremely low current to the scalp, sourced from a common battery! Nothing painful, exotic, complicated, or dangerous is involved. Yes, transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) can be used to treat depression, chronic pain, and is being researched as an aid for Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s patients. But TDCS has also been shown to be an effective way to speed learning, ease memorization, and enhance creativity. As an example of how far ranging tDCS use is, the US Air Force and Army have apparently been using tDCS techniques to improve cognitive capabilities for years!

(Scientific American)

I’ve been completely fascinated by tDCS since I first learned of it. What other technology is so simple yet has the potential to help so many – whether it be to treat depression, chronic pain, or just dramatically improve the ability to learn or memorize almost anything. What else does all of that with almost no risk or side-effects? Why this isn’t the lead story on the evening news and your local paper is hard to explain.

Think this is all hocus-pocus? Many big name research institutions around the world are now involved in tDCS including MIT, Harvard Medical School, Emory University, University of Michigan, the Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital,  Massachusetts General Hospital, University Medicine Berlin, The City College of New York and many more. A quick look at http://www.pubmed.gov will reveal that over 900 studies of tDCS have now been published!

What is the treatment?

tDCS basically involves using a tiny amount of energy from a battery applied in particular locations on the scalp, depending on the effect desired. A one or two milliamp ( 0.001 amp) direct current is applied via saline-wetted sponges to two points on the head. For example, for depression the negative lead is placed just above the right eye on the forehead and the positive lead goes high on the left-forehead.) For depression, typical treatment lasts about 20 minutes once a day for about 30 days and the person receiving the treatment feels nothing other than a slight tingle. Treatment can easily done at home. That’s it. No expensive medications with unpredictable results and terrible side effects. It works! Wow! Big pharma is not going to be happy about this!

tDCS treatment hardware is so simple that people (sometimes desperate for help and at the end of their rope) are building their own tDCS treatment systems (about $50 in parts at Radio Shack will do! Instructions are on the web.)

(An example tDCS device built by the author)

While assembled tDCS equipment sold by vendors in the US normally requires a prescription (raising the price to $300 or more), the safety record of tDCS has caused the FDA and suppliers to “look the other way” allowing a number of vendors to now begin offering tDCS equipment directly to individuals. For example, a company by the name of foc.us has recently started shipping a feature laden tDCS headset which sells for about $250.  

There are doctors and clinics now offering tDCS services. Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) is a safe, non-invasive therapy for treatment-resistant neurologic, psychiatric and chronic pain disorders. You can increase memory and learning with tDCS, too. Effective, easy-to-do, inexpensive and without side effects, tDCS can be done in the outpatient clinic or, for the appropriate patient, in the home which provides obvious advantages.

So, Can a 9 Volt Battery Save a Life – Even Yours?

The Centers for Disease Control reports that about 10% of Americans are clinically depressed and either on medication or in need of it.  Also, about 40,000 people per year commit suicide in the US! This huge depression/suicide problem is not being effectively addressed because many who need treatment will not seek it out.  Why? There are several possible reasons including the stigma of depression and its treatment, lack of access to appropriate care, the high cost of treatment and medications, etc. tDCS is inexpensive, simple, side-effect free, and shown to have positive effect in many scientific studies. In my opinion, It should be in the “tool kit” of every doctor and mental health professional.

I’ll close for now and provide you with some links to investigate. tDCS looks to be a bombshell that could literally transform the lives of many, many people. It probably deserves your awareness!

To get you started: 


I have a large number of tDCS related articles and links on my website:

www.speakwisdom.com

General Interest Wikipedia Article:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transcranial_direct-current_stimulation

tDCS – Scientific American and the Air Force:

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=amping-up-brain-function

General Interest Article with Many References

http://www.mindalive.com/articlenten_Transcranial_DC_Stimulation.htm

British Journal of Psychiatry:

http://bjp.rcpsych.org/content/200/1/52.abstract

http://bjp.rcpsych.org/content/200/1/10.abstract

Interesting Video and Text about Electrode Positioning:

http://www.jove.com/video/2744/electrode-positioning-montage-transcranial-direct-current

tDCS Headset:

www.caputron.com

Links to more tDCS information

http://www.diytdcs.com

My tDCS Wish List

I have been reading studies, attending training, experimenting with, and writing about transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) for about two years now.  Needless to say, I am enthusiastic about what tDCS can do for many people who use it for depression, chronic pain, enhanced creativity, and memory. It may also may have positive effect for other important conditions such as stroke, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s – there are certainly studies that show that to be the case.

(Scientific American)

Given that it has positive effect on many who try it, it could improve the quality of life of millions of people around the world. All of this without drugs, without the cost of drugs, and with no significant side-effects.

With all the great things I’ve learned about tDCS, I thought I’d share a little of my tDCS Wish List for the next five years:

In The Next Five Years I Wish That:

1. every appropriate medical practitioner (and counselor) would at least become aware of tDCS. A treatment this good, this simple, this safe, with so much positive effect should not be overlooked. It should be a tool in the kit of considered-treatments for every practitioner.
2. that the popular press would at least make an attempt to write sensible and factual articles about tDCS. For example, it would be great to stop comparing tDCS to electro-shock treatment. Could they be any more different? Such mindless hype scares people who might be helped greatly by tDCS.
3. that funding could be found to “get the word out” about tDCS. Because there are no drug company $ billions for magazine ads, TV commercials, and infomercials, it looks as though tDCS will always be a niche treatment, known by a lucky few – missed by millions it could help. I wonder how many lives could be vastly improved (or saved) if tDCS were as well-known as Viagra?
4. that I could find one or more well-known, depressed, troubled Hollywood star(s), known for appearances in People Magazine and on TMZ – who would agree to a course of tDCS treatment. Once improved, those stars would have to be willing to speak about tDCS – the treatment that got them out of the pit. For better or worse, we live in a “star” powered society – such articles appearing in Hollywood rags and read and seen by millions could really help push tDCS towards a tipping point.
5. that my second career be all about researching, writing, and speaking about the practical side of tDCS. There is a whole world full of people who need the help that this simple treatment can offer. A tDCS device can be as simple as a 9 volt battery, an inexpensive CRD diode, and a couple of sponges. Imagine the good that could be done!
6. that I could find one or more philanthropists willing to join in the good work related to tDCS – and help a whole lot of people in the process! There are $ millions of research dollars flowing to universities and research centers all around the world looking at tDCS. But there is very little being done to get tDCS to the people who can benefit from it. If you are a philanthropist who really wants to make a difference in a very tangible way, feel free to contact me. Let’s get something started!

(One of the most important contributions of tDCS:
a simple treatment for the depression epidemic.)

Mark the date. At this point, for certain types of treatment, tDCS is well researched, simple, and considered safe. We all know that tDCS is barely known among the masses and the medical community. Ask any doctor you know  – I’d say the odds are about 1 in 100 that they know anything at all about tDCS.

What will things be like in 2018? By 2018, how many millions will have suffered for lack of access to a tDCS device and a tDCS trained professional? Can you help?

(A self-contained tDCS treatment headset. http://www.foc.us)

Just for Fun: tDCS in a Bottle

If you have been reading my blog, you know that I have built a number of tDCS devices – from the simple to the complex. All do basically the same thing – deliver a very low current for the purpose of various tDCS treatments. I mentioned in my last post that Keith Spaulding of http://dcstim.blogspot.com has come up with what must be the simple tDCS design of the decade. It works, too! Keith plans to market a line of tDCS devices and I’ll review his first in my next post.

I decided to borrow Keith’s design one more time and build a simple tDCS device into an old pill bottle, just to show how easy it is to build a current regulated tDCS device – and to show how small they can be. My latest creation could easily be carried in a pocket or tucked in a hat. I call it “tDCS in a Bottle” and yes – I decided to copyright the name – hey why not?

My simple circuit consists of a type 23A 12v volt battery, a 2.2 k Ohm resistor, a current regulating diode (CRD), a pill bottle, and some lead wires. You could build one yourself in 15 minutes or less!

(Wired and tested tDCS components ready to stuff in a pill bottle. Yes, I did peel the old labels off of the bottle.)

(Closed up, ready for new labels. Small, very portable, works!)

After I completed construction, I checked regulated current output with a DVM – and plan to do so periodically to verify battery condition.

It’s sort of an ironic twist to build a tDCS device into a pill bottle – just think how many people might be able to get off of pills if tDCS were in wide use by the medical community! Wow! Anyway – “tDCS in a Bottle” works and works well – delivering a current regulated 1, 1.5, or 2 mA depending on which CRD is used.

If anyone is interested in partnering to sell these at the check-out at Walmart, let me know. We could do the country a lot of good! Pharma would not be happy. Think the FDA would be ok with it? 🙂

Disclaimer: As always, your use of any information posted here is at your risk.

A Very Simple Current Regulated tDCS Device

Simple tDCS

The Holy Grail of tDCS seems to be availability of a very simple, current regulated device that is easy to build and use.  Keith Spaulding of http://dcstim.blogspot.com got us about as close as we are likely to get with this design:

U

I decided to use Keith’s design, with some minor variations, and build a tDCS device.  Keith’s tDCS design is based on using a current regulating diode (CRD).  CRD’s are available in many variations including three values that are of particular interest to DIY tDCS.  They are 1 mA, 1.5 mA, and 2 mA.  You pick the value you desire, build Keith’s circuit and away you go – current limited tDCS.  Here are some plus and minus items to consider:

PLUS

1. Very simple to build
2. Current limited by resistor if CRD shorts in failure

MINUS

1. Current is fixed – you can’t ramp it up or down.
2. You may see a phosphene at start or end of tDCS session
3. Keith’s design does not include a meter to confirm current level

I decided to make the following changes to Keith’s design:

1. Use a single type 23A 12 volt battery instead of two 9 volt batteries. This limits CRD failure current to 12 / 2200 = 5.5  mA instead of 8.2 mA in Keith’s design. Neither is dangerous according to studies published on the web. Both would be very irritating and immediately noticable to a user! I do use a 9 volt battery to power the display (below). You can expect 3-6 months of battery life from the type 25a tDCS battery and a year or more from the 9 volt display battery given regular use.
2. Added a digital mA panel meter so that actual current delivered can be monitored
3. Added a DPST switch to act as an on-off switch for the tDCS circuit and on-off for a separate battery and resistor to power the meter.  The digital meter I purchased needs 5 volts to operate. I use a 9 volt battery with a 1 k Ohm resistor in series to achieve the desired operating voltage.

Before I built a “permanent” CRD tDCS device, I built a test unit using a breadboard.

The type 23A battery is at the left side of the pic, the leads that go to the sponge electrodes are at the right.  Follow the red lead from the battery and you will see the CRD. It’s tiny! In the breadboard example I used two 1 k Ohm resistors (what I had handy), one in series with the plus lead of the battery and one in series with the negative lead (instead of a single 2 k Ohm resistor in series with the plus lead.  Either method is fine.)  I also threw in a 100 uF capacitor (the blue cylinder) across the leads to the sponges to ease start-up and shut-down current.  I did away with it in the final build – it didn’t seem that helpful.

Close-up of the CRD.  Note the black band is away from the plus of the battery. I decided to use a 1.5 mA CRD.  Why?  Studies posted on the web show that 2 mA is better than 1 mA for treatment effectiveness.  However, it is my experience that 2 mA irritates the skin of many individuals causing them to cease using tDCS.  As odd as it seems, backing the current off to 1.5 mA reduces reports of irritation to almost zero.

For the final build, I used a RS project box I had on hand.  You could build a CRD based tDCS device into something much smaller and more attractive.

In the bottom left is the digital mA meter circuit. To its right is a DPST switch. The left portion of the switch is used as on-off for the meter.  A 1 k Ohm resistor is in series with a 9 volt battery and the switch to provide the 5 volts needed by the meter.  The right portion of the switch is the on-off connecting the 12 volt type 23a battery to the series connected 2.2 k Ohm resistor, the CRD and the electrodes. You can see the CRD at top-center of the pic, just before I placed heat-shrink tubing over it to protect it.

Wires dressed, ready to close up the box.

Completed unit with electrodes attached shows it’s regulated current level, 1.5 mA.

So Where Do the Parts Come From?

The case, switch, resistor, battery clips, heat-shrink tubing, and leads all come from Radio Shack. The CRD came from www.mouser.com. I used PN 954-E-152, a 1.5 mA CRD with axial leads.  Be careful not to buy a surface-mount device unless you are well prepared to deal with one. The “3 digit Mini Blue LED DC 100mA meter” came from “Coldfusionx” via EBay.  They are in California – not China – so delivery was quick. I use Amrex electrodes which are available via Amazon and other suppliers.

By the way, I found the meter, as delivered, to be slightly out of calibration (it read too high).  I was able to check and recalibrate  it (adjustment screw) against a couple of DVMs.

Total cost for this project was about $50.

Wrap-Up

Keith’s design is as simple as it gets.  If you want more flexible current control, you could add a selector switch and CRDs of different values – or you could use one of the many LM device designs on the web and build a tDCS device with fully variable control.  Either way, tDCS is an amazing and wonderful thing.  Please proceed with caution and read all that you can before attempting to build your own device – especially read safety related articles and papers!  Best of all would be for you to seek out a medical professional like www.transcranialbrainstimulation.com .

Disclaimer

The information presented in this article represents an accumulation sourced from articles, papers, popular press, and other sources easily accessed on the internet. While evidence so far indicates that tDCS is very safe, your use of information in this article is completely at your risk. You are  advised to seek out a trained medical professional for assistance with tDCS.

The tDCS “Cat” is Out of the Bag

Miracle Medication

Aspirin is a miracle medication. Isolated by Hoffman in 1897, it is a simple compound that, these days, can be created by anyone who has had a high-school chemistry course. Aspirin can, of course, be purchased in commercial form and most people are familiar with certain maladies that can be treated by it. On the fringes, there are esoteric uses for aspirin, but in the main, it is well understood and used by millions of people every day.

What about transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS)? It’s simpler and (apparently) safer than aspirin – when used correctly – and is effective in treating depression, chronic pain, enhancing learning and much more in otherwise healthy people. So why can’t the average person on the street buy a tDCS device and self-administer treatment?

(neura.edu.au)

There are at least three reasons. First, tDCS is relatively new and studies that confirm its effectiveness and safety are just emerging. Two, certain tDCS treatment scenarios can be pretty complex, well beyond the ability of an average person to carry out. Third, there is no way for big-pharma to cash in on tDCS (yet). It’s very unlikely you will ever see expensive commercials during your favorite TV show advertising tDCS to treat some focus-group tested three-letter malady. It won’t happen. tDCS devices are extremely simple to build (or buy) and treatment protocols for certain ailments ARE simple and are all over the internet.

The average Joe will learn about tDCS and start demanding access to it because a bunch of do-it-yourself (DIY) folks and a few physicians will have succeeded in a grass-roots effort to get the word out. Yes, there is also a small and growing group of doctors that see the obvious benefits of tDCS (and lack of risk) and are starting to use it with their patients – and their patients are becoming some of the best spokes-persons for tDCS.

Problems, Problems

According to the CDC, about 1 in 10 adults in the US uses some form of antidepressant.  Their depression may or may not be well controlled and they likely suffer at least some noticeable side effects. Sources vary, but about $3 billion is spent on antidepressants every year. These numbers do not reflect a significant number of individuals who ARE depressed but not receiving any treatment – due to costs, social pressures, etc.

It’s hard to believe, but various sources report that as many as 1 in 3 Americans suffer from chronic pain.  Cost? $500-600 billion per year!

The tDCS Triad

Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation has been shown to provide relief for depression and chronic pain, and to enhance learning (the tDCS triad) – and much more. When treating the “triad”, it is simple, apparently very safe, and has no significant side effects. Can similar claims be made for any other other treatment (medication)?

Does it work for everyone? The simple answer is no, but for many it does – and for many who failed to get relief (or enhancement) from medications.

tDCS is not just about depression, chronic pain, and learning enhancement. As mentioned above, there are very broad areas of research seeking potential use in treating Alzheimers, stroke, brain trauma, etc. Treatment for those less understood ailments can be quite complex and require MRI or FMRI to design an appropriate regimen and the use of “high definition” tDCS, using ten electrodes or more, as part of the treatment. This is well beyond the ability of the DIY community.

But the “triad” (depression, chronic pain, learning enhancement) is normally treated with simple “bipolar tDCS” – two electrodes are placed in very specific locations on the scalp, which are well known, as part of normal treatment.

Because bi-polar tDCS involves such simple equipment and procedures, a rather sizable “do-it-yourself” community has taken up the mantle of treating themselves and helping friends reap the benefits of tDCS.

DIY tDCS is growing because most doctors have no idea what tDCS is – or what it can do. Further, doctors who do use tDCS cannot bill insurance for tDCS treatments (it is not yet “recognized” by the FDA.) So treatment can be expensive – out of reach for many – and simply unavailable in most areas of the US. So it seems that the DIY community will continue to build tDCS devices, use tDCS to treat the “triad”, and spread the word via emails and blogs. Meanwhile, research centers, Universities, and the like will continue their work on all areas of tDCS using their more sophisticated equipment and techniques to push the boundaries of tDCS application.

tDCS for Everyone?

One day, tDCS may be as commonly used as aspirin for treating certain issues – but we have a long, long way to go to get to that point. Like aspirin, tDCS won’t help everyone – but scientific and anecdotal evidence says it can help many. So while we wait, millions go untreated (or poorly-treated) and live lesser lives due to lack of access to tDCS triad treatments and all the benefits they can bring. Come on medical community, come on FDA.