Marci E Gluck1, Miguel Alonso-Alonso2, Paolo Piaggi1, Christopher M Weise1,3, Reiner Jumpertz-von Schwartzenberg1, Martin Reinhardt1, Eric M Wassermann4, Colleen A Venti1, Susanne B Votruba1, Jonathan Krakoff1. 1. Phoenix Epidemiology and Clinical Research Branch, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Phoenix, Arizona, USA. 2. Laboratory of Bariatric and Nutritional Neuroscience, Center for the Study of Nutrition Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA. 3. Department of Neurology, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany. 4. Behavioral Neurology Unit, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Obesity is associated with decreased activity in the prefrontal cortex. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) modifies cortical excitability and may facilitate improved control of eating. The energy intake (EI) and body weight in subjects who received cathodal versus sham (study 1) and subsequent anodal versus sham (study 2) tDCS aimed at the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (LDLPFC) were measured. METHODS: Nine (3m, 6f) healthy volunteers with obesity (94 ± 15 kg [M ± SD]; 42 ± 8 y) were admitted as inpatients for 9 days to participate in a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled crossover experiment. Study 1: following 5 days of a weight-maintaining diet, participants received cathodal or sham tDCS (2 mA, 40 min) on three consecutive mornings and then ate ad libitum from a computerized vending machine, which recorded EI. Weight was measured daily. Study 2: participants repeated the study, maintaining original assignment to active (this time anodal) and sham. RESULTS: Participants tended to consume fewer kilocalories per day (P = 0.07), significantly fewer kilocalories from soda (P = 0.02) and fat (P = 0.03), and had a greater % weight loss (P = 0.009) during anodal versus cathodal tDCS. CONCLUSIONS: The results indicated a role for the LDLPFC in obesity and food intake. This proof of concept study suggested, for the first time, the potential application of anodal tDCS to facilitate weight loss.
RCT Entities:
OBJECTIVE:Obesity is associated with decreased activity in the prefrontal cortex. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) modifies cortical excitability and may facilitate improved control of eating. The energy intake (EI) and body weight in subjects who received cathodal versus sham (study 1) and subsequent anodal versus sham (study 2) tDCS aimed at the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (LDLPFC) were measured. METHODS: Nine (3m, 6f) healthy volunteers with obesity (94 ± 15 kg [M ± SD]; 42 ± 8 y) were admitted as inpatients for 9 days to participate in a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled crossover experiment. Study 1: following 5 days of a weight-maintaining diet, participants received cathodal or sham tDCS (2 mA, 40 min) on three consecutive mornings and then ate ad libitum from a computerized vending machine, which recorded EI. Weight was measured daily. Study 2: participants repeated the study, maintaining original assignment to active (this time anodal) and sham. RESULTS:Participants tended to consume fewer kilocalories per day (P = 0.07), significantly fewer kilocalories from soda (P = 0.02) and fat (P = 0.03), and had a greater % weight loss (P = 0.009) during anodal versus cathodal tDCS. CONCLUSIONS: The results indicated a role for the LDLPFC in obesity and food intake. This proof of concept study suggested, for the first time, the potential application of anodal tDCS to facilitate weight loss.
Authors: Bernd Figner; Daria Knoch; Eric J Johnson; Amy R Krosch; Sarah H Lisanby; Ernst Fehr; Elke U Weber Journal: Nat Neurosci Date: 2010-03-28 Impact factor: 24.884
Authors: Felipe Fregni; Fernanda Orsati; Waldelle Pedrosa; Shirley Fecteau; Fatima A M Tome; Michael A Nitsche; Tatiana Mecca; Elizeu C Macedo; Alvaro Pascual-Leone; Paulo S Boggio Journal: Appetite Date: 2007-12-23 Impact factor: 3.868
Authors: Colleen A Venti; Susanne B Votruba; Paul W Franks; Jonathan Krakoff; Arline D Salbe Journal: Am J Clin Nutr Date: 2009-11-18 Impact factor: 7.045
Authors: Christopher N Ochner; Adam G Tsai; Robert F Kushner; Thomas A Wadden Journal: Lancet Diabetes Endocrinol Date: 2015-02-12 Impact factor: 32.069
Authors: P A Tataranni; J F Gautier; K Chen; A Uecker; D Bandy; A D Salbe; R E Pratley; M Lawson; E M Reiman; E Ravussin Journal: Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A Date: 1999-04-13 Impact factor: 11.205
Authors: D Val-Laillet; E Aarts; B Weber; M Ferrari; V Quaresima; L E Stoeckel; M Alonso-Alonso; M Audette; C H Malbert; E Stice Journal: Neuroimage Clin Date: 2015-03-24 Impact factor: 4.881
Authors: Sascha Heinitz; Martin Reinhardt; Paolo Piaggi; Christopher M Weise; Enrique Diaz; Emma J Stinson; Colleen Venti; Susanne B Votruba; Eric M Wassermann; Miguel Alonso-Alonso; Jonathan Krakoff; Marci E Gluck Journal: Am J Clin Nutr Date: 2017-10-18 Impact factor: 7.045
Authors: Mary Katherine Ray; Maria D Sylvester; Lauren Osborn; Joel Helms; Bulent Turan; Emilee E Burgess; Mary M Boggiano Journal: Appetite Date: 2017-05-29 Impact factor: 3.868
Authors: M Reinhardt; A D Parigi; K Chen; E M Reiman; P Thiyyagura; J Krakoff; M G Hohenadel; D S N T Le; C M Weise Journal: Int J Obes (Lond) Date: 2016-04-28 Impact factor: 5.095