Effectiveness of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation for Migraine Treatment: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

Abstract

The study aimed to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials to assess the effectiveness of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) in treating migraines. tDCS is a noninvasive technique that modulates neuronal excitability and is considered an innovative non-pharmacological treatment for migraines. The research, conducted from February to June 2022, involved a comprehensive search across various databases, including PubMed, Trip Database, SCOPUS, Cochrane, and PEDro. The risk assessment of randomized controlled trials was performed using the RoB 2.0 tool, and the certainty of evidence was evaluated using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation system. The meta-analysis included 6 studies with a total of 337 migraine participants. The findings revealed significant benefits of tDCS treatment, including a notable reduction in pain intensity (mean differences [MD] = -2.85 [-4.72 to -0.98], P < .001), a decrease in the number of monthly migraine episodes (MD = -7.62 [-11.23 to -4.01], P < .001), and a reduction in the monthly consumption of migraine medication (MD = -9.42 [-13.60 to -5.24], P < .001). In the short term, tDCS seems effective for migraine treatment. Yet, it is crucial to recognize study heterogeneity, moderate methodological quality, and potential biases. Consequently, future research must uphold rigorous methodologies to validate these findings and explore tDCS's long-term implications in migraine therapy.