Premium
Neuromodulation targeted to the prefrontal cortex induces changes in energy intake and weight loss in obesity
Author(s) -
Gluck Marci E.,
AlonsoAlonso Miguel,
Piaggi Paolo,
Weise Christopher M.,
Jumpertzvon Schwartzenberg Reiner,
Reinhardt Martin,
Wassermann Eric M.,
Venti Colleen A.,
Votruba Susanne B.,
Krakoff Jonathan
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
obesity
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.438
H-Index - 199
eISSN - 1930-739X
pISSN - 1930-7381
DOI - 10.1002/oby.21313
Subject(s) - transcranial direct current stimulation , calorie , medicine , weight loss , crossover study , prefrontal cortex , neuromodulation , obesity , placebo , stimulation , randomized controlled trial , endocrinology , physical therapy , cognition , psychiatry , alternative medicine , pathology
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.