Episode 6: Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation

tDCS is old school brain manipulation involving electrodes and sponges. For our 6th episode we describe the basic premise of tDCS (really simple) and its effects on the brain (really not simple). We also talk about its use as a treatment of depression and other clinical applications, which leads us into a meaty digression on clinical science and whether the methods used for discovering medical treatments make any goddamn sense. Finally, we speak of tDCS's scientific uses for understanding the role of various brain areas, and if any of us would ever try it on ourselves.

To inform ourselves on these topics, we read: Neurobiological effects of transcranial direct current stimulation: a review and tDCS polarity effects in motor and cognitive domains: a meta-analytical review[$].

To listen to (or download) this episode, (right) click here.

Additionally, the tDCS-based startup foc.us came up in our discussion, and a paper testing the validity of some of its claims recently came out here. It's not very encouraging....

As always, our jazzy theme music "Quirky Dog" is courtesy of Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) 

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