摘要
Increased lifespan is one of society’s greatest achievements,but this longevity increases the prevalence of diseases of aging,such as neurological disorders.Globally,neurological disorders are the leading cause of disability and the second leading cause of deaths(Feigin et al.,2019).Furthermore,these diseases affect people in low-,medium-,and high-income countries(Feigin et al.,2019).Current technology to modify neurological burden is scarce,which poses numerous challenges for healthcare,global policy,and economic stability(Feigin et al.,2019).To face these challenges,brain stimulation technology,such as transcranial electrical stimulation(TES),has displayed exciting potential.Antal et al.(2017)provide a detailed overview of the safety and application of TES.Commonly,electrodes are attached to the head and a weak current(e.g.,1-2 mA)is applied through the scalp,skull,and into the brain for 10-30 minutes to activate neurons(Antal et al.,2017).The technique is extremely safe with no serious adverse effects reported from thousands of sessions(Antal et al.,2017).The most common side effects are a tingling/itching sensation or redness at the stimulation site(Antal et al.,2017).However,these side effects can be minimized by reducing the electrode-skin impedance,slowly ramping up and ramping down TES,or using topical analgesics(Antal et al.,2017).The development of TES may repair neural dysfunction and stem the oncoming incidence of neurodegenerative disease.
