Citation

Bakhshayesh Eghbali B, Ramezani S, Sedaghat Herfeh S, Emir Alavi C, Najafi K, Esmaeeli Lipaei P, Eslamparast Kordmahalleh S, Hosseinpour Sarmadi V, Amini N, Ramezani Kapourchali F. Brain Inj. 2022; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2022, Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

10.1080/02699052.2022.2145363

PMID

36408966

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Insomnia is a serious problem after traumatic brain injury (TBI) and partially improves via sleeping pills. We investigated the efficacy of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) with a focus on the role of age and gender.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: In a randomized double-blind clinical trial, 60 eligible TBI-induced insomnia patients were assigned to real and sham tDCS groups and were treated for three weeks. Sham but not real tDCS took sleeping pills for the first three weeks of the study and then used the placebo until the end of the study. The placebo was used by the real-tDCS group throughout the study. Sleep quality and insomnia severity were respectively evaluated by Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) at three time points.

RESULTS: Real tDCS group reported lower mean ISI and PSQI scores at 3 weeks post treatment onset and maintained this decline for six weeks post treatment onset (P < 0.001). In younger participants and those identified as men, the treatment-induced attenuation of the mean PSQI score was reported higher and more lasting in real than sham tDCS groups.

CONCLUSION: Gender and age-specific tDCS protocols may be warranted to optimize the therapeutic effect of tDCS.

Language: en

Keywords

gender; Age; traumatic brain injury; Insomnia; transcranial direct current stimulation