Evaluating the efficacy of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) in managing neuropathic pain-induced emotional consequences: Insights from animal models

Abstract

Neuropathic pain is a global health concern due to its severity and its detrimental impact on patients’ quality of life. It is primarily characterized by sensory alterations, most commonly hyperalgesia and allodynia. As the disease progresses, patients with neuropathic pain develop co-occurring emotional disorders, such as anxiety and depression, which further complicate therapeutic management. While pharmacotherapy remains the first-line treatment, limitations in its efficacy and the prevalence of side effects often leave patients with insufficient pain relief. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), a non-invasive brain stimulation technique, has recently emerged as a promising alternative for chronic pain management. This review provides an overview of preclinical studies examining the effects of tDCS in rodent models of neuropathic pain. It specifically highlights the potential of tDCS to modulate the emotional-affective component of pain, with a focus on identifying optimal cortical targets for stimulation to enhance the translational application of tDCS in managing pain-related emotional disorders.