Caroline Rae1, Patrick Arul-Anandam2, Kirsten Moffat3, Colleen Loo2
1POWMRI, University of New South Wales, Randwick, NSW, Australia; 2Black Dog Institute, University of New South Wales, Randwick, NSW, Australia; 3St Vincent's Hospital, Sydney, Australia
Transcranial direct cortical stimulation (DCS) is a treatment for depression, and may work by altering brain activity. Here we describe a sham-controlled pseudo randomized study of the time course of the effect of acute cathodal DCS on frontal lobe metabolite levels measured by 1H MRS in healthy young male controls (N = 10). Elevations in Glx and myoinositol were seen which lasted up to 30 min, followed by a rapid return to baseline. No significant changes were seen in any other metabolite. DCS is inducing early and transient changes in activity in healthy brain.