with a 48 hour-period between the two types of sessions.
Questionnaires were made before and after finishing each
treatment to determine any changes in their urge to binge, and
to monitor their concern about the weight and shape of their
body and whether or not these concerns were controlled, they
also monitored their desire for food, their self-control, and their
self-esteem. The scientists found that the electrical stimulation
treatment succeeded in decreasing the patient's urge to binge,
and even increased their self-control levels, and it was a greater
success when compared to the placebo treatment. Patients
were also subjected to a decision-making task as a part of the
treatment, in this task they had two options to choose from, a
small amount of money that was available immediately, and
a large amount of money that will be available in 3 months.
Participants after tDCS session were more likely to choose
the money available in 3 months than after placebo session.
This result shows a more self-controlled behaviour by waiting
for later, larger rewards, instead of selecting the immediate,
smaller one, which meant reduction of the TD behaviour.
"We think it does this by improving cognitive
control over compulsive features of the disorder"
says Maria Kekic, first author of the study.
"The advantage of tDCS is that it's much less expensive
and more portable than other brain stimulation techniques,
which raises the prospect of one day offering treatment
that could be self-delivered at home by patients with
bulimia," notes Ulrike Schmidt, senior author of the study.
The therapy also has very few side effects
such as slight tingling or itching on the scalp.
"This could either be as an addition to talking
therapies such as CBT to improve outcomes, or
as a stand-alone alternative approach" she adds.
Maria Kekic says "Although these are modest, early findings,
there is a clear improvement in symptoms and decision-making
abilities following just one session of tDCS. With a larger
sample and multiple sessions of treatment over a longer period
of time, it is likely that the effects would be even stronger."
"Although these are modest, early
findings, there is a clear improvement
in symptoms and decision-making
abilities following just one session
of tDCS. With a larger sample and
multiple sessions of treatment
over a longer period of time, it
is likely that the effects would
be even stronger."
-Maria Kekic
THIS NEW METHOD
OF THERAPY LIT
BY SCIENCE MAY
HELP MILLIONS OF
PEOPLE AROUND THE
WORLD TO BE CURED
ONE DAY AS IT HAS
ALWAYS BEEN DOING.
10
MEDICINE
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