Brainstorm: electrostimulation of the brain at home

Electrical stimulation was well known to doctors of the USSR

On Geektimes articles about electrical stimulation of the brain were published more than once. At Madrobots, we always follow the news about various technological innovations and could not miss such interesting information. This topic is constantly evolving, all new aspects of the use of pacemakers (and, for the most part, positive) emerge. Over the past few years, scientists have found that electrical stimulation (tDCS) has a positive effect on people's cognitive functions.

This, for example, the reaction rate , concentration and much more, as discussed below. Household systems for neurostimulation gradually began to appear, and we decided to check that there is a worthy of the proposed options. Looking ahead, we say that there are options, one of which we have chosen . Before we talk about it, let's remember what is electrostimulation itself.

First science and then everything else.

Stimulation of certain areas of the brain with direct current is not new. This process has been repeatedly considered and applied by physicians. For example, in some cases, electrical stimulation is used to restore stroke patients to reduce pain during migraine while reducing the number of seizures for treating depression and slowing the development of neurodegenerative diseases. To date, more than 15,000 people have participated in various studies on electrostimulation. And this is only in those studies about which it is known - and in fact there are also classified works conducted by the military.
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If we analyze the results of these studies, we see that electrical stimulation can do a lot. What exactly?

Improved multitasking

People of mental labor need to concentrate on solving important tasks as air. But it is difficult to do in the case of a number of distracting, extraneous factors. The first research in the field of neurostimulation to improve multitasking conducted military air force bases from Ohio. As it turned out, the cognitive abilities of even very tired military men increase significantly after undergoing the procedure of electrical stimulation. Improves the reaction rate.

Stimulation of verbal memory

Scientists at several universities, including Harvard and Oxford, after conducting their own research, found that electrical stimulation accelerates learning and improves verbal memory. Moreover, the improvement is quite significant - about 20%. The effect lasted for several months.

The participants in the experiment demonstrated a higher degree of learning than representatives of the control group who did not undergo the corresponding procedure.

Reduced sleep time without adverse health effects

Many of us love to sleep, that's a fact. But what should a modern man do, who, besides sleep, still have a lot of things to do? Life goes on at a frantic pace, and spending a large amount of time on sleep no longer seems rational. Scientists from Germany have decided to check whether electrical stimulation can help in this case.

As it turned out, yes. True, the reduction was not so big - about half an hour. But for some volunteers, the result was even longer - the sleep was reduced by more than an hour. Volunteers did not experience sleepiness or sleep quality deterioration.

Physical characteristics of the body

We all know how dangerous for an athlete’s career can be doping. In the world of sports, standing someone is punished almost because of the use of coffee. Something is not eaten or accepted - everything, there are traces of prohibited drugs in the blood.

Some athletes are actively experimenting with electrical stimulation of the brain (according to rumors, in the United States, whole teams of professional athletes are engaged in this before traveling to significant sporting events). Perhaps this really helps, since not so long ago, the US Ski and Snowboard Association conducted its own study of the effect of electrical stimulation on the athlete's body. As it turned out, electrical stimulation by several tens of percent improves the strength of the jump and coordination of movements, not to mention the reaction.

Bad habits

Another group of German scientists decided to check whether electrostimulation can help in getting rid of bad habits. The volunteers who participated in the experiment did not talk about what was the goal. They thought that the intention of scientists is to find out how electrical stimulation affects a person's mood. In the end, it turned out that the participants began to consume less high-calorie foods. Of course, all this can be controversial, but other studies have shown that electrical stimulation helps to get rid of some other addictions , including smoking and love of alcohol.

Recently it turned out that electrostimulation can also help in the treatment of depression .

How it works?

The fact that electrical stimulation has an effect on the brain, no one doubts, this has already been proven. Electrodes that are applied to the scalp constantly act on the brain with a very weak direct current of 1-2 milliamperes. In this case, the anode reduces the potential difference across the neuronal membranes. This facilitates their excitation in the case of receiving a signal from the "neighbor". The cathode reduces the excitability of neurons.

It is believed that the main principle of the action of electrostimulation is an increase in the activity of the cerebral cortex, which was acted upon by the anode. If the procedure is carried out regularly, the effect persists for a long time, since there are some changes in the connectivity of neurons .

Is it dangerous?

Numerous studies have shown that no. No adverse side effects have been identified, although scientists have already conducted several thousand experiments with electrical stimulation. Yes, and it is hardly possible to damage the brain by periodically short-term exposure to currents of weak force of 1-2 milliamps.

True, experts recommend paying attention to the correct location of the electrodes and the duration of the effects of the electrodes on the brain (no more than half an hour).

Where to buy an electrostimulator (neurostimulator) of the brain?

Such devices have long been commercially available. As for Russia, the Brainstorm neurostimulator can be purchased from Madrobots . The system consists of a main module with a control panel, two gel electrodes, conductive sponges, a contact wire and small bottles with a conductive liquid. For the convenience of the user, there are headbands and shoulder patches that allow the electrodes to be fixed on the head or shoulder.


The instructions show how to position the electrodes in order to get a certain effect. The current strength delivered by the device is adjustable from 0.6 to 2 milliamperes. The procedure is recommended to be carried out regularly for 5-10 days for 10-20 minutes every day.

Now we ourselves check the operation of the device and in time we will surely tell about the results.

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