AAN 2022 | Developments in teleinterventions: tDCS with remote supervision for MS rehabilitation

Giuseppina Pilloni, PhD and Leigh Charvet, PhD, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, discuss the developments in non-invasive brain stimulation therapeutic methods and the benefits of remotely supervised transcranial direct current stimulation (RS-tDCS) in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). Dr Charvet explains the findings of an analysis of the safety, tolerability, and feasibility of the newly developed RS-tDCS protocol in the rehabilitation of patients with multiple sclerosis and, by extension, other neurological disorders. Dr Pilloni expands on the study that followed over 300 patients with diverse neurological conditions, completing more than 6700 at-home RS-tDCS sessions. Patients were monitored in real-time with live video conferencing during repeated daily sessions and assessed for adverse events. The intervention protocol was determined to be safe due to the absence of serious adverse events. Additionally, with over 90% of patients completing more than two-thirds of their target sessions and only reporting mild skin sensations, the protocol was also established as tolerable and feasible. Overall, RS-tDCS offers a widely accessible and beneficial tool for teleintervention. This interview took place at the American Academy of Neurology 2022 Congress in Seattle, WA.