transcranial Direct Current Stimulation Studies Open Database (tDCS-OD)

Abstract

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is increasingly evaluated for a myriad of clinical indications and performance enhancement mainly related to cognitive and motor applications. As a result tDCS has been tested with diverse inclusion criteria and subject populations. tDCS is customized for applications by many factors, including stimulation dose (montage, current, time), associated training and subject inclusion/exclusion criteria. The rapid proliferation of applications, technological advancements and emerging scientific discoveries presents challenges to the organization and consolidation of tDCS data - which can lead to scientific, clinical and public confusions. In this paper, we develop a system to summarize and consolidate methodological aspects of tDCS, concentrating on study design and the physical parameters of the stimulation. We introduce a community-driven, open access database, where these parameters, including stimulation intensities, duration, electrode sizes, montages, and subject information, are noted for relevant tDCS publications. The transcranial Direct Current Stimulation Studies Open Database (tDCS-OD) (http://tdcsdatabase.com) will support constructive dialogue on research and clinical tDCS applications, critical evaluation of past work, and identification of promising protocols, while reducing ambiguity about stimulation methodology. The database design allows ongoing updates and editing, with transparent version control. At the moment, the database includes information about 56,613 tDCS sessions.