Effects of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation on Clinical Features of Dizziness and Cortical Activation in a Patient with Vestibular Migraine.

BACKGROUND: Vestibular migraine (VM) is common migraine that occurs in patients with dizziness. Vestibular rehabilitation for managing VM generally remains unclear. Recently, it has been reported that transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has positive effects in alleviating dizziness. This study investigated the effects of tDCS on dizziness and cortical activation in a patient with VM.

METHODS: We recruited a male patient aged 31 years with no dizziness. The patient watched a video to induce dizziness using a virtual reality device. The study applied the intervention using tDCS for 4 weeks and measured 4 assessments: functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), quantitative electroencephalography (qEEG), dizziness handicap inventory, and visual vertigo analog scale.

RESULTS: We showed the activation in the middle temporal gyrus and inferior temporal gyrus (ITG) of the left hemisphere and in the superior temporal gyrus and ITG of the right hemisphere in the pre-intervention. After the intervention, the activation of these areas decreased. In the results of qEEG, excessive activation of C3, P3, and T5 in the left hemisphere and C4 in the right hemisphere before intervention disappeared after the intervention.

CONCLUSIONS: This study indicated that tDCS-based intervention could be considered a viable approach to treating patients with vestibular dysfunction and dizziness caused by VM.