Cranial electrotherapy stimulation (CES)

Cranial electrotherapy stimulation (CES) is a noninvasive neuromodulation technique that delivers low-intensity, pulsed electrical current (typically 50 μA to 4 mA) via electrodes attached to bilateral anatomical sites on the head (e.g., earlobes, temples, scalp, mastoid processes). CES devices are used with the intent to modulate neural activity in the brain and are primarily investigated or used as adjunct treatments for conditions such as anxiety, depression, insomnia, and chronic pain. The exact mechanisms through which CES exerts its effects are not fully understood but are hypothesized to involve direct modulation of hypothalamic, limbic, and reticular activating system activity, as well as normalization of neurochemical and electrophysiological processes in the brain. There is evidence for neuromodulatory and neurochemical changes (including increased alpha EEG power and altered neurotransmitter levels) corresponding to sessions of CES, but rigorous placebo-controlled and mechanistic data remain limited. CES is categorized as a medical device intervention rather than a classic pharmacological or molecular target.

Other names

Cranial electrical stimulationCranial electrical therapyTranscranial electrical stimulationElectrical stimulation therapyElectrosleepNeuroElectric Therapy

Modulation of neural activity via direct low-intensity current to the brain. Possible alteration of neurotransmitter release (e.g., serotonin, beta-endorphin, norepinephrine, melatonin). Resynchronization of abnormal brainwave frequencies (increase in alpha, decrease in delta/beta bands). Putative modulation of hypothalamic, limbic, and reticular activating system activity.