Research Symposium

BIO

I am a freshman at FSU, and I am majoring in Nursing with a minor in Social Work. I am from Delray Beach, Florida, and I enjoy working out, reading, and cooking. Some activities I am involved with on campus include the Nursing Living Learning Community, the Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program, and Relay for Life.

Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation and Meditative Exercise for Osteoarthritis Knee Pain

Abstract

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) involves a directed low amplitude electrical current to affect the activity of the motor cortex and supraorbital region in the brain. In this study, subjects with chronic osteoarthritis knee pain utilized self-administered tDCS and performed meditative exercise to treat their pain symptoms. Researchers measured the subjects' heat, pain, and pressure tolerances over several months, in addition to their pain symptoms. The results indicated improvement in osteoarthritis pain symptoms and sleep quality, no effect on anxiety or depression, and no adverse effects caused by tDCS. Self-administered tDCS monitored remotely was found to be successful with older patients.

Keywords: tDCS, osteoarthritis, neuroscience