Commercial brain stimulation devices available online

Manufacturers of headsets and private clinics claim they can treat depression or chronic pain using two brain stimulation techniques: transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) and repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS). These methods have gained popularity in the commercial sector, though scientific evidence does not always support their effectiveness.

Headsets promise home-based treatment

In recent years, headsets that claim to modulate brain activity have become available online. For several hundred euros, manufacturers assert that these devices can help overcome depression, mental fatigue, chronic pain, or obsessive-compulsive disorders (OCD) in a few weeks, without the need to leave home.

tDCS uses low-intensity electrical impulses

This is achieved through tDCS, which uses low-intensity electrical impulses delivered through two electrodes placed on the forehead. In medical research, scientists aim to modify the activity of brain regions associated with mood regulation, with the goal of reducing depressive symptoms.

Scientific results remain inconsistent

However, the effectiveness of this approach remains uncertain, with research findings showing mixed results. "For it to be effective, the current would need to precisely reach the area of interest with sufficient power and modulate neuronal activity there," notes Antoni Valero-Cabré, a research director at the National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS) and a specialist in neuromodulation techniques at the Brain Institute (ICM).