EFFECT OF TRANSCRANIAN DIRECT CURRENT STIMULATION (tDCS) IN FOOD BEHAVIOR
obesity, overweight, eating behavior, transcranial direct current stimulation.
Introduction: In Brazil, is increasing the proportion of the population with overweight
and obesity. The etiology of obesity is complex and multifactorial. Among the factors
associated with obesity, attention has been given to the behavioral aspects related to
feeding, particularly those related to intense desires to consume large amounts of a
specific food, feeding in response to dysphoric emotional states, loss of control and
imbalances in the cognitive areas of reward and control. Recent studies have been using
transcranial direct current stimulation (ETCC) as a therapeutic possibility for modifying
eating behavior. Justification: Although it offers promising initial results, the number of
studies on the subject is still limited, as well as the number of participants, mostly female
and young adults. In addition, there is a lack of studies using protocols with a greater
number of sessions of ETCC with individuals with excess weight. Objective: To evaluate
the therapeutic effect of ETCC on the eating behavior of overweight participants during
and after 8 weeks from the last intervention. Methodology: Randomized double-blind
experimental study with control. Participants of both sexes with 19 to 50 years of age in
overweight and obesity. Those evaluated will be randomized into four groups with 44
participants, who underwent 10 sessions of intervention with with the anodic ETCC in
the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (CPFDL). To evaluate the response of the treatment,
nutritional assessment (BMI, RCest, IC, percentage of body fat and diet) and behavioral
measures will be performed through questionnaires (TFEQ-R21, FQC-T-br, FCI-Br,
DASS-21). Results: Comparing the follow-up of the research with the baseline, in the
Active group there was a significant difference in the fat subscale at follow-up D10, D55
and D70, F=4,58 p=0,02; F=4,58 p=0,003 and F=4,58 p=0,002, respectively. In the sweet
subscale, in the follow-up D55 and D70, F=5,63 p=0,005 and F=5,63 p=0,002. In the subscale
meals, in the follow-up D55 and D70, F=5,24 p=0,04 and F=5,24 p=0,000. In the food
uncontrol subscale, in the follow-up D10 and D70, both with F=2,85 p=0,04. In the emotional
feeding subscale, between the D25 baseline follow-up, F=3,18 p=0,03. In the total score of
the FCQ-T questionnaires, in the follow-up D70 with baseline, F=7,11 p=0,002. For the Sham
group, there was a significant difference in the food uncontrol subscale, in the D70 followup
with baseline F=4.34 p=0,02.