Canadian Brain Injury incidence is 500/100,000 persons annually; 80% are classified Mild Traumatic Brain Injuries (mTBI) and approximately half show cognitive impairment on neuropsychological assessment at 3, 6, or ≥12 months post injury. Neuroimaging studies demonstrate structural and metabolic abnormalities associated with mTBI (2) which may respond to neuromodulator-induced neuroplasticity interventions. Unfortunately, while repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) has been more widely studied for post-mTBI neuropsychiatric disorders, it remains difficult to access and cost-prohibitive. Additionally,
there are no summary reviews examining the evidence for the different transcranial electrical stimulation (TES) interventions in mTBI. One promising approach is tDCS, which works by delivering weak electrical currents (1-2 mA) through scalp electrodes to modulate neuronal activity. The mechanism combines immediate neural effects with long-term neuroplastic changes, modifying brain networks for therapeutic benefit. In mild traumatic brain injury, this neuroplasticity enhancement helps restore disrupted brain circuits and cognitive function

Our study maps existing research and provides a summary of evidence for TES in mTBI cognitive sequelae.

Clinical Question: What is current state of research and clinical applicability for TES neuromodulation in improving cognitive prognosis and outcome in mTBI.