. 2020 Feb 24;15(2):e0223029. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0223029

Table 1. Summary characteristics of studies on remotely-delivered tDCS.

Authors (Year)	Type of Study	Disease	N	Age	tDCS Current (mA)	Number of tDCS Sessions	Duration of tDCS Stimulation	Electrode Placement	Results
Agarwal et al. (2018)	Open label study	Parkinson Disease (PD)	16 Enrolled 10 in final analysis	67.6 ±5.9	2.0	10	20 Min	Bilateral DLPFC Montage (Left Anodal)	Significant improvement in motor symptoms.
Andrade (2013)	Single case study	Schizophrenia	1	25	Session 1–5 = 1.0. Session 6+, 2.0, then 3.0	1 or 2 sessions per day for 3 years	Sessions 1–5 = 20 Min. After session 5 = 30 Min	Anodal tDCS over left DLPFC and cathodal over left temporoparietal cortex.	Greater improvement in psychosocial functions.
Andre et al. (2016)	Single blind randomized sham controlled trial	Mild Vascular Dementia	21 (13 active & 8 sham)	78.6 (age range: 63–94)	2.0	4 consecutive sessions	20 Min	Anodal or sham over left DLPFC	Anodal stimulation showed meaningful improvement in visual recall and reaction times.
Bystad et al. (2017)	Single case study	Alzheimer’s Disease	1	60	2.0	Daily for 8 consecutive months	30 Min	Anodal over left temporal lobe (T3 in the 10/20 system) and reference electrode over right frontal lobe	Cognitive function was stabilized; improved immediate and delayed recall.
Carvalho et al. (2018)	Double blind randomized controlled rrial	Healthy Subjects (HS) and Fibromyalgia (FM)	HS: 20 enrolled 19 in final analysis	HS: 26.31 ±4.89	2.0	HS: 10	HS: 20 Min	HS: Anodal; Left primary motor cortex (M1) & Cathodal; contra-lateral supra-orbital area.	The findings suggest tDCS is feasible for home use with monitoring.
Carvalho et al. (2018)	Double blind randomized controlled rrial	Healthy Subjects (HS) and Fibromyalgia (FM)	FM; 49.5 ±8.48	FM: 60 (5 session per week)	2.0	FM: 30 Min	FM: 8	FM: Left DLPFC
Cha et al. (2016)	Single blind randomized sham controlled trial	Mal Debarquement Syndrome	24 (12 active 10 Sham & 1 open label)	52.9 (12.2)	1.0	20 (5 sessions per week)	20 Min	Anodal placed over left DLPFC and cathodal over right DLPFC.	Active tDCS after rTMS improved rocking perception, anxiety and dizziness.
Charvet et al. (2017)	Double blind randomized controlled trial	Multiple Sclerosis	Study 1 15 Active; 20 Control	Study 1 52	Study 1 = 1.5.	Study 1: 10	20 Min	Anodal was placed over the left dorsolateral prefontal cortex (DLPFC)	tDCS has the potential to significantly reduce multiple sclerosis related fatigue.
Charvet et al. (2017)	Double blind randomized controlled trial	Multiple Sclerosis	Study 2 15 Active; 12 Sham	Study 2 44.2	Study 2 = 2.0.	Study 2: 20	20 Min
Charvet et al. (2017)	Open label study	Multiple Sclerosis	45 25 tDCS + CT; 20 CT Only	51.96 (11.0)	1.5	10	20 Min	Used “OLE” system, targeted DLPFC; Anodal on the left (F3), cathodal over right (F4).	Anodal stimulation at both sites improved complex attention and response variability composites compared to CT only group.
Hagenacker et al. (2014)	Randomized double-blind cross-over design	Trigeminal Neuralgia	17 enrolled, 10 completed study	63 (age range 49–82)	1.0	14 consecutive daily sessions	20 Min	Anodal tDCS over the primary motor cortex (M1).	Pain intensity significantly reduced.
Hyvarinen et al. (2016)	Double blind randomized controlled trial	Tinnitus	35 (active tDCS = 23 & 12 sham)	51 (15.4)	2.0	10 consecutive sessions	20 Min	Two different placements (1) Anodal over left temporal area & cathodal over frontal area; (2) Anodal & cathodal placed symmetrically bilaterally over frontal areas.	Overall improvement in tinnitus severity.
Kasschau et al. (2015)	Pilot study	Multiple Sclerosis (MS)	20 (4 with proxy)	N/A	1.5	10; over period of 2 weeks	20 Min	Electrodes were placed in the bilateral dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPC); Anode placed over left side.	Feasibility of remotely-supervised tDCS established for MS patients with Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) of 6.0 or below OR 6.5 or above with proxy.
Kasschau et al. (2016)	Pilot study	Multiple Sclerosis	20 (all active)	51 (9.25)	1.5	10	20 Min	DLPFC; uniform bilateral dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (left anodal).	Anodal stimulation improved all symptoms measured; pain, fatigue, affect and cognitive processing speed.
Marten et al. (2018)	Randomized double-blind cross-over design	Minimally Conscious State (MCS)	37 enrolled;27 Final analysis: 12 active/ sham 10 sham/ active	Age range: 17–75	2.0	20 sessions over period of 4 weeks	20 Min	Anodal: over left DLPFC & cathode over right supraorbital region.	Moderate improvement in recovery of signs of consciousness. Only 17 patients completed remote tDCS. The rest completed tDCS from nursing home/rehab center.
Mortensen et al. (2015)	Double blind randomized controlled trial	Stroke-Patients with upper limb motor impairment following intracerebral hemorrhage	15 (8 anodal tDCS, 7 sham)	44–76	1.5	5 consecutive sessions	20 Min	Anodal or sham over primary motor cortex (M1); anode placed on ipsilesional MI and cathode over contralesional supraorbital region.	Anodal tDCS + occupational therapy (OT) provide greater improvements compared to OT only.
Riggs et al. (2018)	Multiple case study	Chronically Ill with multiple symptoms	4	Age range: 44–63		Phase 1 10 daily consecutive sessions. Phase 2; as needed over 20 days.	20 Min	DLPFC montage (left anodal) or MI-SO electrode montage	Telehealth-tDCS protocol was successful and easy to replicate electrode placement at home via headband–pre-determined position.
Shaw et al. (2017)	Double Blind Randomized Controlled Trial	Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and Parkinson Disease (PD)	Study 1 26 (MS)	No Info.	Study 1 = 1.5	Study 1 = 10	20 Min	DLPFC (left anodal)	Total of 748 sessions completed with high tolerability. tDCS is feasibility with remote supervision.
Shaw et al. (2017)	Double Blind Randomized Controlled Trial	Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and Parkinson Disease (PD)	Study 2 MS = 20 & PD = 6	No Info.	Study 2 MS = 2 PD = 2 or 1.5	Study 2 MS = 20 PD = 10	20 Min	DLPFC (left anodal)