Effects of transcranial direct current stimulation on esophageal motility in patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease.

These data strengthen the hypothesis of a different pathophysiology and progression into a chronic (i.e. unresponsive) form in patients with ERD. Objective: To evaluate the effects of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on esophageal peristalsis in patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Methods: Patients with GERD preliminary diagnosis were included in a randomized double-blind sham-controlled study. Esophageal manometry was performed before and during transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) of the right precentral cortex. Half of patients were randomly assigned to anodal, half to sham stimulation. Distal waves amplitude and pathological waves percentage were measured, after swallowing water boli, for ten subsequent times. Last, a 24. h pH-bilimetry was done to diagnose non-erosive reflux disease (NERD) or functional heartburn (FH). The values obtained before and during anodal or sham tDCS were compared. Results: Sixty-eight patients were enrolled in th...