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tDCS thread
#361
Posted 26 October 2013 - 04:57 AM
Most people do a left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex montage, and that is what I have been experimenting with as well. If you benchmark yourself with cognitive tests you are likely to notice quicker and more pronounced improvements than usual, but if my experience is anything to go by, then don't expect any kind of 'buzz' from it (except for the tingle or slight stinging when stimulating :D ). Just doing tDCS and not engaging in any cognitively challenging task is unlikely to be of much use at all - well, maybe if you are depressed, it could take the wet blanket off somewhat, but that's it.
There are of course many more possibilities montage-wise, but I have not experimented with any others.
#362
Posted 26 October 2013 - 01:03 PM
I'm not looking for a buzz, hype or anything like it, my main goal is to improve memory, get smarter and I would like to improve my general mood, I am tired of my negative emotions (depression and pointlesness in life). That's why I am asking if this thing really works, I what to see quantifiable results not just tiny barely visible effects which last few moments and go. I am going to try all the montages I have seen on the net to get the best perspective on the device.
Hopefully the rest of my components will arrive next week so I can finally try it.
I'm not gonna lie I really hope this is something worth a while.
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#363
Posted 27 October 2013 - 08:06 AM
Some people have also experimented with placing the cathode on their right or left shoulder.
In my case, best results have been with the cathode in the supraorbital area. But I must confess I am a bit worried about what repeated suppression of any cortical area might entail in the long run, which is why I have not done that montage more than 10 times or so.
I also would recommend you to consider that more is NOT always better or more effective. This is clear from many studies. It is entirely possible, as a hypothetical example, that 1 mA for 10 minutes twice daily is a better idea than 2 mA for 40 minutes once daily. So don't fall into the trap of thinking that the more, longer and stronger you zap, the better the effects. You may induce the opposite of intended effect with too much stimulation.
Go gently, do benchmarking. Since you say mood effects and memory are your main goals, I'd strongly recommend you to do dual-n-back after each session, note your progress and also write down a short assessment of your mood before and after each session. That way you will have data to compare and you'll be more likely to find a dose that suits you.
#364
Posted 27 October 2013 - 01:55 PM
For antidepressive and short term memory enhancing effects you should target the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex with the anode (that is the stimulating electrode, the one that increases the likelihood of the cortical cells underneath it to fire). The question is where to put the cathode (which is generally thought to suppress activity in the cortical area under which it is located). You could try the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, as that part is associated with negative emotions, or you could place just over your right eye (called the supraorbital area).
Some people have also experimented with placing the cathode on their right or left shoulder.
In my case, best results have been with the cathode in the supraorbital area. But I must confess I am a bit worried about what repeated suppression of any cortical area might entail in the long run, which is why I have not done that montage more than 10 times or so.
Thanks for your advice I am going to try many different montages and test what works best. I already made two 3x3" sponge electrodes so I will try them first but I know that apparently it's better when anode is a bit smaller than cathode, anyway I'll first try if this device works on me and when I'm happy then I'll make some more electrode sizes and types.
I am thinking about HD electrodes, where anode is in the middle and is circled around with few cathodes. It makes me wonder if current has a real chance to reach brain's depth before it is going to be sucked back in by cathodes. I remember a program about lightnings, basically electricity always looks for the shortest path between + an -. This kind of implies that in HD setup it should mostly flow over the surface of the skin. Anyway I am interested enough to try it out.
Something else what intrigues me is that tests suggest stimuating DLPFC to improve mood but according to normal brain research this area serves as the highest cortical area responsible for motor planning, organization, and regulation. Nothing even remotely connected with happiness. I watched few very interesting videos on YouTube by Todd Murphy he is involved in a lot of experiments with brain stimulation techniques, very knowledgeable guy. The thing is that left amygdala is responsible for positive emotions happiness and this kind of feelings so maybe this is the area that should be stimulated. Unfortunately it is well inside the brain so maybe unreachable by electricity. If you are interested just type in YouTube this is the title "3 Enlightenment, Self, and the Brain".
I also would recommend you to consider that more is NOT always better or more effective. This is clear from many studies. It is entirely possible, as a hypothetical example, that 1 mA for 10 minutes twice daily is a better idea than 2 mA for 40 minutes once daily. So don't fall into the trap of thinking that the more, longer and stronger you zap, the better the effects. You may induce the opposite of intended effect with too much stimulation.
Go gently, do benchmarking. Since you say mood effects and memory are your main goals, I'd strongly recommend you to do dual-n-back after each session, note your progress and also write down a short assessment of your mood before and after each session. That way you will have data to compare and you'll be more likely to find a dose that suits you.
I was thinking of starting with 1.5mA for 20min, so it's good you mentioned it as I am kind of an extremist in everything I do, with me it always has to be either black or white, no shades of gray are acceptable... this is the kind of behaviour which put me in a lot of trouble and I would be happy to change it.
What do you think about following a little program, something like below
Montage 1 (whichever I choose)
day 1: 1mA, 10min
day 2: 1mA, 15min
day 3: 1mA, 20min
break for 2-3 days
day 1: 1.5mA, 10min
day 2: 1.5mA, 15min
day 3: 1.5mA, 20min
I suspect it is to quick to do changes every day but impatience is another negative trait of mine
Edited by fatetrader, 27 October 2013 - 02:01 PM.
#365
Posted 27 October 2013 - 09:20 PM
The effects on tDCS are almost entirely dependent on montage. If you want to feel an obvious physical effect you can try endorphin release induction by stimulating the motor cortex. It'll feel good, but won't make you any smarter...
Most people do a left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex montage, and that is what I have been experimenting with as well. If you benchmark yourself with cognitive tests you are likely to notice quicker and more pronounced improvements than usual, but if my experience is anything to go by, then don't expect any kind of 'buzz' from it (except for the tingle or slight stinging when stimulating :D ). Just doing tDCS and not engaging in any cognitively challenging task is unlikely to be of much use at all - well, maybe if you are depressed, it could take the wet blanket off somewhat, but that's it.
There are of course many more possibilities montage-wise, but I have not experimented with any others.
Are you using regular tDCS or HD?
#366
Posted 28 October 2013 - 03:09 AM
I would also be concerned with shunting effects if I tried to roll my own hdtDCS setup. I remember from the time I read a lot of studies and accounts on tDCS that it has been demonstrated that placing larger electrodes too close to each other indeed makes the current take the path over the skin rather than through the skull, so it is definitely something to consider.
I've seen Todd Murphy's videos and thought they were really interesting. However, my knowledge is lacking and I am not in a position to know how valid his conclusions are. He is not hired by any educational institution but has been in dialogue with, and assisted, Michael Persinger, also known as the guy with the 'God Helmet'.
Deep brain stimulation would indeed have more specific effects, but that is beyond our reach at present. However, in tDCS modelling (as has been explored by the lab of Marom Biksom), it seems that there actually are current effects inside the deeper structures of the brain as well when doing cross-cranial tDCS montages. Exactly what happens to those structures is still unknown, as far as I understand.
Off topic: I've read a lot by and about Persinger and Murphy and the God Helmet earlier, and find it fascinating, but I note that Swedish scientists who tried to replicate Persinger's experiment in a double-blinded situation did not get the same results. Persinger claims that different operating systems and other hardware/environmental variables may have influenced their results, but they did not appear receptive to that criticism. As far as I am concerned, the jury is still out on that one.
I do note that one of the people involved in the Swedish team is a skeptic type character with ties to the pharmaceutical industry who appears to derive great pleasure from trying to pulverize alternative medicine claims (in another case, he tried to suggest that rhodiola rosea is highly suspect, and that the people behind the studies are bogus), so if one wants to go down the conspiracy theory rabbit hole then that might be an opening... on the other hand, Persinger may have subtly influenced his participants, or his participants were just particularly prone to experience altered states.
#367
Posted 28 October 2013 - 03:29 PM
Off topic but very interesting stuff about the brain that might interest you.
I am currently reading an excellent book the Holographic Universe by Michael Talbot, it is an older one and although it's not purely scientific it has much value to offer in regard to brain stimulation here. Neuroscientist Karl Pribram, came up with this very interesting idea that the brain works in similar way to the Holographic and all of our memories are distributed through the brain, similar to the main principle of the hologram, "there is a whole in every part". There were experiments done which proved it to be true. I want to say here that there are many other theories and all of them have their proofs.
There was a very gruesome experiment done on about 700 salamanders by Paul Pietsch, you can read about it in his book Shufflebrain, where he proved that no matter in what way the brain is put back into the salamanders body (by the way they can live without it for short wile) backwards, upside down, he even minced it, result was always the same, animal after recovery time came back to its normal state. This was another prove that the brain function is distributed it is not dependent of the area.
Another very interesting experiment was to prove brains precognition capability and it did. It was repeated and confirmed by many scientists around the world. Basically computer was displaying 2 types of images with and without strong emotional content. Subjects were hooked to some medical monitoring equipment and before the test they were calibrated to see how their body functions react to both images. Results of the experiment showed that even before the image with emotional content was chosen randomly by computer and displayed on the screen their body was already displaying the signs related to it as if the person was already looking at it.
There is so much more to the brain than just plain concious ways we are using it.
#368
Posted 28 October 2013 - 08:44 PM
#369
Posted 28 October 2013 - 09:11 PM
http://brmlab.cz/pro...in_hacking/tdcs
He has an account here and has posted in this thread earlier:
http://www.longecity...user/22944-ata/
Edited by Godof Smallthings, 28 October 2013 - 09:48 PM.
#370
Posted 28 October 2013 - 09:17 PM
There's some answers I need to get before proceeding any further with my tDCS plans. First of all, what is really considered HD-tDCS? Is it four anodes and one cathode or is it four anodes and four cathodes? Also, I'm thinking about the possibility of making this device: http://tdcs-kit.com/ into HD-tDCS using a couple of these: http://www.amazon.co...h/dp/B0009DVD86. Would that be an OK setup? Is the 9V battery too small a power source?
It is one anode circled by 4 cathodes according to soterixmedial design, look below, under the right image it says.
Although if you look at next two images from various articles, first one is about USA military training and second I found on Google, they both shows 5 electrodes arranged into a polygon shape, no idea how this works, because it doesn't have the middle one I am assuming it is a normal not "HD" version and there is a cathode placed somewhere else. But who knows maybe it is some other type of HD system, no idea here.
Can you tell me if you tried so far the regular tDCS device and how it worked on you?
Edited by fatetrader, 28 October 2013 - 09:19 PM.
#371
Posted 29 October 2013 - 10:13 PM
#372
Posted 29 October 2013 - 10:58 PM
I suspect that because smaller area gives higher current density it somehow makes bigger impact, so this is why four blue are weaker than one red.
I am going to try the normal version first as it is just quicker to make the electrodes (I already made them) and now I just have to wait until my parts come so I can put them all together. To be honest I am quite skeptical if tDCS will even work on me in any noticeable way, but since it is so cheap and easy to make, there is no harm to try it, besides the possible harm to my health
Edited by fatetrader, 29 October 2013 - 11:02 PM.
#373
Posted 02 November 2013 - 09:15 PM
Edited by Megatrone, 02 November 2013 - 09:16 PM.
#374
Posted 02 November 2013 - 10:00 PM
he says he is using eeg electrodes, http://www.diytdcs.com/ this is his website look into it there is a lot of information
#375
Posted 04 November 2013 - 01:45 AM
I found something mentioning the positions for it: http://www.mrn.org/f...w_Scientist.pdf
"the anode - the positive pole of the battery - to my temple, and the cathode to my left arm."
So right side of the head on the temple should be the anode and the cathode should be on the left arm?
I would like some confirmation before trying it from maybe someone who has tried it before because it mentions in the article that
you can go blind for a few seconds if there not connected properly.
#376
Posted 04 November 2013 - 02:14 AM
"I spiced some wires here, wrapped some wires there, and did my best to put together an HD tDCS rig using EEG electrodes. After the horribly uncomfortable burning sensation I'd have to conclude that maybe EEG electrodes are too small. Oh well....I have experiments to run. All in the name of SCIENCE! Don't try this at home."
#377
Posted 04 November 2013 - 12:11 PM
"I spiced some wires here, wrapped some wires there, and did my best to put together an HD tDCS rig using EEG electrodes. After the horribly uncomfortable burning sensation I'd have to conclude that maybe EEG electrodes are too small. Oh well....I have experiments to run. All in the name of SCIENCE! Don't try this at home."
He he, I can see where you are going with this
You can't blame the guy for trying, never the less we all are very much interested in the subject and at some point will try our own ideas. It is not very safe but even walking on the street isn't this days. Anyway in one article about tDCS was mentioned that rat brain can handle up to 140mA before damage, ofcourse human brain is much different but this kind of tells you that with 2mA you can't possibly do any harm to it no matter how focused it is, some pain, discomfort yes.
We all are kind of a little Dr Frankenstein's here
Edited by fatetrader, 04 November 2013 - 12:13 PM.
#378
Posted 04 November 2013 - 06:40 PM
Here is a picture of the protocol. http://www.lastwordo...ectrochemistry/Anyone tried the "Flow State" with a normal tdcs yet?
I found something mentioning the positions for it: http://www.mrn.org/f...w_Scientist.pdf
"the anode - the positive pole of the battery - to my temple, and the cathode to my left arm."
So right side of the head on the temple should be the anode and the cathode should be on the left arm?
I would like some confirmation before trying it from maybe someone who has tried it before because it mentions in the article that
you can go blind for a few seconds if there not connected properly.
It shows the same 5 pole anode. I don't know what to make of that. If you look at the picture carefully it looks like an anode that splits into 5 anodes to cover a larger area? http://www.lastwordo.../02/zappity.jpg I just got my Foc.us after 2 months of waiting so I will be trying it out soon.
Edited by velopismo, 04 November 2013 - 07:10 PM.
#379
Posted 05 November 2013 - 03:40 AM
http://www.ncbi.nlm....pubmed/20729009
http://www.ncbi.nlm....ck-cocaine tdcs
#380
Posted 06 November 2013 - 09:19 AM
*The resistance on my meter rises as my sponge becomes dryer. My goal is to try to keep reistance around 4kohms (but it often drops below 3Kohms) and over time it can rise to 5.5kohms. Without the unit being able to compensalte for resistance this is what would happen. Using an online calculator I got: At 3kohms we get 6000V and 2.0mA (16000 watts), at 2kohms we get 6000V and 3.0mA (too high) (12000 watts), at 4kohms we get 6000V and 1.5mA (9000 watts) (too low), At 5kohms we get 6000V and (7200 watts)1.2 mA. The only number manipulated was resistance and as you can see as resitance is lowered the current "I" rises along with wattage but there was no change in voltage whatsover.
***please learn how to count thease all yours calculations are wrong
robosapiens
*What location(s) could increase sexual or orgasm response?
**is a vety complex problem but somatosensory cortex stimulation and r-dlpfc inhibition maight help,als try to look at spinal cord stimlation
fatetrader
*I am thinking about HD electrodes, where anode is in the middle and is circled around with few cathodes. It makes me wonder if current has a real chance to reach brain's depth before it is going to be sucked back in by cathodes. I remember a program about lightnings, basically electricity always looks for the shortest path between + an -. This kind of implies that in HD setup it should mostly flow over the surface of the skin. Anyway I am interested enough to try it out.
**large part is shunting trouht skin but not all , prediction of current level in brain is complicated
-------
eeg electrode for hdtdcs are to small you need 3-5cm2 surface area and use conductive gel on prepared skin
http://brmlab.cz/pro...in_hacking/tdcs
-homemade 4cm2 polyimid hdtdcs electrodes
#381
Posted 06 November 2013 - 12:17 PM
- It operates in range between 0.8 - 2.5 mA.
- I've used it for 15 min on 1.9 - 2.0 mA, starting from 0.8 mA (I can't go any lower due to design flaw)
- I have done a Depression montage (F3 + supra-orbital) and I am going to stick with it for about a month. I am going to do it a break every few days.
- During the stimulation I felt kind of a pressure on a head and a very subtle electrode itching. No other discomfort.
- I can't say that I notice any difference as yet but it is very early in the "experiment"
- These are nice electrodes, can you tell us how did you make them and what materials you have used?
- I made my sponge electrodes according to this tutorial from YouTube
- My device is based on his design (same guy), as I said simple but works, can you have a look at it, and tell me what you think and if you see any way to improve it so its range is from 0.
#382
Posted 06 November 2013 - 06:34 PM
noncoductive side is from adhesive\preglued rubber\plastic ring found in shop - antislipery/protective legs for electronic devices
add extra load something like 25 kohms trimer to output and you can use it for ramping
ramping on side
old sponge version
if you use conducive eeg gel is adhesive enough to hold electrode in place without cap
http://orlin.rajce.idnes.cz/tdcs
http://clinicalresearcher.org/F3/
Edited by ATA, 06 November 2013 - 06:35 PM.
#383
Posted 06 November 2013 - 08:06 PM
You must have been testing tDCS for a long time now. How much have you been stimulating the left DLPFC? Have you experienced any significant improvements in reasoning and mathematical ability?
#384
Posted 07 November 2013 - 12:30 AM
#385
Posted 08 November 2013 - 04:56 PM
Definytly can help many people but for me is effect to unspecific i need something better with tdcs i rech the limit where DIY Tdcs can go .
About machine for basic you need device with 9V (18V is better) output , ramping (manual at least) ,current setup 0,5-2,5 mA
you can make pseudo Hd-TDCS i use the same is not 5 channels but normal tdcs with split catohode to 4 wires(electrodes)
is very importantuse right electrodes and count current density
i dount now how devices are on the market now if you find any i can look at it and tell you if is it ok
#386
Posted 08 November 2013 - 05:44 PM
I also started back doing regular meditation, just the basic soham but still.
At the moment my device is a bunch of components and wires on the breadboard, but after I receive my miliammeter I will solder it all together. I may try HD setup of your design later.
I was thinking of putting in parallel 3x9v batteries for greater capacity. Whay would it be better to use 18V? my electronics is rubbish so if I use 18V I would have to use stronger resistors, wouldn't this drain the batteries quicker anyway? it is like putting into a circuit stronger light bulb. This is just my reasoning maybe I am wrong. I could anyway put 4 batteries to series in parallel so I would have 18V and more capacity.
I have to say first time I put my device on I felt like a mad scientist and my pulse went right up of excitement and a bit of fear if I am about to fry my brain although I knew about the experiment on rats that it takes 140mA to fry one.
Most devices I saw online are very expensive and they just do same thing. A bit more complex, like timers for session, automatic ampere ramping and this sort of thing.
#387
Posted 08 November 2013 - 06:41 PM
Capacity (life of battery) is ok it last long enought for many session and after you simply replace tehe battery ,you cann add to circut simple battery test by switch ,diode and resistor .
18V version is becouse some tipe of electrode have higher resistence and if i want to use 2mA stimulation im very close to limit voltage witch 9V version can supply.
Resistors are the same because constant current source circut.
140mA fry them but to do damage is not needet to much .Fring neurons is not only problem tdcs can chnage activation of large part of brain and is not allwayes beneficial.Neurochemical effect are also not fully known.
TDCS in this stge of technology development is not a toy or for enchacing abilities of normal people but for pacients with problems where is risk/gain ratio accpetable
you can imporve memory and cognition also with F3 montage becouse DLPFC control rest of the brain ,TDCS activate DLPFC but depent of you how you use this activation to your adventage its allow to you change automatic behavior and also change many setups in brain . Acivation of DLPFC is higly dependent of stres level in body tdcs actovate DLPFC and also reduce stres level by complex intreaction. But if it is stres lvele to high the short stimulation may be not be enought to overcome strees efect (lower perecivable effect of TDCS)
Capacity (life of battery) is ok it last long enought for many session and after you simply replace tehe battery ,you cann add to circut simple battery test by switch ,diode and resistor .
18V version is becouse some tipe of electrode have higher resistence and if i want to use 2mA stimulation im very close to limit voltage witch 9V version can supply.
Resistors are the same because constant current source circut.
140mA fry them but to do damage is not needet to much .Fring neurons is not only problem tdcs can chnage activation of large part of brain and is not allwayes beneficial.Neurochemical effect are also not fully known.
TDCS in this stge of technology development is not a toy or for enchacing abilities of normal people but for pacients with problems where is risk/gain ratio accpetable
#388
Posted 08 November 2013 - 08:52 PM
you can imporve memory and cognition also with F3 montage becouse DLPFC control rest of the brain ,TDCS activate DLPFC but depent of you how you use this activation to your adventage its allow to you change automatic behavior and also change many setups in brain . Acivation of DLPFC is higly dependent of stres level in body tdcs actovate DLPFC and also reduce stres level by complex intreaction. But if it is stres lvele to high the short stimulation may be not be enought to overcome strees efect (lower perecivable effect of TDCS)
Usually I'm quite stressed but more on the unconscious side, maybe this is going to work the way I hope.
Capacity (life of battery) is ok it last long enought for many session and after you simply replace tehe battery ,you cann add to circut simple battery test by switch ,diode and resistor.
How could I make this simple battery test? I will have a ammeter in the loop so this is gona drain some power this is why I want to double the capacity by adding second battery.
18V version is becouse some tipe of electrode have higher resistence and if i want to use 2mA stimulation im very close to limit voltage witch 9V version can supply. Resistors are the same because constant current source circut.
So you are saying that if I increase Voltage to 18V, my circuit can stay unchanged because LM334z is taking care of it? I think maybe tomorrow I will try it to see if this is the case.
140mA fry them but to do damage is not needet to much .Fring neurons is not only problem tdcs can chnage activation of large part of brain and is not allwayes beneficial.Neurochemical effect are also not fully known.
So this is where the "HD electrodes" come in, to limit activation to only as limited as possible part of the brain.
TDCS in this stge of technology development is not a toy or for enchacing abilities of normal people but for pacients with problems where is risk/gain ratio accpetable
True that, but people are curious species. For me personally it is this unknown factor, something what the first explorers must have felt when they went to the "new world" to meet the unknown. It is always this hope to accidentally stumble upon something what no one else before you have seen.
#389
Posted 09 November 2013 - 12:02 AM
capacity is ok is a unsignificant amout
yes unchanged
HD electrode solve only small part of problem larger problem is interindividual variabilyty without MRI and CT based model is hard to predict effect.
I know i also that type of explorer but exploring is sometimes very dangerous .
My last expediments are about make some kind of intreface with my subcosciounes mind and changing various setup in brain its like playing with bios in computer if change value to wrong one things can go very wrong and many times there did.I learnd many interisting suff but price is sometimes high.
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#390
Posted 09 November 2013 - 12:55 AM
Another thing that works well is metta meditation. I think Harvard University has a very precise description of how to go about a session.
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