The equipment is composed of CES (cranial stimulation involving electrical microcurrents) and stimulation with microcurrents applied through electrodes, which can be either glued or used in association with 2 applicators for periphery stimulation.

          Regarding the periphery areas, microcurrents are applied in pain therapy, fibromyalgia, joints or vertebral-muscular pain.

          Cranial applications are used for treating cephalalgia, anxiety, depression, bipolar disorders, and for diminishing violence and aggressivity in patients under neuropsychiatric treatment.

          Short history

          The first experiments were conducted in 1902 by Dr. Leduc and Dr. Rouxeau in France. In its early stages of development, this stimulation method was called electro-sleep, because brain stimulation was believed to induce sleep. Other terms used were transcranial electrotherapy or neuroelectric therapy. However, the real CES research began in the 1950’s in the Soviet Union, and it appeared in USA 18 years later.

          During the first half of the 20th century, many methods were used in order to readjust the sleep cycle and normal brain functionality. Regardless of the method used, pharmaceutical or electro-therapy, different heights of success were recorded.

          Electroconvulsive therapy for treating depression and psychosis was first introduced in 1933 by Cerletti and in 1938 by Bibi; it consisted of applying 120V currents, 500mA, to a frequency of 60Hz for 0.2 seconds. This therapy produced convulsions and loss of consciousness for a limited period of time and less sleep.

          Later on, the electric current used was decreased to 2V, 30mA, 700Hz and it was called electro-anesthesia (National Research Council 1974). Under the influence of this applied current, patients remained asleep, but they woke up immediately after the current was switched off.

          In the end, the current’s intensity was reduces even more, to 1V, 5mA and 700 Hz. This technique was applied several hours and it was called “electrosleep” (Pozos, Richardson & Kaplan, 1971; Pozos, Strack, White & Richardson, 1971). Nowadays, CES devices use currents with intensities under 1mA, to 0.5 and 100 Hz, connected to a 9V battery source. In the 1950’s and later on, CES was used for treating psychiatric disorders, with benefic effects on psychoses, even when the therapy was unable to induce sleep (Williams & Webb, 1966).

          In the last 30 years, at least 8 medical companies that make equipments have received the FDA’s notice to commercialize CES devices.

          The Kirsch’s bibliography published in 2002 numbers 126 human studies and 29 CES animal studies (the majority was completed in USA). The majority of the studies was double-blind and conducted by American universities. 6007 patients with various afflictions beneficiated from the CES therapy, and 4541 of them are still under treatment.

          Action mechanism

          It is considered that the effects are principally mediated through direct action on the brain, at the limbic system’s level, the reticular ascendent system and/or the hypothalamus level (Gibson & O’Hair, 1987; Brotman 1989; Madden & Kirsch, 1987).

          The key role of reticular activating system is to adjust the electro-cortical activity. Electrical stimulus applied on the grey matter activates the descendent inhibitory ways from the medulla oblongata’s medial area to the posterior horn of the spinal cord.; its effect is similar to beta-endorphins (Salar & Job, 1981; Pert, Dionne & Ng, 1981;Ng & Douthitt, 1975). Cortical inhibition strengthened by CES is a factor in the Melzack theory of gate control (1975). Toriyama (1975) suggested that CES produces effects by dominating the parasympathetic nervous system through the Vagus nerve. Taylor (1991) added that CES has an effect on other cranial nerves such as: trigeminal, facial, acoustical and Glossopharyngeal nerve. Fields, Tacke and Savana (1975) showed that the electro-cortical activity produced through trigeminal nerve stimulation is involved in the limbic system’s functionality, which is a mediator for emotions. The P substance and the enkephalin were discovered in the trigeminal nerve, and they are involved in adjusting emotions on the level of the limbic system (Jarzembski, Larson &Sances, 1970).

          The acoustic nerve can be affected by CES, when the current is too strong and it can produce a slight dizziness. Placing the electrodes on the ear’s lobes is a convenient way of conducting the electrical current through the mesencephalon (midbrain) and through the structures that compose the medulla oblongata. Research has shown that CES increases the strength of alpha waves from the posterior area, thus increasing the amplitude and symmetry of alpha waves from the recorded EEG (Kennerly, 2005).

          From studies on monkeys, Jarzembski, Larson and Sances (1970), approximately 42-46% of the measured current that enters through the brain, that is the highest concentration is found in the limbic system. Studies on rats conducted by Krupisky, Burakov, Karandashova (1991) have showed an increase in beta-endorphins after only one session. Studies on dogs ( Pozos) reveled that CES releases dopamine from the basal ganglia, and the CES effect seamed to be anticholinergic and catecholaminergic. Richter, Zouhar and Tatsuno (1972) noticed that after 10 sessions of 1 hour stimulation on Rhesus monkeys, the size, location and distribution of the synaptic vesicles was within normal boundaries.

          Alpha-Stim or CES has an adjusting and smooth adjusting effect on neurotransmitters; it produces alpha brainwaves that reduce stress, agitation, and they stabilize the emotional mood, ensures pain control (Kirsch & Smith 2000; Lichtbroun 2001).

          Alpha Stim or CES session

          The treatment is similar to TENS, but it produces a different type of waves, determined by a small intensity current. Applying TENS on a transcranial level can become dangerous, and FDA prohibits the use of this technology on the head.
 CES treatment can last from 20 minutes to 1 hour, without the need of laying down on the bed, in the dark or in a quiet room.

          After CES treatment, many people said that they felt less anxious and stressed and more focused on mental activities. These patients sleep better, have a better concentration rate, their learning abilities increase, the well being feeling is stronger, and all these happen after one or more series of treatment. Some people can have euphoric or deep relaxation feelings, which can temporary and minimally affect that person’s physical or mental abilities; it can thus interfere with their abilities of driving a vehicle or handling heavy machines.

          When needed, CES treatments can be combined with medication, without the two interfering and CES can also be associated with other alternative therapies, in order to increase its efficacy.

          Evidence of CES efficacy

          It has been proven by the numerous studies: 160 research studies regarding the significant changes associated with relaxation response, proved through EMG, 17 longitudinal studies on depression reduction, 26 published studies regarding the physiological and psychological changes after the use of CES in depression and anxiety. In what anxiety is concerned, recent studies revealed a biochemical basis common with other afflictions that are usually associated with anxiety such as: post-traumatic syndrome, panic attacks, agoraphobia, generalized anxiety disorder, specific or social phobias, obsessive-compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, bipolar disorders.

          CES efficacy was demonstrated in studies on violent persons under psychiatric medication, suffering from: schizophrenia, borderline personality, bipolar disorder, PDD with psychosis and autism, antisocial personality; the device had an antiaggressivity effect. A German study states that CES improves the resistance rate to schizophrenic drug treatment with 60% after a 2-year period.

          CES reduces certain types of cephalalgia with 36-50%, depending on the type of study. Severe migraines can be reduced after 3 hours of treatment. When trying to treat fibromyalgia, the first line therapy is CES, fact proven by multiple double-blind and randomized studies.

          A higher and higher number of patients search alternatives for the adverse reaction of drugs, and CES can be a reliable alternative, as it has over 50 years of study background and results have been confirmed as successful; also, this device has been double certified by the FDA and CE.

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