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April 21, 2026Open Access

Accelerated Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation as an Adjunctive Treatment for Rapid Symptom Relief in Bodily Distress Disorder: A Case Series

Key Points

This study examines the effectiveness of accelerated transcranial direct current stimulation as a treatment for bodily distress disorder.
Five patients underwent 2–5 sessions of accelerated transcranial direct current stimulation over 10 days.
The treatments targeted the left motor cortex or dorsolateral prefrontal cortex.
Patient outcomes were assessed using the Visual Analogue Scale for pain.
Four of the five patients experienced significant pain reduction, indicated by a decrease in Visual Analogue Scale scores from 9.0 ± 1.4 to 3.8 ± 2.2.
Overall symptom improvement was noted in these patients.
Adverse effects were minimal, indicating a favorable safety profile for atDCS.

Abstract

Bodily distress disorder (BDD) is a challenging condition often unresponsive to pharmacotherapy. This case series explores accelerated transcranial direct current stimulation (atDCS) as an adjunctive treatment in five patients with treatment-resistant BDD. Patients received 2–5 daily sessions over approximately 10 days, targeting the left motor cortex or dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. Four patients showed significant pain reduction (Visual Analogue Scale VAS scores reduced from 9.0 ± 1.4 to 3.8 ± 2.2) and overall symptom improvement, with minimal adverse effects. These findings suggest that atDCS is a safe, feasible and potentially effective intervention for BDD.

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Discussion

Journals

Indian Journal of Psychological Medicine

Institutions

University of Toronto

Manipal Academy of Higher Education

Kasturba Medical College, Manipal

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