Increasing the quality of sleep and life by brain electrical stimulation in patients with painful diabetic neuropathy

Painful diabetic neuropathy is a major complication of chronic diabetes with a significant negative impact on the quality of sleep and quality of life in diabetic patients. This study was conducted to determine the single and combined effect of primary motor cortex (M1) and left Dorso lateral prefrontal cortex (L- DLPFC/ F3) anodic transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) in improving sleep quality and quality of life in type 2 diabetes patients with neuropathic pain.

The current study was a four-group double-blind randomized clinical trial. The statistical population consisted of all patients with type 2 diabetes aged 45 to 65 years, who were members of the Bonab Diabetes Association in 2022 and identified as having neuropathic pain by specialists. The research sample was 48 people selected through the purposeful sampling method and randomly assigned into three experimental groups and one sham control group. Patients in four groups received their respective interventions for 12 sessions, three times a week. The data collection was done using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and the 36-Item Short Form quality of life questionnaire (SF-36).

According to the findings, only the stimulation of M1 and F3 areas was effective in improving the sleep quality of diabetic patients. In terms of increasing quality of life, the effect of combined treatment (stimulation of both M1 and F3 areas) was significantly higher than the F3 area stimulation and sham stimulation groups. Also, the observed effect remained stable until the 3-month follow-up stage.

According to the results of this research, neuropsychological rehabilitation through electrical stimulation of the M1 and F3 areas of the brain was supported to improve the sleep quality and the quality of life of diabetic neuropathy patients.