Noninvasive Brain Stimulation in Traumatic Brain Injury

Abstract

Brain stimulation techniques have evolved in the last few decades with more novel methods capable of painless, noninvasive brain stimulation. While the number of clinical trials employing noninvasive brain stimulation continues to increase in a variety of medication-resistant neurological and psychiatric diseases, studies evaluating their diagnostic and therapeutic potential in traumatic brain injury (TBI) are largely lacking. This review introduces different techniques of noninvasive brain stimulation, which may find potential use in TBI. We cover transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), low-level laser therapy (LLLT) and transcranial doppler sonography (TCD) techniques. We provide a brief overview of studies to date, discuss possible mechanisms of action, and raise a number of considerations when thinking about translating these methods to clinical use.

Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation for the Treatment of Chronic Tinnitus After Traumatic Brain Injury

“…Therefore, a more systematic approach would be desirable to focus on TBI-specific effects of TMS as a noninvasive diagnostic and therapeutic tool. 20 Thus prospective controlled studies will be needed to address the safety and efficacy of rTMS in the treatment of TBIrelated disorders.…”

Letter to the Editor: Stereotactic injection of nondiffusible dyes

“…The use of methylene blue by the Treviso group hinders the generalizability of their method. Several reports 1,2,5,6 -with the first one being published 66 years ago 7 -have established the toxicity of methylene blue after intrathecal injection. In the light of these reports it would be problematic to use methylene blue for this technique.…”

Letter to the Editor: Early noninvasive brain stimulation after severe TBI

“…4 Noninvasive cerebral stimulation is a promising intervention for the treatment of cognitive impairment after TBI. 1 According to Villamar et al, 9 the acute recovery of cerebral functions after brain injury includes the activation of cellular repairs, which occurs in the earlier weeks following injury, cellular plasticity, and anatomical plasticity, including the formation of new connections. After the acute phase, remyelization and plasticity are the main processes that occur-particularly during the 3 months following the trauma.…”

“…Our group in Treviso used a very similar technique and published the results about 25 years ago. 1,2 We similarly used nonspreading dyes to highlight the tumor borders before performing the craniotomy and consequently before brain shift could occur. Methylene blue was injected to label the tumor boundaries.…”