Non-invasive Transcranial Electrical Stimulation in Movement Disorders.

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Neurology

Background:

• Movement disorders are hypothesized to stem from large-scale brain network dysfunction.
• Current treatment options for restoring network function are limited.
• Non-invasive brain stimulation techniques are emerging as potential therapeutic strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the current literature on transcranial electrical stimulation (tES) techniques for movement disorders.
• To explore the electrophysiological basis of different tES methods.
• To discuss the therapeutic implications of tES in movement disorder treatment.

Main Methods:

• Review of existing studies on transcranial electrical stimulation (tES) techniques.
• Focus on four tES modalities: transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS), transcranial pulsed current stimulation (tPCS), and transcranial random noise stimulation (tRNS).
• Analysis of the electrophysiological underpinnings and therapeutic potential.

Main Results:

• tES offers a portable, cost-effective, and non-invasive approach to brain network modulation.
• tDCS and tACS have been investigated in Parkinson's disease, dystonia, tremor, and ataxia.
• tPCS and tRNS require further investigation.

Conclusions:

• tES techniques show promise for treating movement disorders by targeting brain network dysfunction.
• The reviewed tES methods are feasible for network modulation.
• Further research and application of tES are encouraged for future therapeutic advancements.