Using Transcranial Electrical Stimulation in Audiological Practice: The Gaps to Be Filled.

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Auditory Neuroscience
• Rehabilitation Science

Background:

• Transcranial electrical stimulation (tES) is well-established for motor rehabilitation.
• Its potential for sensory field modulation, particularly in hearing, is less understood.
• Investigating tES for sensory loss compensation is a key research area.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the impact of tES on cortical auditory excitability.
• To assess tES influence on auditory processing and hearing rehabilitation.
• To identify knowledge gaps for therapeutic application of tES in auditory deficits.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review of existing literature on tES and auditory function.
• Analysis of studies examining tES effects on cortical auditory excitability.
• Evaluation of evidence linking tES to auditory processing and plasticity.

Main Results:

• Evidence suggests tES can modulate auditory plasticity effectively.
• tES impacts cortical excitability and overall auditory abilities.
• The precise directionality and therapeutic impact on auditory processing remain unclear.

Conclusions:

• tES is a potential tool for modulating auditory plasticity.
• More research is required to understand its specific effects on auditory processing.
• Further investigation is needed before tES can be recommended for hearing rehabilitation.