Clinical effects of non-invasive brain stimulation

Abstract

There are many types of non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) that can be considered for therapeutic intervention. Deep brain stimulation (DBS) can be highly successful, but it generally works by on-line effects, whereas NIBS needs to work by altering brain plasticity. With transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) used as a model of NIBS, the principles of brain plasticity are presented, and then TMS methods for producing excitability changes are reviewed. It is noted that multiple interventions are needed for significant therapeutic effects, and then principles and empirical data on multiple successive interventions are reviewed.