ABSTRACT
This chapter highlights the evidence for the efficacy of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation, Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) and deep brain stimulation (DBS) as a treatment for neurodegenerative diseases. It discusses some of the limitations with each method that may be used for future research and clinical considerations. Transcranial magnetic stimulation has emerged as a popular technique for treating physical, cognitive and behavioural symptomology in neurodegenerative disease. The major neurotechnological advance in the treatment of Parkinson’s disease (PD) has been DBS. A highly invasive neurosurgical procedure requiring significant preparation, DBS for PD involves neurosurgical implantation of electrodes in one of two brain sites: the subthalamic nucleus. Advancements in brain stimulation technologies provide an exciting opportunity to reinstate motor and cognitive functions in people with neurodegenerative disease. Based on collective evidence from meta-analyses of tDCS literature, the application of tDCS in neurodegenerative disorders such as PD and Alzheimer’s disease showed a modest but significant improvement in motor and cognitive outcomes.
