Neuromodulation Treatments for Mild Traumatic Brain Injury and Post-concussive Symptoms.

Abstract

PURPOSE OF REVIEW:

Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) can result in prolonged post-concussive symptoms (e.g., depression, headaches, cognitive impairment) that are debilitating and difficult to treat. This article reviews recent research on neuromodulation for mTBI.

RECENT FINDINGS:

Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is the most studied neuromodulation approach for mTBI (four studies for depression, four for headache, one for cognitive impairment, and two for global post-concussive symptoms) with promising results for post-concussive depression and headache. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has also been evaluated (one study for post-traumatic headache, and three for cognitive impairment), with more mixed results overall. TMS appears to be a potentially promising neuromodulation treatment strategy for post-concussive symptoms; however, integration into clinical practice will require larger sham-controlled randomized trials with longer and more consistent follow-up periods. Future studies should also explore new stimulation protocols, personalized approaches, and the role of placebo effects.

• Authors: Adriano Mollica, Rachel Greben, Chika Oriuwa, Shan H Siddiqi, Matthew J Burke
• Journal: Current neurology and neuroscience reports (Curr Neurol Neurosci Rep) Vol. 22 Issue 3 Pg. 171-181 (03 2022) ISSN: 1534-6293 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 35175543 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Review, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
• Copyright: © 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.

Topics

• Brain Concussion (complications, therapy)
• Headache (therapy)
• Humans
• Post-Concussion Syndrome (therapy)
• Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (methods)
• Treatment Outcome