Neurostimulation

Neurostimulation is a therapeutic activation or modulation of the nervous system's activity using implanted devices. These devices are commonly referred to as Neurostimulators.

Overview

Neurostimulation technology can improve the life quality of those who are severely paralyzed or suffering from profound losses to various sense organs. It serves as the key part of neural prosthetics for hearing aids, artificial vision, artificial limbs, and brain-machine interfaces. In the case of neural pulse simulation, it is used for the treatment of neurological disorders like epilepsy and Parkinson's disease.

Types of Neurostimulation

There are several types of neurostimulation, each targeting different parts of the nervous system and used for different therapeutic purposes. These include:

• Spinal cord stimulation (SCS)
• Deep brain stimulation (DBS)
• Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS)
• Sacral nerve stimulation (SNS)
• Cortical stimulation (CS)
• Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)

Applications

Neurostimulation is used in a variety of medical situations. Some of the most common applications include treatment of neurological disorders such as:

• Parkinson's disease
• Epilepsy
• Major depression
• Essential tremor
• Dystonia
• Chronic pain

Risks and Complications

Like any medical procedure, neurostimulation carries potential risks and complications. These may include:

• Infection
• Hemorrhage
• Headache
• Hardware malfunction
• Undesirable changes in mood, cognition, or neurologic status

See Also

• Neuroprosthetics
• Neurology
• Neurosurgery
• Neuroscience

References

Neurostimulation Resources
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