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Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS)/Transcranial Alternating Current Stimulation (tACS) Review Article| Volume 7, ISSUE 6, P849-854, November 2014

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Non-invasive Brain Stimulation Therapy in Multiple Sclerosis: A Review of tDCS, rTMS and ECT Results

  • Author Footnotes
    1 Both authors contributed equally to this work.
    Ulrich Palm
    Correspondence
    Corresponding author. Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Ludwig-Maximilian University Munich, Nussbaumstr. 7, 80336 Munich, Germany. Tel.: +49 89 4400 55511; fax: +49 89 4400 54749.
    Footnotes
    1 Both authors contributed equally to this work.
    Affiliations
    Department of Physiology, Henri Mondor Hospital, Assistance Publique – Hôpitaux de Paris, Créteil, France

    Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Ludwig-Maximilian University Munich, Munich, Germany
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  • Author Footnotes
    1 Both authors contributed equally to this work.
    Samar S. Ayache
    Footnotes
    1 Both authors contributed equally to this work.
    Affiliations
    Department of Physiology, Henri Mondor Hospital, Assistance Publique – Hôpitaux de Paris, Créteil, France

    EA 4391, Nerve Excitability and Therapeutic Team, Faculty of Medicine, Paris Est Créteil University, Créteil, France
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  • Frank Padberg
    Affiliations
    Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Ludwig-Maximilian University Munich, Munich, Germany
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  • Jean-Pascal Lefaucheur
    Affiliations
    Department of Physiology, Henri Mondor Hospital, Assistance Publique – Hôpitaux de Paris, Créteil, France

    EA 4391, Nerve Excitability and Therapeutic Team, Faculty of Medicine, Paris Est Créteil University, Créteil, France
    Search for articles by this author
  • Author Footnotes
    1 Both authors contributed equally to this work.
Published:September 26, 2014DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.brs.2014.09.014

      Highlights

      • ECT is useful for the treatment of concomitant psychiatric disorders.
      • rTMS, iTBS, and tDCS show mixed results in MS symptoms.
      • More studies are needed to explore NIBS in MS.

      Abstract

      Background

      Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a disabling neurological disorder presenting a variety of symptoms which are hard to control by actual drug regimens. Non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) techniques have been investigated in the past years for the improvement of several neurologic and psychiatric disorders.

      Objective

      Here, we review the application of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS, iTBS) and electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) in MS patients.

      Methods

      Articles were searched in common literature databases. Crosslinks were reviewed.

      Results

      ECT was shown to be efficacious for the treatment of severe psychiatric disorders in 21 case reports. The results of tDCS and TMS for the treatment of depressive symptoms, fatigue, tactile sensory deficit, pain, motor performance, and spasticity were assessed in several studies and showed mixed results.

      Conclusions

      Overall, data for the treatment of MS with NIBS is sparse regarding TMS and tDCS. Treatment of severe psychiatric disorders with ECT is only reported in single cases. More studies are needed to elucidate the potential role of NIBS in MS treatment.

      Keywords

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