Effect of Neurostimulation on Cognition and Mood in Refractory Epilepsy

Overview

Journal Epilepsia Open

Date 2018 Mar 29

PMID 29588984

Citations 15

Authors

Alvin Y Chan

John D Rolston

Vikram R Rao

Edward F Chang

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Epilepsy is a common, debilitating neurological disorder characterized by recurrent seizures. Mood disorders and cognitive deficits are common comorbidities in epilepsy that, like seizures, profoundly influence quality of life and can be difficult to treat. For patients with refractory epilepsy who are not candidates for resection, neurostimulation, the electrical modulation of epileptogenic brain tissue, is an emerging treatment alternative. Several forms of neurostimulation are currently available, and therapy selection hinges on relative efficacy for seizure control and amelioration of neuropsychiatric comorbidities. Here, we review the current evidence for how invasive and noninvasive neurostimulation therapies affect mood and cognition in persons with epilepsy. Invasive therapies include vagus nerve stimulation (VNS), deep brain stimulation (DBS), and responsive neurostimulation (RNS). Noninvasive therapies include trigeminal nerve stimulation (TNS), repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS), and transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS). Overall, current evidence supports stable cognition and mood with all neurostimulation therapies, although there is some evidence that cognition and mood may improve with invasive forms of neurostimulation. More research is required to optimize the effects of neurostimulation for improvements in cognition and mood.

Citing Articles

Long-Term Outcome in Adult Patients with Drug-Resistant Epilepsy Submitted to Vagus Nerve Stimulation.

Santi S, Fuggetta F, Colicchio G, DErcole M, Izzo A, DAlessandris Q Brain Sci. 2024; 14(7).

PMID: 39061382 PMC: 11274406. DOI: 10.3390/brainsci14070639.

The dual effect of vagus nerve stimulation in pediatric patients with drug-resistant epilepsy: Is there more than seizure control?.

Mahmoud M, El Rashidi O, Halim G, Amgad Elkholy M, Aglan O, Rahman El Sabbagh A Epilepsy Behav Rep. 2024; 27:100653.

PMID: 38841319 PMC: 11150965. DOI: 10.1016/j.ebr.2024.100653.

Complex executive functions assessed by the trail making test (TMT) part B improve more than those assessed by the TMT part A or digit span backward task during vagus nerve stimulation in patients with drug-resistant epilepsy.

Lahde N, Basnyat P, Raitanen J, Kamppi L, Lehtimaki K, Rosti-Otajarvi E Front Psychiatry. 2024; 15:1349201.

PMID: 38419904 PMC: 10899669. DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1349201.

Effects of vagus nerve stimulation on cognitive function in patients with epilepsy: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Kong Y, Zhao K, Zeng D, Lu F, Li X, Wu Y Front Neurol. 2024; 15:1332882.

PMID: 38405400 PMC: 10884318. DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2024.1332882.

Deep Brain Stimulation for the Management of Refractory Neurological Disorders: A Comprehensive Review.

Rissardo J, Vora N, Tariq I, Mujtaba A, Caprara A Medicina (Kaunas). 2023; 59(11).

PMID: 38004040 PMC: 10673515. DOI: 10.3390/medicina59111991.

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