Affiliations: [a] Sydney Neurostimulation Centre, Discipline of Psychiatry and Mental Health UNSW, Black Dog Institute, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| [b] Memory and Brain Lab, Programs in Cognitive and Brain Sciences, and Integrative Neuroscience, University of Nevada, Reno, NV, USA
Correspondence:
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Corresponding author: Donel M. Martin, PhD, Lecturer, Black Dog Institute, School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Hospital Rd, Randwick, Sydney, NSW 2031, Australia. Tel.: +61 2 9382 8353; E-mail: [email protected].
Abstract: Many psychiatric and neurological conditions are associated with cognitive impairment for which there are very limited treatment options. Brain stimulation methodologies show promise as novel therapeutics and have cognitive effects. Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), known more for its related transient adverse cognitive effects, can produce significant cognitive improvement in the weeks following acute treatment. Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is increasingly used as a treatment for major depression and has acute cognitive effects. Emerging research from controlled studies suggests that repeated TMS treatments may additionally have cognitive benefit. ECT and TMS treatment cause neurotrophic changes, although whether these are associated with cognitive effects remains unclear. Transcranial electrical stimulation methods including transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) and transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) are in development as novel treatments for multiple psychiatric conditions. These treatments may also produce cognitive enhancement particularly when stimulation occurs concurrently with a cognitive task. This review summarizes the current clinical evidence for these brain stimulation treatments as therapeutics for enhancing cognition. Acute, or short-lasting, effects as well as longer-term effects from repeated treatments are reviewed, together with potential putative neural mechanisms. Areas of future research are highlighted to assist with optimization of these approaches for enhancing cognition.
Keywords: Cognition, electroconvulsive therapy, transcranial magnetic stimulation, transcranial direct current stimulation, transcranial alternating current stimulation
