Brain Stimulation Done at Slower Rates May Be Best for MS and Other Patients as Neurons ‘Tire,’ Study Says
A non-invasive procedure using magnetic pulses to stimulate the brain may be more effective in treating multiple sclerosis (MS) and other patients if the rate of stimulation is slowed, a new study suggests, finding that neurons “tire” with overstimulation and may fail to respond.
The research, “
Less might be more: Conduction failure as a factor possibly limiting the efficacy of higher frequencies in rTMS protocols,” was published in the journal
Frontiers in Neuroscience.
The procedure — repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) — is used to treat major depression, stroke or movement disorders. During rTMS, doctors place an electromagnetic device against the scalp, near the forehead, and use magnetic pulses to stimulate specific brain regions.
In MS patients, prior research has shown that rTMS eases depression and may aid working memory.
