Neuromodulation in the treatment of chronic neuropathic pain and neurodegenerative diseases

Abstract

Finding ways to treat chronic neuropathic pain and neurodegenerative diseases has been plaguing scientists for a long time. Pharmacological methods were firstly used to deal with these diseases. However, problems like drug overdose and addiction largely limit the efficacy of pharmacological treatment. With the rapid development of electronic devices and materials, scientists now have the ability to modulate nerve activities in a different way. Neuromodulation is a boosting field of neurotechnology which use physical or chemical methods to exert modulation effects in the central or peripheral nervous system of the human body. Usually, neuromodulation is used as an alternative to long-term drug therapy for treating chronic neuropathic pain. This article discusses the mechanisms and methods of neuromodulation and reviews its applications in neuropathic pain, Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s. Different methods of neuromodulation are put together and their characteristics and advantages are discussed. This article provides a reference to current neuromodulation technics, their possible mechanisms, and applications, helping future studies gain a clear overview of the field of neuromodulation.