Effects of noninvasive brain stimulation on motor functions in animal models of ischemia and trauma in the central nervous system

Noninvasive brain stimulation techniques offer promising therapeutic and regenerative prospects in neurological diseases by modulating brain activity and improving cognitive and motor functions. Given the paucity of knowledge about the underlying modes of action and optimal treatment modalities, a t...

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Main Authors: Seda Demir, Gereon R. Fink, Maria A. Rueger, Stefan J. Blaschke
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2026-04-01
Series:Neural Regeneration Research
Subjects:
Online Access:https://journals.lww.com/10.4103/NRR.NRR-D-24-01613
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author Seda Demir
Gereon R. Fink
Maria A. Rueger
Stefan J. Blaschke
author_facet Seda Demir
Gereon R. Fink
Maria A. Rueger
Stefan J. Blaschke
author_sort Seda Demir
collection DOAJ
description Noninvasive brain stimulation techniques offer promising therapeutic and regenerative prospects in neurological diseases by modulating brain activity and improving cognitive and motor functions. Given the paucity of knowledge about the underlying modes of action and optimal treatment modalities, a thorough translational investigation of noninvasive brain stimulation in preclinical animal models is urgently needed. Thus, we reviewed the current literature on the mechanistic underpinnings of noninvasive brain stimulation in models of central nervous system impairment, with a particular emphasis on traumatic brain injury and stroke. Due to the lack of translational models in most noninvasive brain stimulation techniques proposed, we found this review to the most relevant techniques used in humans, i.e., transcranial magnetic stimulation and transcranial direct current stimulation. We searched the literature in PubMed, encompassing the MEDLINE and PMC databases, for studies published between January 1, 2020 and September 30, 2024. Thirty-five studies were eligible. Transcranial magnetic stimulation and transcranial direct current stimulation demonstrated distinct strengths in augmenting rehabilitation post-stroke and traumatic brain injury, with emerging mechanistic evidence. Overall, we identified neuronal, inflammatory, microvascular, and apoptotic pathways highlighted in the literature. This review also highlights a lack of translational surrogate parameters to bridge the gap between preclinical findings and their clinical translation.
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spelling doaj-art-f53db673ac0d4a269f9e0758700bc8ec2025-08-20T03:31:30ZengWolters Kluwer Medknow PublicationsNeural Regeneration Research1673-53741876-79582026-04-012141264127610.4103/NRR.NRR-D-24-01613Effects of noninvasive brain stimulation on motor functions in animal models of ischemia and trauma in the central nervous systemSeda DemirGereon R. FinkMaria A. RuegerStefan J. BlaschkeNoninvasive brain stimulation techniques offer promising therapeutic and regenerative prospects in neurological diseases by modulating brain activity and improving cognitive and motor functions. Given the paucity of knowledge about the underlying modes of action and optimal treatment modalities, a thorough translational investigation of noninvasive brain stimulation in preclinical animal models is urgently needed. Thus, we reviewed the current literature on the mechanistic underpinnings of noninvasive brain stimulation in models of central nervous system impairment, with a particular emphasis on traumatic brain injury and stroke. Due to the lack of translational models in most noninvasive brain stimulation techniques proposed, we found this review to the most relevant techniques used in humans, i.e., transcranial magnetic stimulation and transcranial direct current stimulation. We searched the literature in PubMed, encompassing the MEDLINE and PMC databases, for studies published between January 1, 2020 and September 30, 2024. Thirty-five studies were eligible. Transcranial magnetic stimulation and transcranial direct current stimulation demonstrated distinct strengths in augmenting rehabilitation post-stroke and traumatic brain injury, with emerging mechanistic evidence. Overall, we identified neuronal, inflammatory, microvascular, and apoptotic pathways highlighted in the literature. This review also highlights a lack of translational surrogate parameters to bridge the gap between preclinical findings and their clinical translation.https://journals.lww.com/10.4103/NRR.NRR-D-24-01613noninvasive brain stimulationpreclinical modelingstroketranscranial direct current stimulationtranscranial magnetic stimulationtraumatic brain injury
spellingShingle Seda Demir
Gereon R. Fink
Maria A. Rueger
Stefan J. Blaschke
Effects of noninvasive brain stimulation on motor functions in animal models of ischemia and trauma in the central nervous system
Neural Regeneration Research
noninvasive brain stimulation
preclinical modeling
stroke
transcranial direct current stimulation
transcranial magnetic stimulation
traumatic brain injury
title Effects of noninvasive brain stimulation on motor functions in animal models of ischemia and trauma in the central nervous system
title_full Effects of noninvasive brain stimulation on motor functions in animal models of ischemia and trauma in the central nervous system
title_fullStr Effects of noninvasive brain stimulation on motor functions in animal models of ischemia and trauma in the central nervous system
title_full_unstemmed Effects of noninvasive brain stimulation on motor functions in animal models of ischemia and trauma in the central nervous system
title_short Effects of noninvasive brain stimulation on motor functions in animal models of ischemia and trauma in the central nervous system
title_sort effects of noninvasive brain stimulation on motor functions in animal models of ischemia and trauma in the central nervous system
topic noninvasive brain stimulation
preclinical modeling
stroke
transcranial direct current stimulation
transcranial magnetic stimulation
traumatic brain injury
url https://journals.lww.com/10.4103/NRR.NRR-D-24-01613
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