Neurogenic Effect of Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation in Adult Brain

Abstract

Basic and clinical research suggests potential therapeutic properties for repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) in the treatment of stroke and neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s disease (PD) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. However, the studies on the basic mechanisms of rTMS are scarce, although the rising number of clinical studies have assumed on its therapeutic effects. Animal studies have been suggested mechanism which of how rTMS affects brain circuits and the causal relation in brain-behavior relationships. In addition, recent studies changed perspective that rTMS led to modulate neurotransmitter release, synaptic efficiency, signaling pathways and gene transcription. Furthermore, a few studies suggest that rTMS induces neurogenesis, neuronal viability and secretion of neuroprotective/neurotrophic molecules. In current review, we focused on the basic foundation of possibility on neurogenesis by rTMS in animal with neurodegenerative disorder such as a PD animal model.