Electroceutical therapies for injuries of the nervous system

Abstract Electroceutical therapies using electronic devices for stimulating and recording activity in the nervous system are under development or in use for a large variety of diseases affecting the nervous system or other organs. This chapter focuses on the electroceutical strategies applied to acquired injuries of the nervous system. Electrical stimulation therapies have been proposed for promoting neural repair and regeneration after injury, and for modulating neural plasticity mechanisms that may assist to recover lost functions. Acute electrical stimulation of injured peripheral nerves has been shown to accelerate axonal regeneration and enhance functional connections, as well as to modulate dysfunctions in spinal cord excitability. Bioelectronic devices that provide electrical stimulation to either promote regeneration of the injured spinal tracts or to activate preserved spinal circuits below the injury, have opened new paradigms for spinal cord injury therapy. Electrostimulation has also been used to restore the excitatory-inhibitory balance of the brain and to reorganize neural circuits in the treatment of neurological disorders. Noninvasive cortical stimulation has been included in rehabilitation programs, complementing physical therapy, with substantial improvement in cortical plasticity and functional recovery.