Efficacy of non-invasive brain stimulation in Alzheimer's disease: An umbrella review of meta-analyses.
Ying Tang, Lirong Huang, Wenyuan Li et al.
✦ AI-curated · Sources linked
In 30 seconds
This umbrella review evaluates the efficacy of non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) in Alzheimer's disease, analyzing 42 publications with 5771 patients. The study found that NIBS led to significant immediate improvements in various cognitive and clinical outcomes, with 57.1% of outcome associations being statistically significant (p < 0.05). Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) emerged as the most effective technique.
Key findings
- NIBS resulted in significant immediate improvements in global cognition and daily living.
- 57.1% of 119 outcome associations were statistically significant (p < 0.05).
- rTMS was identified as the most effective technique with 16 moderate- to high-quality associations.
- Long-term benefits were sustained only in global cognition.
Why it matters
Understanding the efficacy of NIBS, particularly rTMS, in Alzheimer's disease can inform treatment strategies and enhance patient care. Clinicians may consider these findings when exploring non-pharmacological interventions for cognitive decline.