Neuromodulation

Neuromodulation (pronounced: noor-oh-moh-dyoo-lay-shuhn) is a technology that acts directly upon nerves. It is the alteration—or modulation—of nerve activity by delivering electrical or pharmaceutical agents directly to a target area.

Etymology

The term "neuromodulation" is derived from the Greek words "neuron" meaning nerve and "modulation" meaning the act of regulating something.

Definition

Neuromodulation is a process that regulates nervous activity through the delivery of electrical stimuli or chemical agents to specific neurological sites in the body. It is used to normalize – or modulate – nerve function.

Types of Neuromodulation

There are several types of neuromodulation, including:

Spinal Cord Stimulation: This involves the delivery of electrical signals to the spinal cord to control chronic pain.
Deep Brain Stimulation: This involves the delivery of electrical signals to specific areas of the brain to treat movement disorders such as Parkinson's disease.
Vagus Nerve Stimulation: This involves the delivery of electrical signals to the vagus nerve to treat epilepsy and depression.
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation: This involves the delivery of magnetic pulses to the brain to treat depression and other disorders.

Applications

Neuromodulation is used in the treatment of various medical conditions, including:

Chronic Pain: Neuromodulation can help manage chronic pain by altering pain signals.
Parkinson's Disease: Deep brain stimulation, a form of neuromodulation, is often used to treat Parkinson's disease.
Epilepsy: Vagus nerve stimulation can help control seizures in people with epilepsy.
Depression: Both vagus nerve stimulation and transcranial magnetic stimulation are used to treat depression.

Related Terms

Neurostimulation: This is a subset of neuromodulation that uses electrical signals to stimulate nerves.
Neurotransmitter: This is a chemical substance that transmits nerve impulses across a synapse.
Neuroplasticity: This is the ability of the brain to form and reorganize synaptic connections, especially in response to learning or experience or following injury.

External links

Medical encyclopedia article on Neuromodulation
Wikipedia's article - Neuromodulation

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Neuromodulation