Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation as a Novel Therapy in Animal Models of Traumatic Brain Injury.

Abstract

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) in humans causes a broad range of structural damage and functional deficits due to both primary and secondary injury mechanisms. Over the past three decades, animal models have been established to replicate the diverse changes of human TBI, to study the underlying pathophysiology and to develop new therapeutic strategies. However, drugs that were identified as neuroprotective in animal brain injury models were not successful in clinical trials phase II or phase III. Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is a powerful noninvasive approach to excite cortical neurons in humans and animals, widely applied for therapeutic purpose in patients with brain diseases. In addition, recent animal studies showed rTMS as a strong neuroprotective tool. In this chapter, we discuss the rationale and mechanisms related to rTMS as well as therapeutic applications and putative molecular mechanisms. Furthermore, relevant biochemical studies and neuroprotective effect in animal models and possible application of rTMS as a novel treatment for rodent brain injury models are discussed.