Neuromodulation

Non-invasive therapy: The set-up of the SCiP device, demonstrating the placement of the non-invasive electrodes over the cervical and thoracic regions of the spinal cord. (Courtesy: CC BY 4.0/Nat. Commun. 10.1038/s41467-022-33208-w)

As the power of technology surges, the field of medicine has been empowered to create new discoveries and ways to treat disease and conditions. Among new medical innovations is neuromodulation. Neuromodulation is the ability to utilize magnetic, electric, and even pharmaceutical stimulation to reach neural pathways and nerve cells. This non-surgical procedure defers the risks that come with neurosurgery and can be used for a variety of neurological conditions, diseases, and even chronic pain relief.

Neuromodulation is like a communicator to the human body’s main communication system, a.k.a the nervous system. “It is the alteration—or modulation—of nerve activity by delivering electrical or pharmaceutical agents directly to a target area.”(Neuromodulation) Referring to my previous analogy, while using a neuromodulating device, its electricity stimulates the nerve cell’s electrodes. Nerve cells in the body receive stimulation like a wake up call. This electric alteration of neurons will respond slightly differently based on its physical location and level of electricity. 

There are many forms of neuromodulation treatment. These treatments can be categorized between invasive and noninvasive procedures. Invasive neuromodulation treatments require surgery to implant the device. Deep brain stimulation (DBS for short) is used to implant electrodes through drilled holes in the skull. DBS is used for a variety of conditions including the following: personality disorder (PD), essential tremors, focal-onset epilepsy, OCD, addiction, tourettes and other neuropsychiatric disorders. (Davidson et al.)  Other invasive procedures include spinal cord stimulation to treat chronic neuropathic pain and vagus nerve stimulation that is used to treat epileptic patients (implanting the device to stimulate the vague nerve).  

    Noninvasive neuromodulation treatments include transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS). TMS uses magnetic fields to input electric currents in the brain. Its use is to stimulate motor functions.  tDCS uses electrodes in the scalp to produce weak electric currents to altarize neural behaviors. tDCS has been used for patients with movement disorders or motor weakness.

The nervous system uses electrochemicals and neurotransmitters to support both basic and complex body functions that every person carries (Cleveland Clinic). Using electricity (and other neuromodulators) to alter and communicate to neurons is a great direction to less invasive surgeries and accessible treatments for those who need it. Neuromodulation is a nonsurgical treatment that has the potential to support unrecognized or seemingly “untreatable” individuals. Neuromodulation can also be studied in order to explore other medical specialties and their treatment needs. These are few out of the many things we can do with the innovation of neuromodulation.

Written by EdenSophia Asuoha at Incisionary

References

About neuromodulation. (2018, February 6). https://www.neuromodulation.com/bout-neuromodulation. Retrieved June 7, 2026, from https://www.neuromodulation.com/about-neuromodulation

BrainFacts.org (Director). (2025). Neuromodulation: The development of a new frontier [Video]. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dXeKozsINGg

Davidson, B., Bhattacharya, A., Sarica, C., Darmani, G., Raies, N., Chen, R., & Lozano, A. M. (2024). Neuromodulation techniques - From non-invasive brain stimulation to deep brain stimulation. Neurotherapeutics : the journal of the American Society for Experimental NeuroTherapeutics, 21(3), e00330. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neurot.2024.e00330

Physics World. (2022). Sketch of non-invasive neuromodulation device for child with cerebral palsy [Non-invasive therapy: The set-up of the SCiP device, demonstrating the placement of the non-invasive electrodes over the cervical and thoracic regions of the spinal cord. (Courtesy: CC BY 4.0/Nat. Commun. 10.1038/s41467-022-33208-w)]. https://physicsworld.com/a/non-invasive-neuromodulation-improves-motor-function-in-children-with-cerebral-palsy/