NEUROMODULATION AND PAIN MANAGEMENT 

Journal of Neurosurgical Sciences 2012 December;56(4):341-4

Copyright © 2012 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: English

Deep brain stimulation effects on memory

Laxton A. W., Sankar T., Lozano A. M., Hamani C. ✉

Division of Neurosurgery, Toronto Western Hospital, University of Toronto, Canada

As the population of many countries ages, disorders of cognition and memory—such as Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) and dementia associated with Parkinson’s Disease—will become a major societal burden. At present, few effective medical therapies against these conditions are available. Deep brain stimulation (DBS) may be a potential therapeutic option, because it can directly target and modulate the activity of structures implicated in circuits subserving memory function. In this article, we review the scientific literature to address some of the mechanisms by which DBS may impact memory and cognition. We then summarize the results of recent clinical experience with DBS in AD and Parkinsonian dementia.