title: Noninvasive brain stimulation: the potential for use in the rehabilitation of pediatric acquired brain injury.
abstract: Noninvasive brain stimulation (NIBS) offers the potential to modulate neural activity and recovery after acquired brain injury. There are few studies of NIBS in children, but a survey of those studies might provide insight into the potential for NIBS to modulate motor rehabilitation, seizures, and behavior in children. We surveyed the published literature prior to July 2014 for articles pertaining to children and NIBS with a focus on case series or trials. We also reviewed selected articles involving adults to illustrate specific points where the literature in children is lacking. A limited number of articles suggest that NIBS can transiently improve motor function. The evidence for an effect on seizures is mixed. Two open-label studies reported improvement of mood in adolescents with depression. NIBS may serve as a tool for pediatric neurorehabilitation, but many gaps in our knowledge must be filled before NIBS can be adopted as a clinical intervention. To move forward, the field needs adequately powered trials that can answer these questions. Such trials will be challenging to perform, will likely require multicenter collaboration, and may need to adopt novel trial designs that have been used with rare disorders.
authors.affiliation: Division of Critical Care, Columbus, OH; Division of Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, The Ohio State University and Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH.
authors.forename: Melissa G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.affiliation: Division of Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, The Ohio State University and Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH. Electronic address: Warren.lo@nationwidechildrens.org.
authors.forename: Warren D
authors.initials: WD
authors.lastname: Lo
mesh_terms: D001921:Brain / Q000503:physiopathology; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D002648:Child; D002653:Child Behavior Disorders / Q000534:rehabilitation; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000534:rehabilitation; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities; D065908:Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D050781:Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*
keywords: Cerebral palsy; Child; Rehabilitation; Stroke; Transcranial direct current stimulation; Transcranial magnetic stimulation