title: Non-Invasive Brain Stimulation: A New Strategy in Mild Cognitive Impairment?
abstract: Non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) techniques can significantly modulate cognitive functions in healthy subjects and patients with neuropsychiatric disorders. Recently, they have been applied in patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and subjective cognitive impairment (SCI) to prevent or delay the development of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Here we review this emerging empirical corpus and discuss therapeutic effects of NIBS on several target functions (e.g., memory for face-name associations and non-verbal recognition, attention, psychomotor speed, everyday memory). Available studies have yielded mixed results, possibly due to differences among their tasks, designs, and samples, let alone the latter's small sizes. Thus, the impact of NIBS on cognitive performance in MCI and SCI remains to be determined. To foster progress in this direction, we outline methodological approaches that could improve the efficacy and specificity of NIBS in both conditions. Furthermore, we discuss the need for multicenter studies, accurate diagnosis, and longitudinal approaches combining NIBS with specific training regimes. These tenets could cement biomedical developments supporting new treatments for MCI and preventive therapies for AD.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Experimental Psychology and Neuroscience (LPEN), Institute of Cognitive and Translational Neuroscience (INCyT), INECO Foundation, Favaloro UniversityBuenos Aires, Argentina; National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET)Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Agustina
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Birba
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Experimental Psychology and Neuroscience (LPEN), Institute of Cognitive and Translational Neuroscience (INCyT), INECO Foundation, Favaloro UniversityBuenos Aires, Argentina; National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET)Buenos Aires, Argentina; Universidad Autónoma del CaribeBarranquilla, Colombia; Center for Social and Cognitive Neuroscience (CSCN), School of Psychology, Universidad Adolfo IbañezSantiago de Chile, Chile; Centre of Excellence in Cognition and its Disorders, Australian Research Council (ARC)Sydney, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: Agustín
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ibáñez
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Experimental Psychology and Neuroscience (LPEN), Institute of Cognitive and Translational Neuroscience (INCyT), INECO Foundation, Favaloro UniversityBuenos Aires, Argentina; National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET)Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Lucas
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sedeño
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Experimental Psychology and Neuroscience (LPEN), Institute of Cognitive and Translational Neuroscience (INCyT), INECO Foundation, Favaloro University Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Jesica
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ferrari
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Experimental Psychology and Neuroscience (LPEN), Institute of Cognitive and Translational Neuroscience (INCyT), INECO Foundation, Favaloro UniversityBuenos Aires, Argentina; National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET)Buenos Aires, Argentina; Faculty of Education, National University of Cuyo (UNCuyo)Mendoza, Argentina.
authors.forename: Adolfo M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: García
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Experimental Psychology and Neuroscience (LPEN), Institute of Cognitive and Translational Neuroscience (INCyT), INECO Foundation, Favaloro University Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Máximo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zimerman
keywords: mild cognitive impairment; neuroenhancement; non-invasive brain stimulation; transcranial direct current stimulation; transcranial magnetic stimulation