Opening a New Chapter in Brain Science Therapy

The 21st century is an era of flourishing neuroscience. Advanced imaging technologies have, for the first time, allowed us to glimpse the brain's functional divisions and activity states. The connections and operations of various neural networks are also gradually becoming clearer.

Developing alongside brain science is a variety of neuromodulation techniques, with non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) emerging as a rapidly evolving field over the past 20 years. NIBS includes：

• Transcranial magnetic stimulation (transcranial magnetic stimulation, TMS)
• Transcranial direct-current stimulation (transcranial direct-current stimulation, tDCS)
• Cranial electrical stimulation (cranial electrical stimulation, CES)
• 經皮迷走神經刺激 (transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation, tVNS)
• 三叉神經刺激 (trigeminal nerve stimulation, TNS)

 TMS是目前台灣唯一核准於臨床使用的腦刺激術，適應症為難治型憂鬱症。隨著更多臨床試驗的資料累積，其餘NIBS也有望在將來加入治療行列，為神經科與精神科疾病帶來新的治療可能。