Deep Brain Stimulation – Therapeutic Possibilities in Alzheimer's Disease

Abstract

Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is the leading cause of dementia worldwide, and represents a significant cause of cognitive decline, disability, and mortality. Ongoing clinical trials continue to investigate β-amyloid targeted therapy with unclear benefit, and we are currently limited to symptomatic treatment. Therefore, there is a salient need for the development of novel, potentially disease-modifying therapeutic strategies such as deep brain stimulation. This manuscript reviews Deep Brain Stimulation in Alzheimer’s Disease, describing the pathophysiology of the disease in terms of disordered neural circuitry, and a detailed discussion on trails of stimulation of the fornix, the nucleus basalis of Meynert and the ventral striatum/ventral capsule for the treatment of this dementia.