Summary
The seven studies looked at different types of non-invasive (done from outside the body) and invasive (involving procedures inside the body) brain stimulation. The aim was to improve movement and speech in people with brain tumours, including gliomas and metastases.
Most study participant’s movement and ability to speak improved to some extent after treatment. Some people experienced side effects. For non-invasive treatment, these included headaches, nausea, dizziness, tingling or itching, discomfort on the scalp, and twitching of the face. For invasive treatment, side effects included seizures, infections, finger twitching, and bleeding around the brain.
Overall, the results are promising but there are some factors that influence the interpretation. The studies were small and used very different types of treatments. They also involved different types and locations of tumours, and treated people at different stages. More research with larger groups of people is needed to understand who is most likely to benefit, and which type of treatment works best.
Full text
The full text is attached below or can be accessed from the this journal.
Research publication:
Ekert, J. O., Goyal, A., Young, J. S., Hervey-Jumper, S. L., & Berger, M. S. (2024). Interventional neurorehabilitation for glioma patients: A systematic review. Neurooncol Pract, 11(6), 679-690. https://doi.org/10.1093/nop/npae066