Deep Brain Stimulation for Alzheimer’s Disease

High-frequency deep brain stimulation (DBS) was introduced in the late 1980s for the treatment of movement disorders. This reversible, adjustable, and non-ablative therapy has been used to treat more than 100,000 people worldwide. The surgical procedure used to implant the DBS system, as well as the effects of chronic electrical stimulation, have been shown to be safe and effective through many clinical trials. Given the ability to therapeutically modulate the motor circuits of the brain in this manner, clinicians have considered using DBS for other neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric disorders involving non-motor circuits, including appetite, mood, and cognition. This article highlights several recent studies exploring the feasibility of using DBS to modulate memory, specifically in the context of memory disorders such as Alzheimer disease.