Electroceutical and Bioelectric Therapy: Its Advantages and Limitations

Author: Bori Jung1,2, Chaeyeon Yang1, Seung-Hwan Lee1,3
Affiliation: <sup>1</sup> Clinical Emotion and Cognition Research Laboratory, Inje University, Goyang, Korea. <sup>2</sup> Department of Psychology, Sogang University, Seoul, Korea. <sup>3</sup> Department of Psychiatry, Inje University Ilsan Paik Hospital, Goyang, Korea.
Conference/Journal: Clin Psychopharmacol Neurosci
Date published: 2023 Feb 28
Other: Volume ID: 21 , Issue ID: 1 , Pages: 19-31 , Special Notes: doi: 10.9758/cpn.2023.21.1.19. , Word Count: 148


Given the long history, the field of electroceutical and bioelectric therapy has grown impressively, recognized as the main modality of mental health treatments along with psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy. Electroceutical and bioelectric therapy comprises electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), vagus nerve stimulation (VNS), repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS), deep brain stimulation (DBS), transcranial electrical stimulation (tES), and other brain stimulation techniques. Much empirical research has been published regarding the application guidelines, mechanism of action, and efficacy of respective brain stimulation techniques, but no comparative study that delineates the advantages and limitations of each therapy exists for a comprehensive understanding of each technique. This review provides a comparison of existing electroceutical and bioelectric techniques, primarily focusing on the therapeutic advantages and limitations of each therapy in the current electroceutical and bioelectric field.

Keywords: Deep brain stimulation; Electroceutical and bioelectric therapy; Electroconvulsive therapy; Transcranial electrical stimulation; Vagus nerve stimulation; rTMS.

PMID: 36700309 DOI: 10.9758/cpn.2023.21.1.19