Abstract
Electrical stimulation of the nervous system is a method used for several centuries which just in the past decades received wide recognition as an effective and safe modality in the management of neuropathic pain and other maladies. Explosion of new technologies and discovery of new neuromodulation targets are two parallel and interconnected processes. Using a paraphrase from the famous novel of Samuel Sham, The House of God, one can say that there is no nervous tissue in the human body that cannot be reached with a stimulating lead directed by a good strong arm. Neuromodulation devices are being used for the stimulation of the entire nervous system, from the cutaneous terminals to brain centers. Autonomic regulation is also subject to stimulation via implanted devices. Future research and development is tightly related to the process of discovery, experimental courage, and philosophical exploration of neurobehavioral mechanisms.
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Dr. Gofeld is a consultant for Medtronic Inc., St. Jude Medical, and Boston Scientific (Cardiovascular Division), and has received grants from St. Jude Medical in the past. Dr. Gofeld serves as a section editor for Current Pain and Headache Reports.
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This article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects performed by any of the authors.
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Gofeld, M. New Horizons in Neuromodulation. Curr Pain Headache Rep 18, 397 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11916-013-0397-9
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11916-013-0397-9