Advances in the application of temporal interference stimulation: a scoping review

Neuromodulation is an emerging technology that combines biomedical engineering and neuroscience to modulate the nervous system using implantable or non-implantable devices, which have proven effective in treating neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric disorders. There is an urgent need to develop a noninvasive deep brain stimulation technique that combines the advantages of safety, non-invasiveness, and precise deep brain stimulation to address the invasiveness and lack of focus of existing neuromodulation techniques. Our primary goal is to better understand the progress of research on the application of temporal interference stimulation (TIS). A scoping review was conducted following Arksey and O'Malley's methodological framework, utilizing the databases PubMed, Web of Science, and EMbase. Original research of any study design, focused on the topic and published in English from the inception of each database until June 2024, was included. A total of 708 studies were identified in the databases, with 33 studies ultimately included. The literature primarily addresses the development and application of TIS. All studies demonstrate that TIS can effectively target deep areas of the brain. TIS can effectively penetrate the cerebral cortex and modulate neural activity in deep brain regions. Additionally, TIS shows potential for treating a wide range of central nervous system (CNS) disorders, though the underlying mechanisms remain unknown. This scoping review provides a series of recommendations to guide future research in exploring the applications of TIS.