Non-pharmacological Approaches: Brain Stimulations, Vagus Nerve Stimulation, Magnetic and Electrical Transcranial Stimulations, Etc

From 1990 to 2019, Alzheimer’s disease (AD) prevalence and incidence rose by 147.95%. Global statistics reported 43.8 million AD patients, with projections suggesting an increase to 152 million by 2050. This rapid growth, coupled with a lack of effective treatments, poses a significant threat to healthcare systems’ socioeconomic status and sustainability. The challenge extends beyond finding effective therapies to include prevention, early diagnosis, and care. Consequently, researchers have turned their attention to non-pharmacological approaches as alternative strategies for managing AD. These interventions have gained prominence in AD treatment, especially in developed countries. They include cognitive intervention, exercise, nutritional support, psychological therapy, music and art therapies, various brain stimulation methods (such as direct brain stimulation, vagus nerve stimulation, and transcranial magnetic stimulation), telemedicine, and reminiscence therapy. While not all approaches have been clinically proven, establishing standardized designs, conducting longitudinal follow-ups, and employing well-trained caregivers are crucial steps in developing a structural guide for clinical application. This chapter explores these non-pharmacological approaches and their efficacy in AD treatment.