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Corresponding Author

Albashir Tahir

Authors ORCID

Albashir Tahir: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9272-5540

Abstract

Electroceuticals have emerged as an innovative therapeutic approach that employs targeted electrical stimulation to modulate neural circuits and restore physiological balance. Unlike conventional pharmacological treatments, which act through systemic biochemical pathways, electroceuticals enable precise spatial and temporal control of neural activity. The rapid proliferation of electroceutical devices across clinical and investigational settings, combined with accelerating advances in artificial intelligence, closed-loop engineering, and bioelectronic interface design, has generated an urgent need for rigorous, critically appraised synthesis to guide evidence-based clinical adoption and inform future research priorities. This review addresses the rapidly expanding field of bioelectronic medicine by providing a critical synthesis of existing data, moving beyond simple descriptions to analyze the scientific robustness and maturity of contemporary clinical and translational interventions. A literature search was conducted across electronic databases focusing on peer-reviewed articles published between January 2010 and March 2026. Articles were screened hierarchically by title, abstract, and full text to extract data regarding stimulation modalities, evidence levels, and therapeutic outcomes. Electroceuticals modulate neural function through mechanisms such as the regulation of neuronal excitability, synaptic transmission, neuroimmune signaling, and activity-dependent neuroplasticity. Established clinical evidence supports the therapeutic utility of deep brain stimulation for movement disorders and vagus nerve stimulation for drug-resistant epilepsy, while emerging, early-phase data suggest potential applications in neuropsychiatric and neuroinflammatory conditions. Advances in device engineering, including miniaturized implants, improved electrode biomaterials, and closed-loop stimulation systems, have enhanced treatment precision, though challenges regarding interpatient variability, tissue-device impedance mismatch, and translational scaling remain. Electroceuticals represent a structural shift toward circuit-based therapy in modern medicine. While technological and translational advancements continue to broaden their clinical reach, establishing standardized methodological frameworks, defining objective biomarkers, and balancing optimistic translational claims with evidence-based limitations are necessary steps to support widespread clinical adoption.

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.70176/3007-973X.1072

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