Editorial: Recording and modulating neural activity in neurodegenerative diseases: Pathophysiological and therapeutic implications

Neurodegenerative diseases encompass different conditions characterized by progressive degeneration of neurons and networks and accumulation of misfolded proteins in the brain. Recent research employing invasive and non-invasive neurophysiological techniques provided new insights into pathological mechanisms responsible for symptom development. This set the foundation for the translation of advanced therapeutic neuromodulation strategies that hold promise to optimize symptom control and potentially modify disease course in the future. In this Research Topic, we aimed to investigate the role of specific neurophysiological abnormalities in neurodegenerative diseases that serve as electrophysiological target for invasive and non-invasive neuromodulation techniques, such as deep brain stimulation (DBS; Tinkhauser et al., 2017; Bocci et al., 2021) and transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS; Benussi et al., 2022; Guerra et al., 2022). Parkinson's disease (PD) is an exemplary condition for targeting brain oscillatory activities for therapeutic purposes. Indeed, PD can be considered an oscillopathy, as abnormal oscillations at specific frequency bands in the basal ganglia-thalamo-cortical network play a relevant role in motor symptoms pathophysiology (Oswal et al., 2013). Not only the suppression of exaggerated oscillatory beta activity using DBS (Tinkhauser et al., 2017), but also driving the pro-kinetic high-gamma rhythm at the cortical level using non-invasive tACS may attenuate bradykinesia (Guerra et al., 2022).