Interactive relationship between neuronal circuitry and glioma: A narrative review

Abstract

Glioma is the most common primary central nervous system tumor. Despite extensive basic research on the tumor, the overall therapeutic effect of glioma remains unsatisfactory. Glioma grows within the framework of complex neural circuitry, which influences both neural network and tumor biology. On the one hand, the growth of gliomas continuously invades and destroys normal neural structures, which stimulate the dynamic remodeling of neural networks to maintain neural function. On the other hand, glioma can also induce neurons to form synaptic connections with it to promote tumor growth. Interventions targeting the interaction between gliomas and the neuronal circuitry provide opportunities for both tumor therapy and neuroplasticity at the same time. Noninvasive brain stimulation (NiBS) technology can actively regulate the excitability of targeted brain regions which can actively induce the remodeling of neural function and may perturb the interference of neuronglioma synapses. This article will review the interaction between gliomas and neural networks, including tumor-induced neuroplasticity, neuron-glioma synaptic connections, and the application and prospect of NiBS techniques.