Clinical application of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation in improving functional impairments post-stroke: review of the current evidence and potential challenges

This article reviews the application and research progress of rTMS in treating different f unctional impairments (cognitive impairment, motor dysfunction, unilateral spatial neglect, depression) after stroke in recent years, and preliminary summarized the possible mechanisms. It has been found that the key parameters that determine the effectiveness of rTMS in improving post-stroke functi onal impairments include pulse number, stimulated brain areas, stimulation intensity and frequency, as well as duration. Generally, high-frequency stimulation is used to excite the ipsilateral cerebral cortex, while low-frequency stimulation is used to inhibit the contralateral cerebral cortex, thus achieving a balance of excitability between the two hemispheres. However, the specific mechanisms and the optimal stimulation mode for different functional impairments have not yet reached a consistent conclusion, and more research is needed to explore and clarify the best way to use rTMS. Furtherm ore, we will identify the issues and challenges in the current research, explore possible mechanisms to deepen understanding of rTMS, propose future research directions, and offer insightful insights for better clinical applications.
Source: Neurological Sciences - Category: Neurology Source Type: research