Effect of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation on motor function recovery in patients with acute ischemic stroke

Objective To investigate the effect of high frequency (10 Hz), low frequency (1 Hz) and theta burst stimulation (TBS) mode of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) on the recovery of motor function in hemiplegic patients following acute ischemic stroke. Methods Seventy-two patients with hemiplegia after acute ischemic stroke were randomly grouped with the random number table. They were treated with low frequency (n=18), high frequency (n=18), and TBS (n=18) rTMS or sham stimulation (control group, n=18), once a day, for 2 weeks. Fugl-Meyer Assessment (FMA) and National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) were used to evaluate neurological function in all patients before rTMS treatment (on the day before the first treatment) and after treatment (on the day after the last treatment). Results After treatment, the FMA and NIHSS scores in the 4 groups were significantly improved compared with before treatment (all P<0.05). After rTMS treatment, the FMA and NIHSS scores were improved significantly in the high frequency group, low frequency group and TBS group compare with the control group (all P<0.05). There were no significant differences among all the treatment groups. Conclusions High frequency, low frequency and TBS rTMS can improve the recovery of motor function in hemiplegic patients following acute ischemic stroke. There were no significant differences among all the treatment modes. Key words: Stroke; Brain Ischemia; Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation; Movement Disorders; Motor Cortex; Treatment Outcome