scholarly journals Low-Frequency vs. Theta Burst Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation for the Treatment of Chronic Non-fluent Aphasia in Stroke: A Proof-of-Concept Study

2022 ◽  
Vol 13 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ting-Yu Chou ◽  
Jia-Chi Wang ◽  
Mu-Yun Lin ◽  
Po-Yi Tsai

BackgroundAlthough low-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (LF-rTMS) has shown promise in the treatment of poststroke aphasia, the efficacy of high-frequency rTMS (HF-rTMS) has yet to be determined.PurposeWe investigated the efficacy of intermittent theta burst stimulation (iTBS) in ameliorating chronic non-fluent aphasia and compared it with that of LF-rTMS.MethodsWe randomly assigned patients with poststroke non-fluent aphasia to an ipsilesional iTBS (n = 29), contralesional 1-Hz rTMS (n = 27), or sham (n = 29) group. Each group received the rTMS protocol executed in 10 daily sessions over 2 weeks. We evaluated language function before and after the intervention by using the Concise Chinese Aphasia Test (CCAT).ResultsCompared with the sham group, the iTBS group exhibited significant improvements in conversation, description, and expression scores (P = 0.0004–0.031), which characterize verbal production, as well as in auditory comprehension, reading comprehension, and matching scores (P < 0.01), which characterize language perception. The 1-Hz group exhibited superior improvements in expression, reading comprehension, and imitation writing scores compared with the sham group (P < 0.05). The iTBS group had significantly superior results in CCAT total score, matching and auditory comprehension (P < 0.05) relative to the 1-Hz group.ConclusionOur study findings contribute to a growing body of evidence that ipsilesional iTBS enhances the language recovery of patients with non-fluent aphasia after a chronic stroke. Auditory comprehension was more preferentially enhanced by iTBS compared with the 1-Hz protocol. Our findings highlight the importance of ipsilesional modulation through excitatory rTMS for the recovery of non-fluent aphasia in patients with chronic stroke.Clinical Trial Registration:[www.ClinicalTrials.gov], identifier [NCT03059225].

2015 ◽  
Vol 8 (6) ◽  
pp. 1074-1084 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jessica M. Cassidy ◽  
Haitao Chu ◽  
David C. Anderson ◽  
Linda E. Krach ◽  
LeAnn Snow ◽  
...  

BMC Neurology ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Dawei Li ◽  
Aixia Cheng ◽  
Zhiyou Zhang ◽  
Yuqian Sun ◽  
Yingchun Liu

Abstract Background Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) has been reported to treat muscle spasticity in post-stroke patients. The purpose of this study was to explore whether combined low-frequency rTMS (LF-rTMS) and cerebellar continuous theta burst stimulation (cTBS) could provide better relief than different modalities alone for muscle spasticity and limb dyskinesia in stroke patients. Methods This study recruited ninety stroke patients with hemiplegia, who were divided into LF-rTMS+cTBS group (n=30), LF-rTMS group (n=30) and cTBS group (three pulse bursts at 50 Hz, n=30). The LF-rTMS group received 1 Hz rTMS stimulation of the motor cortical (M1) region on the unaffected side of the brain, the cTBS group received cTBS stimulation to the cerebellar region, and the LF-rTMS+cTBS group received 2 stimuli as described above. Each group received 4 weeks of stimulation followed by rehabilitation. Muscle spasticity, motor function of limb and activity of daily living (ADL) were evaluated by modified Ashworth Scale (MAS), Fugl-Meyer Assessment (FMA) and Modified Barthel Index (MBI) scores, respectively. Results The MAS score was markedly decreased, FMA and MBI scores were markedly increased in the three groups after therapy than before therapy. In addition, after therapy, LF-rTMS+cTBS group showed lower MAS score, higher FMA and MBI scores than the LF-rTMS group and cTBS group. Conclusion Muscle spasticity and limb dyskinesia of the three groups are all significantly improved after therapy. Combined LF-rTMS and cTBS treatment is more effective in improving muscle spasticity and limb dyskinesia of patients after stroke than LF-rTMS and cTBS treatment alone.


2017 ◽  
Vol 2017 ◽  
pp. 1-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Takahiro Kondo ◽  
Naoki Yamada ◽  
Ryo Momosaki ◽  
Masato Shimizu ◽  
Masahiro Abo

Background. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the difference between the therapeutic effect of low-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (LF-rTMS) and that of continuous theta burst stimulation (cTBS), when each is combined with intensive occupational therapy (OT), in poststroke patients with upper limb hemiparesis. Materials and Methods. The study subjects were 103 poststroke patients with upper limb hemiparesis, who were divided into two groups: the LF-rTMS group (n=71) and the cTBS group (three pulse bursts at 50 Hz) (n=32). Each subject received 12 sessions of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation of 2,400 pulses applied to the nonlesional hemisphere and 240-min intensive OT (two 60-min one-to-one training sessions and two 60-min self-training exercises) daily for 15 days. Motor function was evaluated using the Fugl-Meyer Assessment (FMA) and the performance time of the Wolf motor function test (WMFT) was determined on the days of admission and discharge. Results. Both groups showed a significant increase in the FMA score and a short log performance time of the WMFT (p<0.001), but the increase in the FMA score was higher in the LF-rTMS group than the cTBS group (p<0.05). Conclusion. We recommend the use of 2400 pulses of LF-rTMS/OT for 2 weeks as treatment for hemiparetic patients.


2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 ◽  
pp. 1-11
Author(s):  
Zhiwei Guo ◽  
Yu Jin ◽  
Xi Bai ◽  
Binghu Jiang ◽  
Lin He ◽  
...  

Objective. To investigate the functional reorganization of the motor network after repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) in stroke patients with motor dysfunction and the distinction between high-frequency rTMS (HF-rTMS) and low-frequency rTMS (LF-rTMS). Methods. Thirty-three subcortical stroke patients were enrolled and assigned to the HF-rTMS group, LF-rTMS group, and sham group. Each patient of rTMS groups received either 10.0 Hz rTMS over the ipsilesional primary motor cortex (M1) or 1.0 Hz rTMS over the contralesional M1 for 10 consecutive days. A resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scan and neurological examinations were performed at baseline and after rTMS. The motor network and functional connectivities intramotor network with the core brain regions including the bilateral M1, premotor area (PMA), and supplementary motor area (SMA) were calculated. Comparisons of functional connectivities and Pearson correlation analysis between functional connectivity changes and behavioral improvement were calculated. Results. Significant motor improvement was found after rTMS in all groups which was larger in two rTMS groups than in the sham group. The functional connectivities of the motor network were significantly increased in bilateral M1, SMA, and contralesional PMA after real rTMS. These changes were only detected in the regions of the ipsilesional hemisphere in the HF-rTMS group and in the regions of the contralesional hemisphere in the LF-rTMS group. Significantly changed functional connectivities of the intramotor network were found between the ipsilesional M1 and SMA and contralesional PMA, between contralesional M1 and contralesional SMA, between contralesional SMA and ipsilesional SMA and contralesional PMA in the HF-rTMS group in which the changed connectivity between ipsilesional M1 and contralesional PMA was obviously correlated with the motor improvement. In addition, the functional connectivity of the intramotor network between ipsilesional M1 and contralesional PMA was significantly higher in the HF-rTMS group than in the LF-rTMS group. Conclusion. Both HF-rTMS and LF-rTMS have a positive effect on motor recovery in patients with subcortical stroke and could promote the reorganization of the motor network. HF-rTMS may contribute more to the functional connectivity reorganization of the ipsilesional motor network and realize greater benefit to the motor recovery.


2015 ◽  
Vol 2015 ◽  
pp. 1-13 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jarugool Tretriluxana ◽  
Shailesh Kantak ◽  
Suradej Tretriluxana ◽  
Allan D. Wu ◽  
Beth E. Fisher

Introduction. Low frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (LF-rTMS) delivered to the nonlesioned hemisphere has been shown to improve limited function of the paretic upper extremity (UE) following stroke. The outcome measures have largely included clinical assessments with little investigation on changes in kinematics and coordination. To date, there is no study investigating how the effects of LF-rTMS are modulated by the sizes of an object to be grasped.Objective. To investigate the effect of LF-rTMS on kinematics and coordination of the paretic hand reach-to-grasp (RTG) for two object sizes in chronic stroke.Methods. Nine participants received two TMS conditions: real rTMS and sham rTMS conditions. Before and after the rTMS conditions, cortico-motor excitability (CE) of the nonlesioned hemisphere, RTG kinematics, and coordination was evaluated. Object sizes were 1.2 and 7.2 cm in diameter.Results. Compared to sham rTMS, real rTMS significantly reduced CE of the non-lesioned M1. While rTMS had no effect on RTG action for the larger object, real rTMS significantly improved movement time, aperture opening, and RTG coordination for the smaller object.Conclusions. LF-rTMS improves RTG action for only the smaller object in chronic stroke. The findings suggest a dissociation between effects of rTMS on M1 and task difficulty for this complex skill.


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