Effects of High-Frequency Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation on Motor Functions in Patients with Subcortical Stroke

Background: Motor function impairment occurs in approximately two-thirds of patients with subcortical stroke. Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is a noninvasive technique for modulating cortical excitability. Objectives: The present study was designed for assessing the efficacy of high-frequency rTMS (5 Hz) on ipsilesional primary motor cortex in patients with subcortical stroke. Materials and Methods: Thirty participants who had subcortical stroke in the previous four weeks to four months were enrolled in this randomized double blinded clinical trial. Participants were divided into experimental and control groups and their motor ability of both upper and lower extremities were assessed using Fugl-Meyer assessment of motor recovery after stroke (FMA) before and after intervention. The study intervention rTMS (5 Hz) was administered in six 10-minute sessions on the ipsilesional primary motor cortex in the experimental group and on the vertex in the control group. Results: Mean change in FMA score after rTMS sessions was significantly higher in the experimental group than in the control group (p = 0.00). Mean time interval between the stroke and rTMS intervention had a weak and insignificant (ρ = 0.097 p = 0.61) correlation with changes of FMA score. Conclusions: High-frequency (5 Hz) rTMS effectively improved motor function in patients with subcortical stroke.