title: Transcranial magnetic stimulation for migraine: clinical effects.
abstract: The objective was to assess the impact of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) on pain and the autonomic nervous system (ANS) in migraine. Forty-two people [mean age 41.43+/-11.69 (SD) years, 36 females] were randomised into high vs. low TMS stimulation groups and received 2 brief pulses of TMS. Thirty-three (33/42) individuals had heart-rate variability assessed, before and after stimulation. No group effects were found. Pain decreased by 75%; 32% of people after 1 treatment reported no headache after 24 h. Mean heart rate decreased from 79.05+/-10.27 to 72.89+/-11.35 beats/min. The low-frequency (LF) and the high-frequency (HF) areas derived from power spectral analyses increased [mean 6522+/-1277 to 8315+/-1009 beats/min(2) (LF) (p=0.001) and mean 5600+/-1568 to 8755+/-3071 beats/min(2) (HF) (p=0.001)]. The LF:HF ratio decreased from mean 1.31+/-0.51 to 1.13+/-0.48 (NS). TMS produces immediate, sustained reductions in pain and modification of the ANS.
authors.affiliation: Division of Neurology, McMaster University, Ontario, Canada. clarke3@mcmaster.ca
authors.forename: Beverley M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Clarke
authors.forename: Adrian R M
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Upton
authors.forename: Mark V
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Kamath
authors.forename: Talal
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Al-Harbi
authors.forename: Claudia M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Castellanos
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001341:Autonomic Nervous System / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008881:Migraine Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy*; D010146:Pain / Q000503:physiopathology; D059408:Pain Management; D050781:Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation; D016896:Treatment Outcome