Effect of transcranial magnetic stimulation on action naming in patients with Alzheimer disease.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the effect of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) to the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) on picture naming in patients with Alzheimer disease (AD).


METHODS
Experimental study. Patients with AD underwent rTMS in real and control conditions during picture-naming tasks.


METHODS
San Giovanni di Dio Fatebenefratelli Scientific Institute in Brescia, Italy. Patients Fifteen patients with probable AD. Intervention High-frequency rTMS was applied to the left and right DLPFC during object and action naming.


METHODS
Language ability was assessed by accuracy of verbal response during online rTMS.


RESULTS
Stimulation to the left and right DLPFC improved accuracy in action naming.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings indicate that rTMS to the DLPFC, which speeds up action naming in normal controls, improves performance in patients with AD. While the mechanisms of rTMS-induced naming facilitation in these patients are unknown, the procedure may be worth testing as a novel approach to the treatment of language dysfunction.
Cotelli
Maria
M
Istituto di Recovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico San Giovanni di Dio Fatebenefratelli, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy.
Manenti
Rosa
R
Cappa
Stefano F
SF
Geroldi
Cristina
C
Zanetti
Orazio
O
Rossini
Paolo M
PM
Miniussi
Carlo
C
D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001931:Brain Mapping; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D009275:Names; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D010775:Photic Stimulation / Q000379:methods; D017397:Prefrontal Cortex / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000528:radiation effects; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology; D050781:Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation; D014705:Verbal Behavior / Q000502:physiology*