title: Low-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation for the treatment of refractory partial epilepsy: a controlled clinical study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study was designed to evaluate the therapeutic effect of low-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) on patients with refractory partial epilepsy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty-four patients with refractory focal epilepsy were screened and 60 patients were randomly divided into two groups by stimulation intensity: 90% (group 1) or 20% (group 2) of resting motor threshold (rMT). Seizure frequency and interictal EEG epileptic discharges were compared between the baseline and follow-up periods.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Seizures significantly decreased following 2-weeks high intensity (90% rMT) rTMS treatment compared with baseline level (p < 0.05). rTMS also decreased interictal epilepsy discharges and improved the scales of Symptom Checklist-90 significantly (p < 0.05). Seizures and spikes in the follow-up period in the patients who received low intensity (20% rMT) rTMS did not show any difference compared with baseline data (p > 0.05, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Low-frequency high intensity rTMS (90% rMT) delivered into the epileptogenic zone had a significant antiepileptic effect on patients with refractory partial seizures. rTMS treatment can also reduce the interictal epileptic discharge frequency and improve the psychological condition of these patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Xuan Wu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Mao
authors.forename: Xianghong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Meng
authors.forename: Dequan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Liang
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Qiao
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Tao
authors.forename: Liping
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Xiaoying
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Jia
authors.forename: Chunyu
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Mengmeng
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fu
authors.forename: Xiaoyan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Tong
authors.forename: Xun
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Yuping
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001526:Behavioral Symptoms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D004569:Electroencephalography; D004576:Electromyography; D004828:Epilepsies, Partial / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D019054:Evoked Potentials, Motor / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D050781:Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014741:Video Recording; D055815:Young Adult