title: Effect of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation over the cerebellum on patients with ataxia after posterior circulation stroke: A pilot study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the safety, feasibility and preliminary efficacy of low-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) over the cerebellum in ataxic patients with acute posterior circulation stroke.
  
  
  METHODS
  Randomized, double-blind, sham-controlled pilot study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-two ataxic patients with posterior circulation stroke were randomized to real (n = 22) and sham (n = 10) rTMS groups.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients received 5 15-min sessions of 1 Hz cerebellar rTMS over 5 consecutive days. Compliance and adverse events for the rTMS sessions were checked. The 10-m walk test (10MWT) and Berg Balance Scale (BBS) were completed before rTMS, immediately and 1 month after the last rTMS session.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compliance with the rTMS was 100% and no adverse events were reported in either group. 10MWT and BBS of real rTMS group improved significantly (p < 0.01). Percentage changes immediately after the last rTMS session for time and steps in the 10MWT and BBS in the real vs sham group were: -16.7 ± 35.1% vs -8.4 ± 72.5%, -8.5 ± 23.0% vs -0.3 ± 28.4% and 46.4 ± 100.2% vs 36.6 ± 71.6%, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study demonstrated that 1 Hz rTMS over the cerebellum is safe, feasible and may have a beneficial effect in ataxic patients with posterior circulation stroke.
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital,166 Gumi-ro, Bundang-gu, Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do, 463-707, South Korea. E-mail: njpaik@snu.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Won-Seok
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Se Hee
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.forename: Min Kyun
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Oh
authors.forename: Yu Sun
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Min
authors.forename: Jong Youb
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.forename: Nam-Jong
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Paik
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001259:Ataxia / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D020520:Brain Infarction / Q000150:complications; D002531:Cerebellum / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D020521:Stroke / Q000150:complications*; D050781:Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation