Comparison of the Effects of 1 Hz and 20 Hz rTMS on Motor Recovery in Subacute Stroke Patients.
OBJECTIVE
To compare the low frequency (1 Hz) repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) with high frequency (20 Hz) rTMS on motor functional improvement of the affected upper extremity in subacute stroke patients.


METHODS
Forty patients with subacute ischemic stroke participated in this study. The first group received 10 sessions of 20 Hz rTMS at ipsilesional M1 area and the other group received 10 sessions of 1 Hz rTMS at contralesional M1 area. Motor training of the hemiparetic hand was conducted after each rTMS train. All the patients received conventional occupational therapy immediately after each rTMS session. Manual function test (MFT), Fugl-Meyer Assessment scale (FMS), Modified Barthel Index (MBI), Brunnstrom recovery stage, and grip strength were used to assess motor function before, at the end of, and one month after the last session of rTMS.


RESULTS
No adverse side effects were reported during the course of the experiment using rTMS. No significant difference in motor function of the affected upper extremity was observed between the two groups before rTMS. Significant improvements in MFT, FMS, MBI, and Brunnstrom stage were observed in the both groups at the end of the last rTMS session and one month later (p<0.05). No significant difference was found between the two groups (p>0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
There was no significant difference in motor function of the affected upper extremity between 1 Hz and 20 Hz rTMS during the subacute period of ischemic stroke. Thus, we cannot conclude which has a greater effect.
Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Inje University Sanggye Paik Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
Chul
C
Kim
Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Inje University Haeundae Paik Hospital, Busan, Korea.
Hee Eun
HE
Choi
Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Inje University Sanggye Paik Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
Heejin
H
Jung
Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Inje University Sanggye Paik Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
Byeong-Ju
BJ
Lee
Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Inje University Sanggye Paik Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
Ki Hoon
KH
Lee
Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Inje University Sanggye Paik Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
Young-Joon
YJ
Lim
Motor recovery; Stroke; Transcranial magnetic stimulation