title: Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation for the treatment of refractory epilepsy.
abstract: Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is an established non-invasive neurostimulation technique that is able to induce neuromodulatory effects outlasting the duration of the stimulation train. The cortical excitability disturbance in epilepsy provides a rationale for investigating the efficacy of low-frequency rTMS as a treatment for epilepsy patients. Sofar clinical trials in epilepsy patients have shown conflicting results ranging from ineffective to very effective.
  
  
  
  This manuscript provides an overview of the performed studies, retrieved from a PubMed search, and a critical appraisal of their results. A number of conclusions are drawn and potential optimization strategies are discussed. Expert commentary: Although the therapeutic efficacy of rTMS in refractory epilepsy has not yet been established, the non-invasiveness of the technique warrants further investigation of rTMS as a treatment for epilepsy.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Neurology , Ghent University Hospital , Ghent , Belgium.|b Laboratory for Clinical and Experimental Neurophysiology, Neurobiology and Neuropsychology (LCEN3) , Ghent University , Ghent , Belgium.
authors.forename: Sofie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Carrette
authors.affiliation: a Department of Neurology , Ghent University Hospital , Ghent , Belgium.|b Laboratory for Clinical and Experimental Neurophysiology, Neurobiology and Neuropsychology (LCEN3) , Ghent University , Ghent , Belgium.|c Kempenhaeghe, Academic Center for Epileptology , Heeze , the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Boon
authors.affiliation: a Department of Neurology , Ghent University Hospital , Ghent , Belgium.|b Laboratory for Clinical and Experimental Neurophysiology, Neurobiology and Neuropsychology (LCEN3) , Ghent University , Ghent , Belgium.
authors.forename: Cathérine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Dekeyser
authors.affiliation: c Kempenhaeghe, Academic Center for Epileptology , Heeze , the Netherlands.|d Department of Electrical Engineering , Eindhoven University of Technology , Eindhoven , the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Debby C W
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Klooster
authors.affiliation: a Department of Neurology , Ghent University Hospital , Ghent , Belgium.|b Laboratory for Clinical and Experimental Neurophysiology, Neurobiology and Neuropsychology (LCEN3) , Ghent University , Ghent , Belgium.
authors.forename: Evelien
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Carrette
authors.affiliation: a Department of Neurology , Ghent University Hospital , Ghent , Belgium.|b Laboratory for Clinical and Experimental Neurophysiology, Neurobiology and Neuropsychology (LCEN3) , Ghent University , Ghent , Belgium.
authors.forename: Alfred
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Meurs
authors.affiliation: a Department of Neurology , Ghent University Hospital , Ghent , Belgium.|b Laboratory for Clinical and Experimental Neurophysiology, Neurobiology and Neuropsychology (LCEN3) , Ghent University , Ghent , Belgium.
authors.forename: Robrecht
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Raedt
authors.affiliation: e Department of Psychiatry and Medical Psychology , Ghent University , Ghent , Belgium.|f Department of Psychiatry , University Hospital Brussels , Brussels , Belgium.
authors.forename: Chris
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Baeken
authors.affiliation: g Department of Electronics and Information Systems, iMinds-IBiTech-MEDISIP , Ghent University , Ghent , Belgium.
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Vanhove
authors.affiliation: a Department of Neurology , Ghent University Hospital , Ghent , Belgium.|c Kempenhaeghe, Academic Center for Epileptology , Heeze , the Netherlands.|d Department of Electrical Engineering , Eindhoven University of Technology , Eindhoven , the Netherlands.|h Department of Neurology, Maastricht University Medical Center , Maastricht , the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Albert P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Aldenkamp
authors.affiliation: a Department of Neurology , Ghent University Hospital , Ghent , Belgium.|b Laboratory for Clinical and Experimental Neurophysiology, Neurobiology and Neuropsychology (LCEN3) , Ghent University , Ghent , Belgium.
authors.forename: Kristl
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Vonck
mesh_terms: D000071080:Cortical Excitability; D000069279:Drug Resistant Epilepsy / Q000628:therapy; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D050781:Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation
keywords: Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS); clinical outcome; epilepsia partialis continua (EPC); epilepsy; status epilepticus (SE); treatment