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Published on: August 11, 2015
[Central and peripheral deafferent pain: therapy with repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation]
K Irlbacher1, J Kuhnert, S Röricht
1Neurologische Klinik, Charité Centrum für Neurologie, Neurochirurgie und Psychiatrie, Charitéplatz 1, 10117, Berlin. stephan.brandt@charite.de
Background:
This study evaluates the effects of repeated sessions of low- and high-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) over the primary motor cortex on central and phantom limb pain.
Methods:
Twenty seven patients with central (n=13) and phantom limb (n=14) pain participated in a blind, randomised placebo-controlled study comparing the effect of 1-Hz and 5-Hz rTMS with sham stimulation. Each treatment block consisted of a 5-day baseline phase, a 5-day therapy phase, and an 18-day washout phase. In the therapy phase, 500 stimuli were applied in the particular frequency at about the same time on each day.
Results:
A reduction in pain immediately after stimulation was observed in all therapy groups. This effect was similar for all treatment conditions, including sham stimulation. No significant long-term effects of rTMS on pain intensity or mood were observed.
Conclusion:
At present, rTMS can not be recommended as a standard therapy for central and phantom limb pain.
