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Updated: Jul 19, 2026
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Measuring and Manipulating Functionally Specific Neural Pathways in the Human Motor System with Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation
Published on: February 23, 2020
Transcranial magnetic stimulation in motor conversion disorder: a short case series
Carlos Schönfeldt-Lecuona1, Bernhard J Connemann, Roberto Viviani
1Department of Psychiatry III, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany. carlos.schoenfeldt@uni-ulm.de
Summary
Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) shows promise for treating nonorganic limb paralysis, with significant motor function recovery observed in most patients. Further research is needed to confirm these therapeutic effects.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Neurology
- Psychiatry
Background:
- Nonorganic paralysis, also known as conversion disorder, lacks clear neurophysiologic understanding and established treatments.
- Investigating novel therapeutic approaches is crucial for patients with this condition.
Observation:
- Four patients with nonorganic limb paralysis received high-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) over 5-12 weeks.
- rTMS was applied to the contralateral motor cortex using specific parameters (15 Hz, 2s trains, 4s interval, 4000 stimuli daily).
Findings:
- One patient achieved complete motor function restoration.
- Two patients demonstrated marked functional improvement correlated with rTMS treatment.
- A patient diagnosed with malingering showed no improvement, suggesting specificity of the treatment's effect.
Implications:
- High-frequency rTMS may offer a therapeutic option for motor conversion disorder.
- rTMS might enhance or compensate for insufficient cortical input, facilitating motor relearning.
- Further controlled studies are warranted to validate rTMS efficacy and explore its neurophysiologic underpinnings in motor conversion disorder.
