Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation for patients with functional paralysis: a randomized controlled study

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Neuroscience
• Rehabilitation Medicine

Background:

• Functional neurological disorders are a group of conditions affecting brain function.
• Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) has been explored as a potential treatment for these disorders.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of rTMS in treating functional paralysis through a randomized controlled trial.
• To compare active rTMS with sham stimulation in improving motor function.

Main Methods:

• Sixty-two patients with functional paralysis received two sessions of either active or sham 0.25 Hz rTMS over the motor cortex.
• Outcomes included changes in motor scores (primary) and global/fine motor function, assessed by blinded investigators.
• Adverse events were also monitored.

Main Results:

• No significant difference in motor score improvement was observed between the active rTMS group (41%) and the sham group (37%).
• Changes in global and fine motor scores did not differ significantly between the active and sham rTMS groups.
• Six serious adverse events were reported, with three in the active group and three in the sham group.

Conclusions:

• Two sessions of low-frequency rTMS, both active and sham, demonstrated effectiveness in improving functional paralysis.
• The findings suggest that the observed improvements may be attributed to a placebo effect associated with non-invasive brain stimulation.