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Therapeutic Effects of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation on Visuospatial Neglect Revealed With Event-Related
Lin-Lin Ye1, Huan-Xin Xie1, Lei Cao1
1Department of Rehabilitation, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
Frontiers in Neurology
|February 10, 2022
Summary
Low-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) significantly improved attention and accuracy in stroke patients with visuospatial neglect (VSN). This non-invasive brain stimulation enhances P300 event-related potentials, suggesting rTMS is an effective VSN rehabilitation therapy.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Rehabilitation Medicine
- Cognitive Psychology
Background:
- Visuospatial neglect (VSN) is a common and debilitating consequence of stroke, impairing attention and spatial awareness.
- Current rehabilitation strategies for VSN have limited efficacy, necessitating the exploration of novel therapeutic approaches.
- Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is a non-invasive brain stimulation technique with potential therapeutic applications in neurological disorders.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effects of low-frequency rTMS over the left posterior parietal cortex on attention processing in patients with VSN.
- To evaluate the role of rTMS in visuospatial neglect rehabilitation by analyzing behavioral and electrophysiological outcomes.
- To provide electrophysiological evidence for the therapeutic mechanisms of rTMS in VSN.
Main Methods:
- Ten subacute stroke patients with VSN underwent 14 days of low-frequency rTMS targeting the left posterior parietal cortex.
- Behavioral assessments using line bisection, cancellation tests, and a target-cue paradigm were conducted pre- and post-rTMS.
- Event-related potentials (ERPs), specifically P300 amplitude, were measured before and after rTMS to assess neural changes.
Main Results:
- rTMS treatment significantly improved response times and accuracy rates in patients with VSN compared to baseline.
- A significant increase in P300 amplitude was observed after rTMS, particularly for left and right targets, indicating enhanced neural processing.
- No significant differences were detected in pre-rTMS behavioral tasks, highlighting the specific effect of the intervention.
Conclusions:
- Low-frequency rTMS over the left posterior parietal cortex is a potentially effective treatment for visuospatial neglect.
- The observed improvements in behavioral performance and P300 amplitude suggest rTMS modulates attention networks and promotes interhemispheric compensation.
- Electrophysiological evidence supports the therapeutic mechanisms of rTMS, offering insights into VSN rehabilitation strategies.
