Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 6, 2025
Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation to the Unilateral Hemisphere of Rat Brain
Published on: October 22, 2016
Limited Potential of Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation for Treatment of Essential Tremor: A Systematic
Andrew A E D Bishay1,2, Anton Guo1, Rhea Desai1
1Physiological Sciences Interdepartmental Program, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
Abstract:
Essential tremor (ET) is a prevalent movement disorder characterized by action tremors, predominantly affecting the upper limbs. While various pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions have shown efficacy in managing ET, the therapeutic role of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) remains uncertain. This systematic review synthesizes evidence from clinical trials investigating rTMS as a treatment for ET. Despite some open-label trials reporting reductions in tremor severity, double-blinded studies revealed no significant difference between active and sham rTMS, suggesting a strong placebo effect. The findings indicate that while rTMS can reduce tremor scores, its therapeutic efficacy in ET remains unproven. Future research should focus on improving sham designs and conducting larger, rigorously controlled trials to clarify rTMS's role in ET management. Current evidence supports considering alternative treatments, such as deep brain stimulation, over rTMS for ET.
