Development of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation for central poststroke pain: A review

The higher incidence of central poststroke pain (CPSP) has a severe negative impact on patients' mood, sleep, recovery, and quality of life, with bad medication outcomes. On the contrary, noninvasive transcranial magnetic stimulation is safe, and its analgesic effect has been verified in clinical practice. Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation may treat CPSP by various mechanisms, including modulating immune responses, promoting neurogenesis, improving cortical excitability, increasing interneuronal connectivity, and brain remodeling, but the exact mechanism and standard treatment regimen are still inconclusive and controversial. Therefore, the review summarizes recent advances regarding the possible mechanisms, treatment options, precautions, and future trends of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation for the treatment of CPSP, to provide new ideas for better clinical work and scientific exploration.