The Efficacy of High-Frequency Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation for Improving Apathy in Chronic Stroke Patients

Abstract

Although repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) for hemiparesis is beneficial, so far no study has examined the usefulness of rTMS for apathy. Thirteen patients with chronic stroke were assigned randomly to 2 groups: rTMS group (n = 7) and sham stimulation group (n = 6). The patients received 5 sessions of either high-frequency rTMS over the region spanning from the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC) to medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) or sham stimulation for 5 days. The severity of apathy was evaluated using the Apathy Scale (AS) and the severity of depression was evaluated using the Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology (QIDS) serially before and after the 5-day protocol. The AS and QIDS scores were significantly improved in the rTMS group, although they were not changed in the sham stimulation group. The degree of change in the AS score was significantly greater in the rTMS group than that in the sham stimulation group. The degree of change in the QIDS score was greater in the rTMS group than that in the sham stimulation group, although the difference was not statistically significant. The application of high frequency rTMS over the dACC and mPFC may be a useful intervention for apathy due to stroke.

Effect of Shear Bond Strength with Novel APC™ Flash-Free Brackets and Different Bonding Protocol: An In Vitro Study

“…The potential for higher shear bond strengths also exists with faster crosshead speeds. At higher crosshead speeds, the resin may perform as a brittle solid with increased energy directed toward fracture of the specimen rather than molecular deformation and flexure 48,49 . If either statement is valid, significant differences in SBS between tested materials could result just from altering the crosshead speed.…”

Effects of Excitatory Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation of the Anterior Intraparietal Area in Chronic Stroke Patients

“…TMS is a widely studied tool for the treatment of post-stroke patients. Several studies have obtained promising results for treating depression [1,2], aphasia [3][4][5][6] and pain [7][8][9][10], as well as for improving motor function [2, [11][12][13][14]. Such studies are generally based upon the interhemispheric imbalance model [15], which states that the injury of one hemisphere increases the activation of the contralateral hemisphere, which, in turn, exerts a greater inhibition over the injured hemisphere [15][16][17].…”

Effects of Excitatory Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation of the P3 Point in Chronic Stroke Patients – Case Reports

“…TMS is a widely studied tool for the treatment of post-stroke patients. Several studies have obtained promising results for treating depression [1,2], aphasia [3][4][5][6] and pain [7][8][9][10], as well as for improving motor function [2,[11][12][13][14], though the variety of results of TMS with this population requires further studies. Such studies are generally based upon the interhemispheric imbalance model [15], which states that the injury of one hemisphere increases the activation of the contralateral hemisphere, which, in turn, exerts a greater inhibition over the injured hemisphere [15][16][17].…”