Comparison of Effects of Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation with High- or Low-frequency on Visuospatial Neglect in Stroke Patients

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To compare the effect of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) applied over the right or left parietal cortex with high- or low-frequency on visuospatial neglect in stroke patients. METHOD: Nineteen stroke subjects (10 males, 9 females) were enrolled. All subjects received 1,200 real rTMS over left parietal cortex at an intensity of 90% of motor thresholds with 1 Hz, sham rTMS over right parietal cortex with 20 Hz and real rTMS over right parietal cortex at same intensity with 20 Hz under randomized cross over design. To compare the effects of different rTMS protocols, letter cancellation test, line bisection test (near, far) and Ota's task were administered before and after rTMS. RESULTS: Low frequency rTMS over left parietal cortex, compared with sham stimulation, significantly improve visuospatial neglect in Ota's task (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: As low frequency rTMS over left parietal cortex showed beneficial effects on visuospatial neglect, low frequency rTMS can be used as a treatment modality for patients suffering from visuospatial neglect after stroke.