Effects of Low-frequency Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Combined with Task-oriented Mirror Therapy on Upper Limbs Function in Patients with Cerebral Infarction / 中国康复理论与实践

ABSTRACT

@# Objective To investigate the effects of low-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) combined with task-oriented mirror therapy (MT) on upper limbs function in patients with cerebral infarction. Methods From January, 2017 to January, 2018, 90 patients with cerebral infarction were randomly divided into control group (n = 30), MT group (n = 30), and rTMS+MT group (n = 30). All the patients received routine medicine and rehabilitation training. Moreover, MT group received task-oriented mirror therapy, and rTMS+MT group received 1 Hz rTMS over the M1 area of the unaffected hemisphere followed by task-oriented mirror therapy. Before and after four weeks of treatment, their motor evoked potential cortical latency (CL) and central motor conduction time (CMCT) in affected brain areas were measured, and they were assessed with Fugl-Meyer Assessment-upper extremities (FMA-UE) and modified Barthel Index (MBI). Results CL, CMCT, FMA-UE and MBI improved significantly in all the groups after treatment (t > 2.983, P < 0.05), and it was the best in MT+rTMS group, and then the MT group and the control group (P < 0.05). Conclusion Task-oriented mirror therapy could improve the excitability of cerebral cortex of the affected brain and promote the recovery of upper limbs motor function, which is even more effective combined with 1 Hz rTMS.