Does repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation have a beneficial effect on improving unilateral spatial neglect caused by stroke? A meta-analysis

• Published in: Journal of neurology 2024-10, Vol.271 (10), p.6494-6507
• Main Authors: Lin, Ruixuan, Zhang, Jack Jiaqi, Zhong, Lingling, Chan, Sofina S. Y., Kwong, Patrick W. H., Lorentz, Lukas, Shaikh, Usman Jawed, Lam, Tommy L. H., Mehler, David M. A., Fong, Kenneth N. K.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Clinical trials; Humans; Magnetic fields; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Meta-analysis; Neglect syndromes; Neurology; Neuroradiology; Neurosciences; Outcome Assessment, Health Care; Perceptual Disorders - etiology; Perceptual Disorders - rehabilitation; Perceptual Disorders - therapy; Review; Stroke; Stroke - complications; Stroke - therapy; Stroke Rehabilitation - methods; Transcranial magnetic stimulation; Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation - methods
• ISSN: 0340-5354; 1432-1459; 1432-1459
• DOI: 10.1007/s00415-024-12612-w

This review aimed to assess the effect of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) in improving post-stroke unilateral spatial neglect (USN) using a meta-analysis. Further, we aimed to identify any association between rTMS parameters, patient demographics, and treatment effect sizes using subgroup analyses and meta-regression. A literature search was conducted through four databases from inception to March 6, 2024, to retrieve all relevant controlled trials investigating the effects of rTMS on symptoms of USN in post-stroke patients. Overall, rTMS significantly improved post-stroke USN, as measured by the line bisection test (Hedges’ g  = – 1.301, p