الفهرس 
Title : Effect of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation on upper limb motor function and cortical excitability in stroke patients
AbstractOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
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Abstract
Background: Cortical reorganization after stroke has great impact upon the regain of the functional motor recovery in the affected upper extremity. The purpose: to investigate the effect of contralesional low frequency Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (LF-rTMS) on cortical excitability and consequently on upper limb motor performance, to determine the relationship between cortical excitability and upper limb motor function impairment after stroke. Also, to assess the sessional cortical excitability changes in response to contralesional LF-rTMS as an adjuvant to a selected physical therapy program in stroke patients. Methods: Forty right hemiparetic subacute ischemic stroke patients were randomly assigned into two equal groups [control (GA) & study (GB)]. group A was treated with a selected physical therapy program for the upper limb; while group B was treated with contralesional LF-rTMS sessions in addition to the same program as in GA. Treatment was conducted daily for two consecutive weeks. Single pulse TMS was used to assess cortical excitability by measuring, contralesional active motor threshold (cAMT), ipsilesional active motor threshold (iAMT) and (iAMT/cAMT difference). Upper limb motor performance and grip strength were assessed using (FMA-UE), and hand grip dynamometer respectively. Pre and post treatment mean values for each variable were examined. Sequential cortical excitability changes were determined via recording cAMT and iAMT after the end of each treatment session