Neuromodulation effects of HF-rTMS and rPMS on stroke patients: an fNIRS study.

Central and peripheral magnetic stimulation produced different immediate fNIRS response patterns after stroke. The study measured short-term brain physiology, not functional recovery or lasting rehabilitation benefit.

Song Z, Wei K, Zeng H, Zhan X, Fan Q, Wang X, Sui Y, Li B, Zhao Z, Liang F.
Journal of neural engineering · Publication date: 2026-09-18
Added to site: 2026-09-20
DOI: 10.1088/1741-2552/aea36a

Electronic publication date verified in Europe PMC.

Modalities

rTMS, Peripheral magnetic stimulation, fNIRS

Clinical focus

Stroke, Cortical hemodynamics, Functional connectivity

Population

People with unilateral stroke at varying times after stroke

Sample

57 people with unilateral stroke

Intervention / method

One session of 5 Hz HF-rTMS or 25 Hz repetitive peripheral magnetic stimulation, 1,500 pulses, with motor-task fNIRS immediately before and after stimulation

Comparator

Central HF-rTMS versus peripheral magnetic stimulation; no sham condition was reported in the accessible abstract

Clinician summary

HF-rTMS and rPMS showed divergent acute hemodynamic profiles. The disease-duration-adjusted frontopolar response-dispersion interaction was significant, while no functional-connectivity comparison survived false-discovery-rate correction.

How to interpret the findings

The abstract does not establish random allocation, masking or sham control. Outcomes were immediate fNIRS measures after one session, post-stroke duration varied, corrected connectivity results were null, and no clinical recovery or durability outcome was reported.

Equipment and disclosures

The accessible abstract specifies fNIRS monitoring and magnetic stimulation parameters but not the device manufacturers or models.

Funding and competing-interest details were not available in the checked indexed record.

Related evidence

Compare findings from the same clinical area, including mixed results.

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