Functional near-infrared spectroscopy study of intermittent theta burst stimulation on lower-limb motor dysfunction in patients with post-stroke hemiplegia.

OBJECTIVES: Stroke is characterized by high morbidity and high disability rate, and is the main cause of long-term disability. To evaluate the efficacy of intermittent theta burst stimulation (iTBS) on patients with lower limb motor dysfunction after stroke through functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) and the Fugl-Meyer Assessment of Lower Extremity Motor Function Scale, and analyze the activation of each channel of the cerebral cortex through fNIRS.

METHODS: Sixty-six patients were randomly assigned (1:1) to a control group (n = 33) or an iTBS treatment group (n = 33). The control group was given basic rehabilitation treatment and sham stimulation of iTBS, while the treatment group was given basic rehabilitation treatment and real stimulation of iTBS.

RESULTS: After treatment, when comparing the treatment group and the control group, there was a statistically significant difference in the scores of the Fugl-Meyer Lower Limb Motor Function Assessment Scale. After 4 weeks of treatment, when comparing the treatment group and the control group, there were statistically significant differences in task-related activation in channels over the ipsilesional premotor cortex (PMC) and primary motor cortex (M1), and the contralesional primary somatosensory cortex (S1) (p < 0.05). In the treatment group, task-related activation in channels over ipsilesional PMC and M1 and contralesional S1 was also significantly increased compared with baseline (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION: iTBS has a certain curative effect in the treatment of lower limb dysfunction after stroke. On fNIRS, increased activation was observed in channels over ipsilesional PMC and M1 and contralesional S1.