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.