Chinese Journal of Rehabilitation Theory and Practice ›› 2025, Vol. 31 ›› Issue (7): 812-821.doi: 10.3969/j.issn.1006-9771.2025.07.008

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Effect of high-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation on upper limb function of stroke patients based on motor sequence learning

SUN Wanting1, YASEN Ailipinai1, GONG Xiang1, XIAO Yue1,2, GAN Zhaodan1,2, LIU Mingjie1, ZENG Lanting1, MA Shuyue1, LU Jun1,2(), XU Guangxu1,2,3()   

  1. 1. Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210029, China
    2. Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, First Affiliated Hospital with Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210029, China
    3. Suzhou Hospital Affiliated with Nanjing Medical University, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215031, China
  • Received:2025-03-25 Revised:2025-05-15 Published:2025-07-25 Online:2025-07-30
  • Contact: LU Jun, E-mail: lujunrehab@foxmail.com; XU Guangxu, E-mail: xuguangxu@njmu.edu.cn
  • Supported by:
    Suzhou Gusu Health Talent Project(GWSW2022073)

Abstract:

Objective To investigate the effects of high-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (HF-rTMS) applied to the supplementary motor area (SMA) or primary motor cortex (M1) on upper limb function in stroke patients in terms of motor sequence learning.

Methods From April, 2024 to February, 2025, 60 inpatients were recruited from the First Affiliated Hospital with Nanjing Medical University. They were randomly assigned into the control group, SMA group and M1 group, with 20 patients in each group. All the groups received medication and conventional rehabilitation. On this basis, SMA group underwent HF-rTMS on the affected side's SMA, while M1 group received HF-rTMS on the affected side's M1 for two weeks. All the groups were measured with motor evoked potentials (MEP), the serial reaction time (RT) task, Fugl-Meyer Assessment-Upper Extremities (FMA-UE) and modified Barthel Index (MBI) before and after intervention.

Results The SMA and M1 groups dropped one case respectively. MEP elicitation rate of the affected side's increased in SMA and M1 groups (P< 0.05), and it was better than that in the control group (χ² > 4.792, P < 0.05). The intra-group effects of RTsequential sequence, FMA-UE and MBI scores were significant (|F| > 81.546, P < 0.05). The inter-group effects of RTrandom sequence, RTsequential sequence, ∆RT, and MBI scores were significant (F > 3.228, P< 0.05). The interactive effects of RTrandom sequence, RTsequential sequence, ∆RT, FMA-UE and MBI scores were significant (|F| > 3.520, P > 0.05). After intervention, RTsequential sequence, ∆RT, FMA-UE and MBI scores improved (P < 0.05). RTrandom sequencewas lower in SMA group than in the control group (P< 0.017), RTsequential sequence, ∆RT, FMA-UE and MBI scores improved more in SMA and M1 groups than in the control group (P< 0.05), but no significant difference was found between the SMA group and the M1 group (P > 0.05).

Conclusion HF-rTMS applied to the affected SMA or M1 can activate motor sequence learning and promote the recovery of upper limb function in stroke patients.

Key words: stroke, motor sequence learning, repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation, supplementary motor area, primary motor cortex, upper limbs

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