Open AccessCombined effect of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation and physical exercise on cortical plasticity
Author(s) -
Yawen Yang,
Wenxiu Pan,
Qing Xie
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
neural regeneration research/neural regeneration research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.93
H-Index - 38
eISSN - 1876-7958
pISSN - 1673-5374
DOI - 10.4103/1673-5374.282239
Subject(s) - transcranial magnetic stimulation , neuroplasticity , stroke (engine) , stimulation , physical medicine and rehabilitation , medicine , brain stimulation , motor cortex , neuroscience , transcranial direct current stimulation , neurorehabilitation , physical exercise , psychology , physical therapy , rehabilitation , physics , thermodynamics
Physical exercise can minimize dysfunction and optimize functional motor recovery after stroke by modulating cortical plasticity. However, the limitation of physical exercise is that large amounts of time and effort are necessary to significantly improve motor function, and even then, substantial exercise may not be sufficient to normalize the observed improvements. Thus, interventions that could be used to strengthen physical exercise-induced neuroplasticity may be valuable in treating hemiplegia after stroke. Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation seems to be a viable strategy for enhancing such plasticity. As a non-invasive cortical stimulation technique, repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation is able to induce long-term plastic changes in the motor system. Recently, repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation was found to optimize the plastic changes caused by motor training, thereby enhancing the long-term effects of physical exercise in stroke patients. Therefore, it is believed that the combination of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation and physical exercise may represent a superior method for restoring motor function after stroke.