Advances in the Application of rTMS in the Rehabilitation of Post-Stroke Swallowing Dysfunction

Stroke is currently one of the main causes of death and disability worldwide, with numerous reports indicating that it can lead to various functional impairments such as motor, sensory, swallowing, cognitive, emotional, and speech disorders following its occurrence. Among these, swallowing disorder is a relatively severe complication, which can easily lead to malnutrition, reduced quality of life, and aspiration pneumonia in patients, severely affecting their daily life and the outcome of the disease. Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is a non-invasive brain stimulation technique, and many studies have shown that it can significantly improve swallowing disorders after stroke. This article summarizes the possible pathogenesis of swallowing disorders after stroke and the mechanism of action of rTMS on the therapeutic effects for patients.