The Use of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) in Stroke Patients Undergoing Occupational Therapy

Methods:We systematically reviewed the literature surrounding the use of TMS in patients with BPD.We determined that most publications focus on the effect of TMS on comorbid depression in addition to or instead of core BPD symptoms.Hence, each article was evaluated for the treatment modality and protocol used and whether TMS proved effective in treating MDD and/or core BPD symptoms in BPD patients.Results: The studies identified in our search trialed a wide range of inhibitory and excitatory protocols with multiple target locations, including the lDLPFC, rDLPFC, DMPFC, and OFC; no major differences in effectiveness were noted between different modalities.Every study except for a single outlier indicated significant improvement in depression symptoms, whereas only 50% of the studies that observed BPD symptoms noted a positive treatment effect.Discussion: TMS is likely to be effective in treating the coexisting MDD in BPD patients.However, there is insufficient evidence to determine whether TMS can be used to treat the BPD pathology in patients without coexisting MDD or which protocol is most effective, leaving a significant need for further research.