The Role of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation in Cerebral Infarction Treatment: A Case Report

Introduction Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is widely applied in the treatment of depression, neuropathic pain, Parkinson's disease and post-stroke motor impairments. After brain infarction, this therapy helps restore motor functions, reduce spasticity and improve patients' quality of life, making it a promising rehabilitation tool. [1,2] Our case report represents the positive effect of TMS. Case Presentation A 63-year-old patient was hospitalized in the Neurology Department due to an ischemic stroke in the vertebrobasilar basin. Examination revealed distal thrombosis in the left cerebral artery. The patient was conscious, communicative and oriented with decreased right arm strength and dysmetria on the right. After initial rehabilitation, persistent biosocial impairment led to transfer to the Neurorehabilitation Department. During rehabilitation, transcranial magnetic stimulation was applied, improving muscle strength, walking distance and time, motor skills, and dexterity, enhancing the patient’s independence. Discussion Transcranial magnetic stimulation of the brain is one of the most recent rehabilitation methods used to treat patients after a stroke. It is a painless, non-invasive procedure that activates neurons in the human brain [3]. In this case, the patient had rightside hemiplegia and TMS was combined with massage, EMS, and kinesiotherapy. Based on its proven benefits, 10 TMS sessions (1,200 pulses each) were applied over two weeks. Muscle strength was assessed at the beginning and end of rehabilitation using the Medical Research Council (MRC) Scale. Muscle strength improved notably, especially in the right proximal arm and leg (from 2 to 4), with other muscle groups reaching 4 or 5. The treatment enhanced motor function and recovery with no observed side effects. Conclusions By combining TMS as an additional treatment method with other rehabilitation approaches such as massage, kinesiotherapy and physiotherapy, the patient showed an improvement in motor function. However, further research is needed to determine the precise benefits of TMS in patient treatment.