Therapeutic applications of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation in clinical neurorehabilitation

Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) was introduced nearly 20 years ago and has since been developed as a sophisticated tool for neuroscience research. It is an excellent technique that complements other non-invasive methods for studying human brain physiology. The aim of the present study was to review the basic concepts and principles of the repetitive TMS (rTMS) technique, gathering evidence of its applications in neurorehabilitation. Several clinical studies have reported that sessions of rTMS can improve some or all of the motor symptoms associated with Parkinson's disease, dystonia and stroke. However, since these changes are transient, it is premature to propose these applications as realistic therapeutic options, even though the rTMS technique has shown itself to be, potentially, a modulator of sensorimotor integration and neurogenesis. Future work in this area promises to advance our understanding of the pathophysiology of a wide range of neurological conditions, generate widely applicable diagnostic tools for clinical neurophysiology, and perhaps establish neuromodulation as a viable therapeutic option in neurorehabilitation.