I am a
Home I AM A Search Login

Papers of the Week


2021 Apr 15


Cochrane Database Syst Rev


4

Transcranial magnetic stimulation for the treatment of epilepsy.

Authors

Walton D, Spencer DC, Nevitt SJ, Michael BD
Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2021 Apr 15; 4:CD011025.
PMID: 33884611.

Abstract

Epilepsy is a highly prevalent neurological condition characterised by repeated unprovoked seizures with various aetiologies. Although antiepileptic medications produce clinical improvement in many individuals, nearly a third of individuals have drug-resistant epilepsy that carries significant morbidity and mortality, and even individuals who have clinical improvement from antiepileptic medications often report iatrogenic symptoms. There remains a need for non-invasive and more effective therapies for this population. Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) uses electromagnetic coils to excite or inhibit neurons, with repetitive pulses at low-frequency producing an inhibitory effect that could conceivably reduce cortical excitability associated with epilepsy. This is an updated version of the original Cochrane Review published in 2016.