Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Here, we aimed to explore the efficacy of 5-Hz transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) in improving cognitive function during the recovery phase of stroke. METHOD: This was a retrospective study. A total of 33 patients were enrolled, of whom 13 received 5-Hz TMS treatment and 20 did not. Cognitive functioning was assessed before and after treatment. RESULTS: Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) scores increased significantly after treatment in the TMS group compared with the control group (p = 0.0359). MoCA scores in the TMS group also increased significantly after treatment compared with before (p < 0.0001). In the TMS group (including the left-side lesions subgroup and the right-side lesions subgroup), MoCA scores increased only in patients who had received left-side lesions (p = 0.0156). However, we did not find any significant between-group differences in MoCA scores after treatment. CONCLUSION: High-frequency (5 Hz) TMS applied to the left DLPFC significantly enhances overall cognitive functioning in patients who are recovering from strokes. Interestingly, we found that when 5-Hz TMS was applied to the left DLPFC, its effects were similar regardless of whether the lesion was ipsilateral to the stimulation site or not.