• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.96-103
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• 2005

The motor recovery mechanism of a 21-year-old male monoparetic patient with cerebral palsy, who had complained of a mild weakness on his right hand since infancy, was examined using functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) and Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS). The patient showed mild motor impairment on the right hand. MRI located the main lesion on the left precentral knob of the brain. fMRI was performed on this patient as well as 8 control subjects using the Blood Oxygen Level Dependent technique at 1.5 T with a standard head coil. The motor activation task consisted of finger flexionextension exercises at 1 Hz cycles. TMS was carried out using a round coil. The anterior portion of the coil was applied tangentially to the scalp at a 1.0 cm separation. Magnetic stimulation was carried out with the maximal output. The Motor Evoked Potentials (MEPs) from both Abductor Pollicis Brevis muscles (APB) were obtained simultaneously. fMRI revealed that the unaffected (right) primary sensori-motor cortex (SM1), which was centered on precentral knob, was activated by the hand movements of the control subjects as well as by the unaffected (left) hand movements of the patient. However, the affected(right) hand movements of the patient activated the medial portion of the injured precentral knob of the left SM1. The optimal scalp site for the affected (right) APB was located at 1 cm medial to that of the unaffected (left) APB. When the optimal scalp site was stimulated, the MEP characteristics from the affected (right) APB showed a delayed latency, lower amplitude, and a distorted figure compared with that of the unaffected (left) APB. Therefore, the motor function of the affected (right) hand was shown to be reorganized in the medial portion of the injured precentral knob.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.681-688
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• 2009

To better delineate the changes in corticospinal excitability when older adults are asked to observe and/or imagine actions, 22 right-handed older adults without neurological abnormalities were included in this study. The amplitude and latency of motor evoked potentials (MEPs) by transcranial magnetic stimulation were recorded in the abductor pollicis brevis of the dominant hand during passive observation/imagery/active observation of slow/fast action of abduction of right thumb and also at resting state. Thus, active observation showed better changes than passive, but slow and fast action revealed no difference at all.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.281-289
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• 2023

Purpose : In this study, we aimed to determine how frequencies different of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation applied to the less affected contalesional corticomotor area affect upper extremity motor function in patients with acute stroke within 3 months of onset. By doing so, we aimed to propose a new method of rTMS intervention based on the degree of damage and recovery status of the patient, rather than the generalized rTMS intervention that has been used uniformly. Methods : The rTMS intervention was applied on the contralesional side of the cerebral hemisphere damage. 15 subjects in the HF-rTMS group, 12 subjects in the LF-rTMS group, and 14 subjects in the SF-rTMS group were randomized to receive the rTMS intervention in each group for a total of 10 sessions on five consecutive weekdays for two weeks, and underwent FMA-U to determine changes in upper extremity function following the intervention in each group. FMA-U was performed within 24 hours before and after the rTMS intervention. Results : When the FMA-U was performed to determine the pre- and post-intervention changes in upper extremity motor function within the groups, no statistically significant differences were found in the SF-rTMS group before and after the intervention, but significant statistical differences were found in the HF-rTMS group (p=.006) and the LF-rTMS group (p=.020), with greater significance in the HF-rTMS group than the LF-rTMS group. Conclusion : This study confirmed that compensatory action by activating the less affected contralesional corticomotor area based on the bimodal balance-recovery model can support upper extremity recovery patients with acute stroke within 3 months of onset, depending on the degree of damage level and recovery status. Therefore, the results of the contralesional HF-rTMS application in this study may provide a basis for proposing a new rTMS intervention for upper extremity recovery in stroke patients.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.71-79
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• 2011

Purpose : The purpose of this study was carried out to investigate the effect of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation on increase of H-reflex inhibition and fascilitation of range of motion of spastic ankle joint in chronic stroke patients. Methods : 30 chronic stroke patients were randomly divided into three groups, a control group(placebo rTMS group), 5 Hz rTMS group and manual therapy group. The MAS and ROM of ankle joint and H-reflex inhibition of soleus muscle were evaluated on each group. Results : The rTMS group decreased MAS of ankle joint and increased H-reflex inhibition of soleus muscle, and ROM of ankle joint than manual therapy group. The placebo rTMS group did not affected the change of MAS, ROM of ankle joint and H-reflex inhibition of soleus muscle. Conclusion : The rTMS was a good therapeutic tool to improve the foot drop in the chronic stroke patients.

• The Korean Society of Law and Medicine
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.209-244
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• 2020

TMS and tDCS are non-invasive devices that treat the diseases of patients or individual users, and manage or improve their health by applying stimulation to a brain through magnetism and electricity. The effect and safety of these devices have proved to be valid in several diseases, but research in this area is still much going on. Despite increasing cases of their application, legislations directly regulating TMS and tDCS are hard to find. Legal regulation regarding TMS and tDCS in the United States, Germany and Japan reveals that while TMS has been approved as a medical device with a moderate risk, tDCS has not yet earned approval as a medical device. However, the recent FDA guidance, European MDR changes, recalls in the US, and relevant legal provisions of Germany and Japan, as well as recommendations from expert groups all show signs of tDCS growing closer to getting approved as a medical device. Of course, safety and efficacy of tDCS can still be regulated as a general product instead of as a medical device. Considering multiple potential impacts on a human brain, however, the need for independent regulation is urgent. South Korea also lacks legal provisions explicitly regulating TMS and tDCS, but they fall into the category of the grade 3 medical devices according to the notifications of the Korean Ministry of Food and Drug Safety. And safety and efficacy of TMS are to be evaluated in compliance with the US FDA guidance. But no specific guidelines exist for tDCS yet. Given that tDCS devices are used in some hospitals in reality, and also at home by individual buyers, such a regulatory gap must quickly be addressed. In a longer term, legal system needs to be in place capable of independently regulating non-invasive brain stimulating devices.

• Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.9-15
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• 2007

Purpose: Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) has recently been clinically applied in the treatment of drug resistant depressed patients. There are mixed findings about the efficacy of rTMS on depression. Furthermore, the influence of rTMS on the physiology of the brain is not clear. We prospectively evaluated changes of regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) between pre- and post-rTMS treatment in patients with drug resistant depression. Materials and Methods: Twelve patients with drug-resistant depression (7 male, 5 female; age range: $19{\sim}52$ years; mean age: $29.3{\pm}9.3$ years) were given rTMS on right prefrontal lobe with low frequency (1 Hz) and on left prefrontal lobe with high frequency (20 Hz), with 20-minute-duration each day for 3 weeks. Tc-99m ECD brain perfusion SPECT was obtained before and after rTMS treatment. The changes of cerebral perfusion were analyzed using statistical parametric mapping (SPM; t=3.14, uncorrected p<0.01, voxel=100). Results: Following areas showed significant increase in rCBF after 3 weeks rTMS treatment: the cingulate gyrus, fusiform gyrus of right temporal lobe, precuneus, and left lateral globus pallidus. Significant decrement was noted in: the precental and middle frontal gyrus of right frontal lobe, and fusiform gyrus of left occipital lobe. Conclusion: Low-frequency rTMS on the right prefrontal cortex and high-frequency rTMS on the left prefrontal cortex for 3 weeks as an add-on regimen have increased and decreased rCBF in the specific brain regions in drug-resistant depressed patients. Further analyses correlating clinical characteristics and treatment paradigm with functional imaging data may be helpful in clarifying the pathophysiology of drug-resistant depressed patients.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.167-175
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• 2023

Purpose : The study aim was to apply high-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation to and investigate the effects on upper extremity function and activities of daily living. Methods : This study was conducted at Hospital D in U City from April to June 2018. Thirty-two patients diagnosed with stroke according to prior research criteria were selected and divided into two groups. Sixteen people in the experimental group received high-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation and traditional occupational therapy, and sixteen people in the received sham stimulation and traditional occupational therapy. Both groups received 20 minutes of transcranial magnetic stimulation and 30 minutes of traditional occupational therapy per session, five times per week, for a total of 10 sessions over two weeks. Upper extremity functional evaluation, MFT and activities of daily living (Korean Version of the Modified Barthel Index, K-MBI) were conducted before and after the intervention, and an independent t test was used to confirm the effects of the intervention. Results : No statistically significant difference between the aforementioned groups' MFT and K-MBI scores was noted before the intervention. After the intervention, however, a statistically significant difference was found in K-MBI scores (p<.001). Additionally, after the intervention, a significant difference between the groups' MFT scores was found (p<.05). Conclusion : The results of this study showed that the combination of high-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation and occupational therapy was effective in recovering upper extremity function and activities of daily living in patients diagnosed with acute stroke.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.11-20
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• 2012

Purpose : This study is intended to examine the repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation on cognitive function in the focal ischemic stroke rat model. Methods : This study selected 30 Sprague-Dawley rats of 8 weeks. The groups were divided into two groups and assigned 15 rats to each group. Control group: Non-treatment after injured by focal ischemic stroke; Experimental group: application of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation(0.1 Tesla, 25 Hz, 20 min/time, 2 times/day, 5 days/2 week) after injured by focal ischemic stroke. To assess the effect of rTMS, the passive avoidance test, spatial learning and memory ability test were analyzed at the pre, 1 day, $7^{th}$ day, $14^{th}$ day and immunohistochemistric response of BDNF were analyzed in the hippocampal dentate gyrus at $7^{th}$ day, $14^{th}$ day. Results : In passive avoidance test, the outcome of experimental group was different significantly than the control group at the $7^{th}$ day, $14^{th}$ day. In spatial learning and memory ability test, the outcome of experimental group was different significantly than the control group at the $7^{th}$ day, $14^{th}$ day. In immunohistochemistric response of BDNF in the hippocampal dentate gyrus, experimental groups was more increased than control group. Conclusion : These result suggest that improved cognitive function by repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation after focal ischemic stroke is associated with dynamically altered expression of BDNF in hippocampal dentate gyrus and that is related with synaptic plasticity.

• Annals of Clinical Neurophysiology
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.158-162
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• 2006

Background: It has been proposed that proprioceptive input can modulate neural excitability in both primary motor cortices (M1) simultaneously, although direct evidence for this is still lacking. Previous studies showed that proprioceptive accuracy of one hand is reduced after the application of one-Hz repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) for 15 minutes over the contralateral somatosensory cortex. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of rTMS-induced central proprioceptive deafferentation to excitability of both M1 as reflected in ipsilateral and contralateral motor evoked potentials (MEP). Methods: MEPs of both abductor pollicis bravis (APB) muscles were recorded using single-pulse TMS over right M1 in seven healthy subjects. Immediately after one-Hz rTMS was applied for 15 minutes over the right somatosensory cortex, the MEP measurement was repeated. The proprioceptive function of the left thumb was assessed, before and after rTMS, using a position-matching task. Results: There was an increase in ipsilateral MEP after the rTMS: whereas no MEPs were recorded on the ipsilateral hand before the rTMS, MEPs were recorded in both ipsilateral and contralateral hand in three of seven subjects. At the same time, the mean log amplitude was reduced and the mean latency was prolonged in the contralateral MEP. Conclusions: rTMS-induced central proprioceptive deafferentation reduces the MEP generation in the contralateral hand, and fascilitates that in the ipsilateral hand. A further study with a larger sample seems warranted to confirm this finding and to elucidate the neurophysiology underlying it.

• Journal of Electrodiagnosis and Neuromuscular Diseases
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.106-111
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• 2018

Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) has been a gold standard for investigating central motor pathways in humans. Diffusion tensor imaging with fiber tractography (DTI FT) is known for its usefulness in detecting white matter lesion in vivo. We investigated the clinical usefulness of elucidating the integrity and continuity of corticospinal tract (CST) by combined use of TMS and DTI FT in this study. We report two cases who have presented with left hemiparesis and evaluated by both TMS and DTI FT; 10-year-old boy with Mitochondrial Encephalomyopathy with Lactic Acidosis and Stroke-like episode syndrome and 20-year-old woman with traumatic brain injury. Combined use of TMS and DTI FT successfully led to localize the brain lesion that might cause motor impairment in patients with abnormal signal intensities in MRI. The results of this study suggest that TMS and DTI FT might provide the detailed information between function and anatomy of the CST, complementarily.