Unveiling the efficacy of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation in Parkinson’s disease: A comprehensive review of systematic analyses
2025

Efficacy of Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation in Parkinson’s Disease

Sample size: 260 publication Evidence: low

Author Information

Author(s): Zhang Lingwen, Jiang Yanhong, Fan Wenhui, Xue Hua

Primary Institution: Department of Neurology, The Sixth People’s Hospital of Chengdu, Chengdu, Sichuan, China

Hypothesis

The study aims to summarize the evidence provided by systematic reviews on the effect of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) on Parkinson's disease (PD).

Conclusion

Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation can improve the motor symptoms of Parkinson's disease, but its effectiveness for non-motor symptoms is inconsistent.

Supporting Evidence

  • 12.5% of the systematic reviews were rated as high quality.
  • 43.75% of the systematic reviews were rated as low quality.
  • 50% of the evidence was rated as very low quality.
  • rTMS can improve motor symptoms in Parkinson's disease.
  • Future studies should focus on addressing methodological limitations.

Takeaway

This study looks at how a special brain treatment called rTMS can help people with Parkinson's disease move better, but it doesn't always help with other problems they might have.

Methodology

The study conducted a comprehensive search for systematic reviews published until March 1, 2024, and evaluated their quality using AMSTAR-2, ROBIS, and GRADE tools.

Potential Biases

37.5% of the systematic reviews were found to have a low risk of bias.

Limitations

The methodological quality of the systematic reviews varied, with many rated as low or very low quality, and the evidence quality was generally low.

Participant Demographics

The systematic reviews included a total of 260 original studies involving patients with Parkinson's disease.

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1371/journal.pone.0313420

Want to read the original?

Access the complete publication on the publisher's website

View Original Publication