Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39853449›Full record

Trial reportNeurological sciences : official journal of the Italian Neurological Society and of the Italian Society of Clinical Neurophysiology2025

Repeated transcranial magnetic stimulation on the bilateral cerebellum to improve symptoms of ataxia with multiple system atrophy: a prospective, randomized, sham-controlled pilot study.

Dongrui Li, Changchun Jiang, Jiahui Liu, Yu Fan, Xiwa Hao, Meng Fu, Ying Xu, Xianpeng Chen, Jinfeng Zhang, Guorong Liu

Abstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
In one paragraph

Trial report in Neurological sciences : official journal of the Italian Neurological Society and of the Italian Society of Clinical Neurophysiology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Dongrui LiBaotou Medical College Center Clinical Medical College, Baotou, Inner Mongolia, China.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1936-8783
Changchun JiangDepartment of Neurology, Baotou Central Hospital, Baotou, Inner Mongolia, China.
Jiahui LiuDepartment of Neurology, Baotou Central Hospital, Baotou, Inner Mongolia, China.
Yu FanDepartment of Neurology, Baotou Central Hospital, Baotou, Inner Mongolia, China.
Xiwa HaoDepartment of Neurology, Baotou Central Hospital, Baotou, Inner Mongolia, China.
Meng FuDepartment of Neurology, Baotou Central Hospital, Baotou, Inner Mongolia, China.
Ying XuDepartment of Neurology, Baotou Central Hospital, Baotou, Inner Mongolia, China.
Xianpeng ChenBaotou Clinical Medical College, Inner Mongolia Medical University, Baotou, Inner Mongolia, China.
Jinfeng Zhang *Department of Neurology, Baotou Central Hospital, Baotou, Inner Mongolia, China. rose790310@163.com.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8018-3710
Guorong Liu *Department of Neurology, Baotou Central Hospital, Baotou, Inner Mongolia, China. guorongliu@vip.163.com.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6023-9481

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesAtaxia is a common symptom in patients with Cerebellar subtype of Multiple system atrophy (MSA-C), but effective treatments remain elusive. The present study aims to investigate whether repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) over the bilateral cerebellum could relieve ataxia in patients with MSA-C. PATIENTS AND

methodsThis is a single-center, randomized and double-blind trial. 26 patients with MSA-C were randomly divided into experimental group and control group. The experimental group underwent (rTMS) in both cerebellum for 10 consecutive days, while the control group was given sham rTMS. The participants underwent clinical assessments at baseline (T0), and three follow-up timepoints, that is, immediately after the tenth treatment session (T1), 2 weeks (T2), and 4 weeks (T3) after T1. The Scale for the Assessment and Rating of Ataxia scores (SARA) was used as the primary outcome measure, with the Fatigue Severity Scale-9 (FSS-9), the Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAMA) and the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale-24 (HAMD-24) as secondary outcomes.

resultsTwo-way repeated ANOVAs showed significant group × time interactions among SARA (p < 0.001), FSS-9 (p < 0.001), HAMA (p < 0.001) and HAMD-24 (p < 0.001). Post-hoc analyses showed that compared with T0, the activity group showed significant improvement in SARA, HAMA and HAMD-24 scores at T1, T2 and T3, and significant improvement in FSS-9 scores at T1 and T2, but no significant improvement in T3.

conclusionrTMS over bilateral cerebellum could provide short-term improvements for alleviating ataxia and the symptoms of fatigue, depression anxiety, but the beneficial effects last no more than 4 weeks.

Indexed as

AtaxiaCerebellumMultiple System AtrophyTranscranial Magnetic StimulationAgedDouble-Blind MethodFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedPilot ProjectsProspective StudiesTreatment OutcomeAnxietyAtaxiaCerebellar subtype of multiple system atrophyDepressionFatigueRepetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation

Identifiers

PMID39853449
PMCPMC11920341

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.