SynthesisJournal of clinical neurophysiology : official publication of the American Electroencephalographic Society2011
Safety of theta burst transcranial magnetic stimulation: a systematic review of the literature.
Synthesis in Journal of clinical neurophysiology : official publication of the American Electroencephalographic Society, 2011. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to 14 registered trials, which are not on this map. Cited by 132 papers, 13 of them syntheses that pooled 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.
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.
Modulation of Episodic Memory Using Theta Burst Stimulation (TBS)
Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation for Chronic Subjective Non-Pulsatile Primary Tinnitus Compared to Placebo and Medicament Therapy
Using Multiple Brain-based Biomarkers to Validate and Predict Response to Theta Burst Stimulation as a New Treatment for Major Depressive Disorder
The Role of Cerebellum in Speech
Accelerated Theta Burst in Chronic Pain: A Biomarker Study
Models of Auditory Hallucination
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation for Psychological Distress in Patients With Advanced Illness: A Phase 2a/2b Dose-finding and Feasibility Clinical Trial
A Blinded, Randomized Trial Comparing the Effects of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation and Theta Burst Stimulation in Patients With Major Depressive Disorder
Effects of Neuronavigated Theta Burst Stimulation in Therapy of Post-stroke Aphasia
Probing Language Processes Using Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation
In Vivo Cortical Excitability Modulation in Major Depressive Disorder
Transcranial Static Field Stimulation (tSMS) and Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) for the Treatment of Neurological Symptoms
Precision Neuromodulation in Post-Stroke Aphasia Using TMS
Development of Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) Combined With Machine-assisted Bimanual Therapy (BT) in Upper Limb Rehabilitation
Who cites it
132 citing papers in PubMed, 13 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 259 citations in OpenAlex.
- Efficacy and safety of intermittent theta-burst stimulation versus continuous theta-burst stimulation for major depressive disorder and bipolar depression: a systematic review.Frontiers in psychiatry · 2026Pooled it
- Interventions for post-stroke cognitive impairment: a systematic review of neuroplastic mechanisms, comparative efficacy, and multimodal approaches.Frontiers in neuroscience · 2026Pooled it
- Evidence for Intermittent Theta Burst Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation for Dysphagia after Stroke: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.Dysphagia · 2025Pooled it
- Efficacy of Cerebellar Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation for Post-stroke Balance and Limb Motor Function Impairments: Meta-analyses of Random Controlled Trials and Resting-State fMRI Studies.Cerebellum (London, England) · 2024Pooled it
- Combined noninvasive brain stimulation virtual reality for upper limb rehabilitation poststroke: A systematic review of randomized controlled trials.Neurological sciences : official journal of the Italian Neurological Society and of the Italian Society of Clinical Neurophysiology · 2024Pooled it
- A systematic review of the neurobiological effects of theta-burst stimulation (TBS) as measured using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI).Brain structure & function · 2023Pooled it
- Efficacy and safety of intermittent theta burst stimulation versus high-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation for patients with treatment-resistant depression: a systematic review.Frontiers in psychiatry · 2023Pooled it
- Cerebellar stimulation in schizophrenia: A systematic review of the evidence and an overview of the methods.Frontiers in psychiatry · 2022Pooled it
- Comparative Efficacy of Different Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Protocols for Stroke: A Network Meta-Analysis.Frontiers in neurology · 2022Pooled it
- Efficacy of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation for Reducing Suicidal Ideation in Depression: A Meta-Analysis.Frontiers in psychiatry · 2021Pooled it
- Safety and recommendations for TMS use in healthy subjects and patient populations, with updates on training, ethical and regulatory issues: Expert Guidelines.Clinical neurophysiology : official journal of the International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology · 2021Guideline
- Treating Post-traumatic Stress Disorder with Neuromodulation Therapies: Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation, Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation, and Deep Brain Stimulation.Neurotherapeutics : the journal of the American Society for Experimental NeuroTherapeutics · 2020Pooled it
- Assessing the Effects of Continuous Theta Burst Stimulation Over the Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex on Human Cognition: A Systematic Review.Frontiers in integrative neuroscience · 2020Pooled it
- Brain oscillation-synchronized stimulation for major depression: a randomized controlled trial comparing EEG-triggered repetitive TMS with standard iTBS (Acronym: BOSSFRONT2).European archives of psychiatry and clinical neuroscience · 2026Trial
- Effects of intermittent theta burst stimulation on cognitive and swallowing function in patients with MCI and dysphagia risk: a randomized controlled trial.BMC geriatrics · 2025Trial
- Accelerated transcranial magnetic stimulation for psychological distress in advanced cancer: A phase 2a feasibility and preliminary efficacy clinical trial.Palliative medicine · 2024Trial
- Effects of Hyperdirect Pathway Theta Burst Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation on Inhibitory Control, Craving, and Smoking in Adults With Nicotine Dependence: A Double-Blind, Randomized Crossover Trial.Biological psychiatry. Cognitive neuroscience and neuroimaging · 2023Trial
- Peripheral magnetic theta burst stimulation to muscles can effectively reduce spasticity: a randomized controlled trial.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitation · 2022Trial
- Treatment of mixed depression with theta-burst stimulation (TBS): results from a double-blind, randomized, sham-controlled clinical trial.Neuropsychopharmacology : official publication of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology · 2021Trial
- Transcranial electrostimulation with special waveforms enhances upper-limb motor function in patients with chronic stroke: a pilot randomized controlled trial.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitation · 2021Trial
72 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
4 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
Abstract
Theta burst stimulation (TBS) protocols have recently emerged as a method to transiently alter cortical excitability in the human brain through repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation. TBS involves applying short trains of stimuli at high frequency repeated at intervals of 200 milliseconds. Because repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation is known to carry a risk of seizures, safety guidelines have been established. TBS has the theoretical potential of conferring an even higher risk of seizure than other repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation protocols because it delivers high-frequency bursts. In light of the recent report of a seizure induced by TBS, the safety of this new protocol deserves consideration. We performed an English language literature search and reviewed all studies published from May 2004 to December 2009 in which TBS was applied. The adverse events were documented, and crude risk was calculated. The majority of adverse events attributed to TBS were mild and occurred in 5% of subjects. Based on this review, TBS seems to be a safe and efficacious technique. However, given its novelty, it should be applied with caution. Additionally, this review highlights the need for rigorous documentation of adverse events associated with TBS and intensity dosing studies to assess the seizure risk associated with various stimulation parameters (e.g., frequency, intensity, and location).
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
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 OpenQuestion graph.