Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39044102›Full record

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

Systematic review and meta-analysis of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) for activities of daily living in Alzheimer's disease.

Yufei Hou, Fang Liu, Nan Lin, Shan Gao

Abstract readSystematic ReviewMeta-Analysis
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis 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 4 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–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

4 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Review
  3. Article
  4. Article
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

4 authors.

Yufei HouCollege of Nursing, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, 350122, Fujian, China.
Fang LiuCollege of Nursing, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, 350122, Fujian, China. liufangcn05@163.com.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0658-8760
Nan LinCollege of Acupuncture and Massage, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, 350122, Fujian, China.
Shan GaoCollege of Nursing, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, 350122, Fujian, China.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveThis systematic review of randomised controlled trials (RCTs) was conducted to assess the effect of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) on activities of daily living (ADLs) in Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients. DATA SOURCES: Ten databases were retrieved for pertinent Chinese and English literatures published up until January 2024. REVIEW

methodsAll RCTs of rTMS for ADLs in AD were included in this meta-analysis. Two researchers independently selected the literatures, retrieved the data of included literatures, accessed risk-of-bias of literatures with the Cochrane Collaboration's quality criteria and then cross-checked. Meta-analysis was carried out with Cochrane's Review Manager (RevMan, version 5.4). The PRISMA guidelines were followed in this systematic review.

resultsThe 37 literatures involving 2461 patients with AD were included in this study. Compared with the control groups received the interventions such as routine pharmacotherapy, cognitive training, ect., with/without sham-rTMS, the experiment groups received the interventions of the control groups and rTMS. The findings were as follows: ADL scale [mean difference (MD) = -3.92, 95%CI (-4.93, -2.91), P < 0.00001]; Barthel Index (BI) [MD = 9.75, 95% CI (6.66, 12.85), P < 0.00001]; Modified Barthel Index (MBI) [MD = 5.43, 95% CI (3.13, 7.73), P < 0.00001]. The differences were statistically significant for all indicators. In 29 studies, rTMS stimulation sites were located in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC).

conclusionThe rTMS could improve the ADLs in AD patients, and the DLPFC was a frequently used stimulation site of the rTMS for AD treatment.

Indexed as

Activities of Daily LivingAlzheimer DiseaseTranscranial Magnetic StimulationHumansRandomized Controlled Trials as TopicActivities of daily livingAlzheimer's diseaseMeta-analysisRandomised controlled trialsRepetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS)Systematic review

Identifiers

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Registered trials

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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.