Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40237970›Full record

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

The effects of transcranial magnetic stimulation in motor symptoms of Parkinson's disease: an overview of systematic reviews with meta-analysis.

Daniele Conte, Anna Roman, Yvonne Beorchia, Chiara Pinzini, Luigi Castriotta, Mariarosaria Valente

Abstract readMeta-AnalysisSystematic Review
PubMed Full text at PMC 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 7 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
7citing 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

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

  1. Pooled it
  2. Article
  3. Review
  4. Review
  5. Review
  6. Review
  7. 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

6 authors.

Daniele ConteDepartment of Medicine (DMED), University of Udine, Via Colugna 50, Udine, 33100, Italy. conte.daniele@spes.uniud.it.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0005-0526-742X
Anna RomanSchool of Physiotherapy, Department of Medicine (DMED), University of Udine, Udine, Italy.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0003-0128-8130
Yvonne BeorchiaInstitute of Hygiene and Evaluative Epidemiology, Friuli Centrale University Health Authority, Udine, Italy.
Chiara PinziniSchool of Physiotherapy, Department of Medicine (DMED), University of Udine, Udine, Italy.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0005-0657-1650
Luigi CastriottaInstitute of Hygiene and Evaluative Epidemiology, Friuli Centrale University Health Authority, Udine, Italy.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8775-2640
Mariarosaria ValenteDepartment of Medicine (DMED), University of Udine, Via Colugna 50, Udine, 33100, Italy.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6077-1315

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundParkinson's disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that causes significant motor function limitations, substantially impacting the quality of life of affected individuals and their caregivers. While the currently available pharmacological therapy with levodopa can alleviate symptoms, identifying a treatment that achieves similar results with fewer adverse effects would be highly beneficial. Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation is a non-invasive stimulation of brain tissue that generates a magnetic field to modulate cortical excitability. To date, it has primarily been validated for the treatment of psychiatric conditions, but it is increasingly being used in the management of movement disorders.

objectiveAlthough several systematic reviews with meta-analysis have been conducted on this topic, discrepancies remain in their findings. To address these inconsistencies, we conducted this overview of systematic reviews with meta-analyses to synthesise the available evidence and provide a comprehensive summary that can guide clinicians in their practice.

resultsEvidence from 21 systematic reviews with meta-analyses, including 107 unique primary studies, suggests, with low to moderate certainty, that high-frequency stimulation of the primary and supplementary motor cortex significantly improves general motor impairment, gait, functional mobility, and balance in patients with Parkinson's disease, with minimal side effects. Other stimulation parameters, such as a higher number of sessions, a greater number of pulses per session, and the use of the F8 coil type, appear to enhance these effects. However, further research is needed to strengthen these findings. Currently, definitive conclusions cannot be drawn regarding the influence of patient characteristics on treatment outcomes.

Indexed as

Motor CortexParkinson DiseaseTranscranial Magnetic StimulationHumansMeta-Analysis as TopicMotor skills disorders; gait disordersNeurodegenerative diseasesOverviewParkinson’s diseaseTranscranial magnetic stimulation

Identifiers

PMID40237970
PMCPMC12267310

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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.