Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41219385›Full record

Trial reportScientific reports2025

Exploring the predictive power of iTBS induced prefrontal excitability using concurrent TBS/fNIRS.

Rebecca L D Kan, Linsen Li, Teng Liu, Xue Pang, Chenxi Tan, Bella B B Zhang, Minxia Jin, Penny P Qin, Adam W L Xia, Xiaoyun Guo and 2 more

Abstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Trial report in Scientific reports, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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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

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3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

12 authors.

Rebecca L D KanDepartment of Rehabilitation Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China.
Linsen LiXiamen Humanity Rehabilitation Hospital, Xiamen, Fujian Province, China.
Teng LiuDepartment of Rehabilitation Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China.
Xue PangDepartment of Rehabilitation Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China.
Chenxi TanDepartment of Rehabilitation Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China.
Bella B B ZhangDepartment of Rehabilitation Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China.
Minxia JinDepartment of Rehabilitation Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China.
Penny P QinDepartment of Rehabilitation Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China.
Adam W L XiaDepartment of Rehabilitation Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China.
Xiaoyun GuoSchool of Medicine, Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China.
Jack Jiaqi ZhangDepartment of Rehabilitation Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China.
Georg S KranzDepartment of Rehabilitation Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China. Georg.kranz@polyu.edu.hk.

Funding

General Research Fund under the University Grants Committee of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region 15100120Mental Health Research Center 0048822the General Research Fund under the University Grants Committee of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region 15106222University Research Facility in Behavioral and Systems Neuroscience, UBSN 20231218001
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

The effect of a single session intermittent theta-burst stimulation (iTBS) on dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) function remains uncertain. Additionally, the clinical relevance of predicting DLPFC function through iTBS-induced DLPFC excitability has not been investigated. To address these gaps, concurrent iTBS/functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) was employed. Thirty healthy participants were recruited in this randomized, sham-controlled, crossover study. Working memory performance, a core function of the DLPFC, was assessed using 3-back task before and at five subsequent timepoints following iTBS. Prefrontal hemoglobin concentrations were measured concurrently by fNIRS throughout the whole procedure. No significant differences in post-stimulation 3-back task performance were observed between active and sham stimulation. Nevertheless, a significant decrease in iTBS-induced oxygen-hemoglobin (HbO) change was observed in the active group compared to the sham group. However, iTBS-induced HbO changes did not significantly predict working memory performance at any timepoint. These results reveal that a single iTBS session of the left DLPFC results in significant immediate cortical excitability changes. However, these changes do not translate into improved working memory compared to sham stimulation and iTBS-induced prefrontal excitability does not appear to predict subsequent working memory performance following a single session iTBS. Nevertheless, the potential predictive power of iTBS-induced prefrontal excitability in symptom changes of rTMS for depression is still worthy of an investigation given that such symptom changes are thought to result from rTMS effects. Further studies with larger sample sizes are needed to explore whether iTBS-induced excitability changes could serve as an imaging marker for clinical treatment response.

Indexed as

Dorsolateral Prefrontal CortexPrefrontal CortexTranscranial Magnetic StimulationAdultCross-Over StudiesFemaleHumansMaleMemory, Short-TermSpectroscopy, Near-InfraredYoung AdultConcurrent iTBS/fNIRSiTBS-induced prefrontal excitabilityPredictionWorking memory performance

Identifiers

PMID41219385
PMCPMC12606237

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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.