SynthesisFrontiers in neurology2026
Effectiveness and safety of theta burst stimulation for Parkinson's disease: an updated systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized parallel-group controlled trials.
Synthesis in Frontiers in neurology, 2026. 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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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.
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6 authors.
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Abstract
Background: Parkinson's disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by motor and non-motor impairments that are often incompletely controlled by pharmacological treatment. Theta burst stimulation (TBS), including transcranial and transspinal approaches, has emerged as a potential neuromodulation strategy for symptom management in PD. This updated systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated the efficacy and safety of TBS for motor and non-motor outcomes in individuals with PD. Methods: PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, the Cochrane Library, and ClinicalTrials.gov were searched from inception to 28 July 2026. Randomized parallel-group controlled trials comparing active TBS with sham stimulation in individuals with PD were included. Two reviewers independently performed study selection, data extraction, and risk of bias assessment using the Cochrane Risk of Bias 2 tool. Random-effects meta-analyses were conducted, and certainty of evidence was assessed using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) framework. Results: Twelve randomized parallel-group controlled trials including 388 participants were included. Active transcranial TBS significantly improved motor symptoms in the OFF-medication state ( Conclusion: Transcranial TBS may improve short-term motor symptoms in the OFF-medication state and reduce depressive symptom scores. Cognitive benefits following transcranial TBS and the potential motor effects of transspinal TBS warrant cautious interpretation. Larger trials with standardized stimulation protocols and longer follow-up are needed to establish the durability and clinical relevance of these effects. Systematic review registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/search, identifier CRD420261285544.
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