Pulsed electromagnetic field therapy -PEMF- and repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation - rTMS / TMS - research shows significant effects in stroke disability and recovery.
Pulsed electromagnetic field therapy (PEMF therapy) immediately post-stroke event appears to minimize ischemia (a low oxygen state usually due to obstruction of the arterial blood supply or inadequate blood flow) that results in damage to brain and other tissues.
Lack of published research is not due to lack of results. A 10 year old study below suggests that even short duration PEMF can minimize damage if applied immediately. In June '06 two landmark studies proved improvement in stroke related disability long after the event. These studies are included below.
RESULTS: Active rTMS resulted in a significant improvement of the motor function performance in the affected hand that lasted for 2 weeks. These effects were not observed in the sham rTMS group (affected and unaffected hand). Furthermore, this increased dose of rTMS is not associated with cognitive adverse effects and/or epileptogenic activity
Neurology.
2005 Aug 9;65(3):466-8.
Therapeutic
trial of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation after acute ischemic stroke.
Khedr EM, Ahmed MA, Fathy N, Rothwell JC. Department of Neurology, Assiut University Hospital, Assiut, Egypt.
Disability scales at the end of the last rTMS session, and 10 days later showed that real rTMS improved patients' scores more than sham.
Improving disability in stroke with RTMS.
Lancet Neurol. 2005 Aug;4(8):454-5. No abstract available.
PMID: 16033688 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
Semin
Speech Lang. 2004 May;25(2):181-91.
Transcranial
magnetic stimulation as a complementary treatment for aphasia.
Following 10 rTMS treatments, significant improvement in naming pictures was observed. This form of rTMS may provide a novel, complementary treatment for aphasia.
Clin
Neurophysiol. 2004 May;115(5):1044-51.
Induction
of long-term plasticity in human swallowing motor cortex following repetitive
cortical stimulation.
SIGNIFICANCE: This might be a useful approach in the motor rehabilitation of dysphagic stroke patients who have damage to sensory projections to the swallowing cortex.
Biol
Psychiatry. 2004 Feb 15;55(4):398-405.
Repetitive
transcranial magnetic stimulation as treatment of poststroke depression: a preliminary
study.
BACKGROUND: Depression has a significant impact on poststroke recovery and mortality. There are a proportion of patients with poststroke depression (PSD) who do not respond to antidepressants. Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) might be a safe and effective alternative in these refractory cases.
CONCLUSIONS: Taken together, these preliminary findings suggest that rTMS may be an effective and safe treatment alternative for patients with refractory depression and stroke.
Bioelectromagnetics. 1994;15(3):205-16. Related Articles,
Links
Protection against focal cerebral ischemia following exposure to a pulsed electromagnetic
field.
Grant G, Cadossi R, Steinberg G.
Department of Neurosurgery, Stanford University, California 94305.
There is evidence that electromagnetic stimulation may accelerate the healing
of tissue damage following ischemia. We undertook this study to investigate
the effects of low frequency pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF) exposure on
cerebral injury in a rabbit model of transient focal ischemia (2 h occlusion
followed by 4 h of reperfusion). PEMF exposure (280 V, 75 Hz, IGEA Stimulator)
was initiated 10 min after the onset of ischemia and continued throughout reperfusion
(six exposed, six controls). Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and histology
were used to measure the degree of ischemic injury. Exposure to pulsed electromagnetic
field attenuated cortical ischemia edema on MRI at the most anterior coronal
level by 65% (P < 0.001). On histologic examination, PEMF exposure reduced
ischemic neuronal damage in this same cortical area by 69% (P < 0.01) and
by 43% (P < 0.05) in the striatum. Preliminary data suggest that exposure
to a PEMF of short duration may have implications for the treatment of acute
stroke.
J Cell Biochem. 1993 Apr;51(4):387-93. Related Articles,
Links
Beneficial effects of electromagnetic fields.
Bassett CA.
Bioelectric Research Center, Columbia University, Riverdale, New York 10463.
Selective control of cell function by applying specifically configured, weak,
time-varying magnetic fields has added a new, exciting dimension to biology
and medicine. Field parameters for therapeutic, pulsed electromagnetic field
(PEMFs) were designed to induce voltages similar to those produced, normally,
during dynamic mechanical deformation of connective tissues. As a result, a
wide variety of challenging musculoskeletal disorders have been treated successfully
over the past two decades. More than a quarter million patients with chronically
ununited fractures have benefitted, worldwide, from this surgically non-invasive
method, without risk, discomfort, or the high costs of operative repair. Many
of the athermal bioresponses, at the cellular and subcellular levels, have been
identified and found appropriate to correct or modify the pathologic processes
for which PEMFs have been used. Not only is efficacy supported by these basic
studies but by a number of double-blind trials. As
understanding of mechanisms expands, specific requirements for field energetics
are being defined and the range of treatable ills broadened. These include nerve
regeneration, wound healing, graft behavior, diabetes, and myocardial and cerebral
ischemia (heart attack and stroke), among other conditions. Preliminary data
even suggest possible benefits in controlling malignancy.
Basset pre-dates R.O. Becker's use of electricity
to heal bone.