Repeated Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Relieves Maternal Care Impairment

Overview

Objective: To evaluate the overall efficacy of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) in the treatment of maternal care impairment and to explore the central mechanism of rTMS for maternal care impairment. Methods: Fifty participants meeting the inclusion criteria were divided into high-score and low-score groups based on the Maternal Care Rating Scale (MCRS). Participants in the low-score group received rTMS treatment (1 Hz, 20 minutes per session, once daily) for two weeks. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and MCRS assessments were conducted both before and after the treatment to evaluate changes. Additionally, in the high-score group, fMRI was used to assess functional changes in specific brain regions.

A substantial body of literature has reported that repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) can alleviate negative emotions. The underlying mechanisms include its ability to modulate cortical excitability, enhance cerebral blood flow and metabolism, regulate neurotransmitter and gene expression, and promote neuroplastic changes in the nervous system. Methods: 1. Fifty recruited volunteers were divided into high-score and low-score groups based on the Maternal Care Rating Scale (MCRS). Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was used to assess differences in brain function between the two groups. 2. The low-score group underwent a two-week intervention with repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) (1 Hz, 20 minutes per session, once daily). The MCRS served as the primary outcome measure to evaluate treatment efficacy. Additionally, fMRI was performed to compare pre- and post-treatment changes in brain function. The functional magnetic resonance data of both the high-score and low-score groups were analyzed using the amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF) method and the regional homogeneity (ReHo) method to identify differences in brain function. For the low-score group, changes in ALFF and ReHo values in specific brain regions before and after treatment were compared. These changes were correlated with the improvement values of the clinical observation index to identify target brain areas that mediate the effects of rTMS.