TMS – FDA Approved as an Adjunct Treatment to Antidepressant Medication
29 March 2025
For patients undergoing surgery for brain tumors, one of the most unpleasant postoperative complications is loss of strength in one arm – a paresis that frequently occurs immediately after surgery and severely affects quality of life.
A recent international study showed that patients treated after surgery with navigated repetitive magnetic stimulation (TMS), applied to the hemisphere opposite the injury, had a significantly better recovery than those who followed only classic treatments.
What did the study analyze?
The analysis included 135 patients with brain tumors who developed upper limb weakness after surgery. Of these:
- 51 participated in randomized clinical trials (30 received TMS, 21 received placebo stimulation),
- 84 were treated in observational studies, with TMS applied in a real way.
All patients were assessed on day 1, day 7 and 3 months postoperatively, using several scales measuring muscle strength, functionality and general condition.
What results have been achieved?
Patients who received TMS had noticeable improvements:
- 7 days after treatment:
- more than 3 times more likely to achieve an improvement in muscle strength in the arm (BMRC score),
- an average increase of 11 points in the general functioning scale (Karnofsky).
- At 3 months:
- scores remained better than in the control group,
- The positive effect was clearer in patients who had signs of cerebral ischemia on MRI after surgery.
What does this mean for patients?
This research confirms that TMS can actually support the recovery process after brain surgeries. It is an intervention that is added to physiotherapy and can make a difference in the first weeks and months after surgery, especially in cases where ischemic lesions occur.
Recommendation: If you or a loved one has had surgery for a brain tumor and suffers from weakness in one arm, talk to your neurologist or neurosurgeon about including TMS in your recovery plan.
Recovery may be more effective than you imagined.
