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Effects of intermittent theta burst stimulation on cognitive and swallowing function in patients with MCI and dysphagia risk: a randomized controlled trial
Jie Wang, Mengqing Zhang, Xiaomei Wei, Cheng Yang, Meng Dai, Zulin Dou, Yonghui Wang. BMC Geriatrics, 2025-01-04
Topic: Brain proteins, microglia and lab models
The MoCA score and the SCWT duration of the real group improved significantly compared with that of the sham group. Temporal parameters of VFSS included 5-ml oral transit time (OTT), 5-ml soft palate elevation time (SET) and 10-ml OTT showed a decreasing trend. However, there was significant improvement in 10-ml OTT when choosing patients with OTT exceeding 1000 ms. FC value between the left middle frontal gyrus and the rDLPFC increased significantly in real stimulation group (p < 0.05 with false discovery rate corrected). We found that baseline FC scores were negatively correlated with the SCWT task duration (r = -0.554, p = 0.017) and with the 10-ml OTT (rho = -0.442, p = 0.027) across all participants. Among those in the iTBS group with a pre-10-ml OTT greater than 1000 ms, we observed a positive correlation between changes in MoCA scores and changes in FC values (r = 0.789, p = 0.035). Furthermore, changes in MoCA scores were positively correlated with changes in 10-ml OTT (r = 0.648, p = 0.031), as determined by Pearson analysis. Navigated iTBS over the rDLPFC has the potential to improve global cognition, response inhibition ability, and certain aspects of swallowing function for patients with MCI at high risk for dysphagia. Changes in FC between right and left DLPFC may underlie the neural mechanisms responsible for the effectiveness of iTBS targeting the right DLPFC.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
APA 7th
Wang, J., Zhang, M., Wei, X., Yang, C., Dai, M., Dou, Z., et al. (2025). Effects of intermittent theta burst stimulation on cognitive and swallowing function in patients with MCI and dysphagia risk: a randomized controlled trial. BMC Geriatrics. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12877-024-05625-7
Vancouver
Wang J, Zhang M, Wei X, Yang C, Dai M, Dou Z, et al. Effects of intermittent theta burst stimulation on cognitive and swallowing function in patients with MCI and dysphagia risk: a randomized controlled trial. BMC Geriatrics. 2025. doi:10.1186/s12877-024-05625-7. PMID: 39755599.
BibTeX
@article{wang2025-39755599,
author = {Wang, Jie and Zhang, Mengqing and Wei, Xiaomei and Yang, Cheng and Dai, Meng and Dou, Zulin and Wang, Yonghui},
title = {{Effects of intermittent theta burst stimulation on cognitive and swallowing function in patients with MCI and dysphagia risk: a randomized controlled trial}},
journal = {BMC Geriatrics},
year = {2025},
doi = {10.1186/s12877-024-05625-7},
pmid = {39755599},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1186/s12877-024-05625-7}
}
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. The record names 7 authors; APA and Vancouver show the first six, BibTeX and the downloads carry all of them. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
Key findings
- The MoCA score and the SCWT duration of the real group improved significantly compared with that of the sham group.
- Temporal parameters of VFSS included 5-ml oral transit time (OTT), 5-ml soft palate elevation time (SET) and 10-ml OTT showed a decreasing trend.
- However, there was significant improvement in 10-ml OTT when choosing patients with OTT exceeding 1000 ms.
- FC value between the left middle frontal gyrus and the rDLPFC increased significantly in real stimulation group (p < 0.05 with false discovery rate corrected).
- We found that baseline FC scores were negatively correlated with the SCWT task duration (r = -0.554, p = 0.017) and with the 10-ml OTT (rho = -0.442, p = 0.027) across all participants.
Why it matters
This randomized controlled trial found that intermittent theta burst stimulation over the right DLPFC improved global cognition and response inhibition in patients with mild cognitive impairment at risk of dysphagia compared with sham. Some swallowing measures improved only in certain subgroups, and changes in functional connectivity between right and left DLPFC may underlie the effects.
Study details
- Participants18
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 42/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design and effect reported because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (BMC Geriatrics) |
| Journal's citation record | 2 / 4 | BMC Geriatrics: journal h-index 153 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 4 / 5 | 2025 — within 3 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 1 / 4 | 18 participants |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 3 / 3 | Studied in people (participant count stated) |
| Randomised / blinded | 1 / 2 | Randomised (as stated in the record) |
| Times cited | 1 / 7 | Cited 4 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 1 / 5 | 1.3 citations a year over 3 year(s) since 2025 |
| Impact for its field and year | 2 / 6 | Cited 1.2× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 0 / 6 | No other study in this library cites it |
| Still being cited | 1 / 4 | Cited 4 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 1 / 4 | Last-listed author Yonghui Wang: h-index 10 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | Sun Yat-sen University: institution h-index 851 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 2 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 8 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 39755599) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Total | 42 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
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