Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation in Children With Stroke

Exclusion Criteria

• •1. The presence of an implanted device such as a pacemaker, vagal nerve stimulator, or recently implanted cardiovascular stent; arterial aneurysms; arteriovenous malformations; obstructive hydrocephalus.
• •2. Infarction of the cortical motor areas.
• •3. Presence of a brain tumor or suspected neurodegenerative disease.
• •4. Intractable epilepsy or a history of poorly controlled epilepsy.
• •5. Current use of medications that may lower seizure threshold (such as specific antipsychotics, specific antidepressants, amphetamines)
• •6. Hand function limited to rigid flexion or extension (score = 4 on the modified Ashworth scale)
• •7. Disorders causing hallucinations, delusions, or excessive anxiety or depression.
• •8. Pre-existing chronic pain syndromes including intractable headache and chronic daily headache.
• •9. Pregnancy.
• •10. Any sensorimotor or cognitive impairment that prevents valid responses on study measures.
• •11. Bilateral strokes (cerebral injuries) involving motor cortex and/or corpus callosum
• •12. All patients and parents must be naïve regarding the effects and sensations of rTMS (i.e., patients and/or parents with prior exposure to TMS will be excluded).
• •13. Subject has had a recent neurosurgical procedure involving the brain.
• •14. Subject suffered traumatic brain injury that places the subject at risk of seizures.