HIGH-FREQUENCY REPETITIVE TRANSCRANIAL MAGNETIC STIMULATION AS AN ACCELERATOR OF FUNCTIONAL RECOVERY IN FACIAL NERVE NEUROPATHY

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate whether 10 Hz repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) added to conventional therapy provides superior functional recovery in peripheral facial nerve neuropathy. Methods: A comparative clinical analysis was performed in patients treated with conventional therapy plus 1 Hz rTMS, conventional therapy plus 10 Hz rTMS, or conventional therapy alone. Outcomes included House–Brackmann grade, Sunnybrook score and Yanagihara score. Results: The 10 Hz protocol produced the largest improvement: House–Brackmann improvement reached 86.5%, Sunnybrook score doubled, and Yanagihara recovery was approximately twofold greater than in the control group. Conclusion: High-frequency rTMS may be considered the leading neuromodulatory adjunct for early rehabilitation of facial nerve neuropathy.