The Effectiveness of Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation for Poststroke Apathy Is Associated with Improved Interhemispheric Functional Connectivity.

Poststroke apathy is relatively common and has negative effects on the functional recovery of the patient; however, few reports have demonstrated the existence of effective treatments for poststroke apathy. Here, we describe a case of poststroke apathy that was successfully treated with repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS). Using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging, we detected improved interhemispheric functional connectivity that was correlated with the patient's recovery from poststroke apathy. Our case suggests that rTMS can improve the transfer of information through the corpus callosum, which is crucial for helping patients recover from poststroke apathy.