Lee & Kim (2018)

South Korea

RCT

PEDro=7

N=13

Population: Experimental Group (N=7): Mean age=42.42yr; Gender: Male=5, Female=2; Mean time post-injury=3.85 months; Mean GCS=13.71. Control Group (N=6): Mean age=41.33yr; Gender: Male=4, Female=2; Mean time post-injury=3.88 months; Mean GCS=13.66.

Intervention: Individuals received either rTMS or sham rTMS for 30mins 5 times a week, for 2 weeks.

Outcomes: Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS), Trail Making Test (TMT), Stroop Color Word Test (SCWT).

1.        The experimental group experienced significant within group differences on the MADRS (p<0.05), TMT (p<0.05), and SCWT (p<0.05).

2.        No significant within group differences were seen for the control group.

3.        Following intervention, the experimental group had significantly lower scores on the MADRS (p<0.05), TMT (p<0.05), and SCWT (p<0.05). *Lower scores indicate improved performance on TMT and SCWT.

Sacco et al. (2016)

Italy

RCT

PEDro=4

N=32

Population: TBI. Mean Time Post Injury=8.73yr; Severity: Severe=32, Moderate=0, Mild=0. Treatment Group (TG, n=16): Mean Age=37.7; Gender: Male=12, Female=4. Control Group (CG, n=16): Mean Age=35.2; Gender: Male=14, Female=2.

Intervention: Participants were randomized to receive transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS, TG) or sham tDCS (CG) with computer-assisted training (2/d, 5d). Outcomes were assessed at baseline (T0), before treatment (T1), after treatment (T2), and 1-month follow-up (T3).

Outcome Measures: Test for the Examination of Attention, Divided Attention subtest (DA); Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neurological Status (RBANS).

2.        For DA, the CG did not perform better at T2 compared to T0 and T1.