Effects of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation on content of perihematoma chemical substance in rabbits with cerebral hemorrhage

Objective To investigate the effects of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) on chemical substance contents in the perihematomal brain tissues in rabbits with cerebral hemorrhage and the mechanisms underlying it. Methods Thirty-six rabbits were divided randomly into 3 groups, group A (artificial cerebral hemorrhage followed by rTMS) and group B (artificial cerebral hemorrhage without rTMS) were experimental groups and group C was the normal control group. The cerebral hemorrhage model was made by injection of self-body blood, and the control group was made by injection of saline. The rabbits of group A were treated with rTMS 3 times a day and the others received no stimulation. Rabbits in all 3 groups were tested in terms of the contents of N-acetylaspartate (NAA), choline (Cho) and creatine (Cr) in the perihematomal brain tissues by using the technique of ~1H- magnetic resonance spectroscopy (~1H-MRS) at 12 h, 72 h, 1 w and 2 w after the model was established. Results Compared with group C, the contents of NAA, Cr, NAA/Cr decreased and Cho, Cho/Cr increased significantly in both groups A and B(P0.01). Compared with group B, the contents of NAA, Cr, NAA/Cr increased and Cho, Cho/Cr decreased significantly of group A (P0.01). Conclusion The results suggested that rTMS could bring about therapeutic neuroprotection effect via facilitating the neuronal recovery and influencing the chemical substance contents in perihemotomal brain tissues.