The Modulatory Effect of Low-intensity Priming Intermittent Theta Burst Stimulation on Motor Cortex Poststroke: a Concurrent TMS-EEG Study

A standard 600-pulse TBS \[16\] will be administrated using a MagPro X100 stimulator (MagVenture, Denmark) and a 65-mm figure-of-eight coil. The measurement of the motor hotspot and individual RMT will be in accordance with our established methodology \[3, 9\]. For patients with stroke, the intensity of real stimulation will be 55% or 70% RMT of the unaffected M1 \[17\], depending on their assigned condition. Sham stimulation will be delivered using the same coil with 20% RMT of the unaffected M1 \[4, 6\]. The priming and conditioning sessions will be delivered to the ipsilesional M1 sequentially. In line with previous works, the interval between them will be 10 minutes \[2, 3\]. For healthy adults, the stimulation will be applied exclusively to the non-dominant (right) M1.