Effects of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Combined with Computer-Aided Cognitive Training on Cognitive Function of Children with Cerebral Palsy and Dysgnosia.

Objective: This study is aimed at researching transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) effects combined with computer-aided cognitive training (CACT) on cognitive function of children suffering from cerebral palsy and dysgnosia.

Methods: From December 2019 to October 2021, 86 children with cerebral palsy and dysgnosia who were treated at our hospital were recruited and assigned into observation and control groups ( = 43, each) using the random number table technique. The observation group received TMS combined with CACT (TMS+CACT), whereas the control group received only TMS. Chinese Wechsler Young Children Scale of Intelligence (C-WYCSI) and Chinese-Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (C-WISC) were used to evaluate the intelligence level of the two groups; Gross Motor Function Measure-88 (GMFM-88) of Fudan Chinese version was employed for evaluating the gross motor function of the two groups; a comparison was drawn among the two groups for the cerebral hemodynamic parameters before and after the treatment.

Results: For young children, the verbal intelligence quotient (VIQ) scores at 6 and 12 weeks of treatment in the observation group were increased when compared to those in the control group (48.91 ± 3.70 vs. 47.32 ± 3.33, 54.25 ± 4.46 vs. 49.48 ± 3.36), and the observation group's performance intelligence quotient (PIQ) score at 12 weeks of treatment was higher as to that of the control group (65.38 ± 4.23 vs. 62.81 ± 4.74, all < 0.05). For older age children, the observation group's VIQ and PIQ scores were greater than the control group's at 6 and 12 weeks of treatment, with statistical significance (63.80 ± 3.76 vs. 59.50 ± 5.32, 74.64 ± 12.04 vs. 65.08 ± 6.30; 63.91 ± 5.96 vs. 58.42 ± 3.70, 72.73 ± 5.06 vs. 66.42 ± 5.93; all < 0.05). The GMFM-88 scale scores in both groups were increased after 6 and 12 weeks of treatment. After treatment for 12 weeks, the observation group's A-E scores were greater than those of the control group (all < 0.05). The peak systolic velocity ( ), end-diastolic velocity ( ), and mean velocity ( ) at the anterior cerebral artery (ACA), middle cerebral artery (MCA), and posterior cerebral artery (PCA) in the observation group were dramatically increased than those in the control group (all < 0.05) after 12 weeks of treatment.

Conclusion: TMS+CACT can effectively improve the intelligence level, cognitive ability, gross motor function, and cerebral blood flow of children suffering from cerebral palsy and intellectual disability.