OBJECTIVE: Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) can effectively treat cognitive impairment in stroke patients
however, its mechanism of action remains unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate whether rTMS improves cognitive function by regulating the levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), nerve growth factor (NGF), 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA). METHODS: In a 4-week study, 70 patients with ischemic stroke were randomly assigned to two groups: one received rTMS ( RESULTS: The levels of BDNF and NGF were higher in the rTMS group than in the sham group ( CONCLUSION: Our results showed that the BDNF, NGF, 5-HT, and 5-HIAA levels were upregulated after the rTMS treatment, which likely contributed to improvements in cognitive function and quality of life in the patients with stroke. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: https://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.html?proj=216761, ChiCTR2400082383.