Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) is a non-invasive neuromodulation device based on the principle of electromagnetic induction. By precisely controlling the excitability of brain neurons, it has become a core treatment tool in the fields of mental health and neurorehabilitation, and is widely used in treatment-resistant depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and stroke rehabilitation.

1. Mental Health (Main Indications)
* Treatment-resistant Depression: A core indication approved by the FDA in 2008. For patients unresponsive to medication, stimulation of the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex enhances excitability at high frequencies, improving mood and cognition, with an efficacy rate of approximately 50%–60%.

* Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD): Approved by the FDA in 2018. Low-frequency stimulation of the orbitofrontal cortex inhibits overactive neural circuits, alleviating obsessive thoughts and behaviors.

* Anxiety Disorders, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD): Regulates the limbic system and prefrontal cortex function, reducing anxiety, panic attacks, and flashback symptoms.

* Substance Addiction: Assists in smoking and alcohol cessation, regulates reward circuits, and reduces cravings.

2. Neurorehabilitation
* Post-Stroke Motor/Speech Disorders: Stimulates the motor cortex and language center on the unaffected/affected side, promoting neural plasticity and improving hemiplegia and aphasia.

Parkinson's Disease: Stimulates the motor cortex, reducing tremors, rigidity, and bradykinesia, optimizing drug efficacy.

Chronic Pain, Migraine: Regulates pain transmission pathways, alleviating neuropathic pain and migraine attacks.

3. Other Extended Applications: Clinical research and application in areas such as Alzheimer's disease, sleep disorders, tinnitus, and functional recovery after spinal cord injury are gradually advancing.

IV. Treatment Advantages: Non-invasive, Safe, and Precise Non-Drug Treatment
Non-invasive and Painless: No surgery or anesthesia required, only slight scalp numbness, no risk of trauma.

High Safety: No systemic side effects, avoiding drug-induced weight gain, sexual dysfunction, and liver and kidney damage; common side effects are transient headache and scalp discomfort, which can resolve spontaneously; the incidence of serious complications such as seizures is <0.1%.

Precise Targeting: Combined with a navigation system, it precisely targets the target brain region without affecting surrounding normal tissues.

Combined Treatment Possible: Synergistic with medication, psychotherapy, and rehabilitation training to enhance efficacy.

Wide applicability: Suitable for patients who are intolerant to medications or refuse electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), and can also be safely used by elderly patients.

rTMS, as a representative technology of non-invasive neuromodulation, is reshaping the treatment landscape for mental and neurological diseases with its core advantages of safety, precision, and non-pharmacological approach. From a first-line alternative to treatment-resistant depression to a powerful tool for the rehabilitation of stroke and Parkinson's disease, its clinical value continues to be validated. With technological advancements and expanded indications, rTMS will play an even more important role in neuroscience and the diagnosis and treatment of neurological diseases, bringing non-invasive and highly effective treatment options to more patients.