Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation promotes motor function recovery in mice after spinal cord injury through preserving mitochondrial integrity .

BACKGROUND: Despite the therapeutic potential of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) for spinal cord injury (SCI), little is known about its specific effects on mitochondria. This study therefore aimed to elucidate the effects of rTMS on mitochondrial structural integrity following SCI. METHODS: Female wild-type C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into four groups: normal group; spinal cord injury group; sham-rTMS group and rTMS group. Hindlimb motor function was evaluated using the Basso Mouse Scale (BMS). The mitochondrial integrity was assessed by transmission electron microscopy, and the expression of the outer membrane protein TOM20 was analyzed by Western blot and immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: Compared to the SCI group, rTMS group induced a coordinated recovery, characterized by significantly improved BMS scores, enhanced mitochondrial structural integrity, and increased levels of the mitochondrial membrane protein TOM20 (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Our findings demonstrate that rTMS promotes motor recovery after SCI via the preservation of mitochondrial structure.