Objective:

To observe the clinical efficacy of multi-target high-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) combined with acupuncture for chronic central post-stroke pain (CPSP) and emotional comorbidities during the recovery phase.

Key Findings:

• Significant improvement in all outcomes (VAS, HAMA, HAMD, PSQI, ADL) after 4 weeks (P < 0.001).
• Combined treatment group showed greater improvements in pain (VAS, P = 0.018) and depression (HAMD, P = 0.037) compared to acupuncture-only group.
• No significant differences were observed for anxiety (HAMA, P = 0.226), sleep quality (PSQI, P = 0.343), or functional status (ADL, P = 0.210).

Interpretation:

Acupuncture provides clinical benefits for CPSP, while the addition of multi-target high-frequency rTMS enhances analgesic and psychotropic effects, indicating a valuable combined approach for post-stroke recovery with implications for clinical practice.

Limitations:

• Small sample size (30 patients) may limit generalizability.
• Short duration of treatment (4 weeks) may not capture long-term effects.
• Potential biases or confounding factors should be considered.

Conclusion:

The combined approach of acupuncture and multi-target rTMS shows considerable clinical value for managing CPSP and associated mood disorders in post-stroke patients.