After determining the resting motor threshold (RMT), all subjects underwent 6 sessions of continuous theta burst stimulation (cTBS) for 6 consecutive days according to the research protocol. TBS sessions were accompanied by parallel high-density electroencephalography (hdEEG) monitoring. Afterward, a follow-up period of up to three months with visits at predefined intervals of 4, 8, and 12 weeks was carried out.

The experimental stimulation protocol included 3 trains of cTBS with an inter-train interval of 10 min. Each train of cTBS consisted of 600 pulses applied in blocks at the theta frequency (200ms) with a duration of 40 s. A block of pulses consisted of 3 pulses at 50Hz frequency, stimulus intensity being estimated as 80% of the RMT. Stimulation application was performed by positioning the Magventure MMC-140 coil over the vertex (Cz) according to the 10-20 EEG system overlapping bilateral motor and somatosensory cortical areas.

≥50% improvement from Baseline in seizure frequency

Exploratory analyses will investigate the changes in the 31-item Quality of Life in Epilepsy (QOLIE-31) score from Baseline due to study protocol and interventions. The questionnaire comprises seven categories: worry about epileptic seizures, emotional well-being, energy/fatigue, social function, cognitive function, medication effects, and general quality of life. The scale is scored from 0 to 100. Higher scores reflect a higher quality of life.

After each continuous Theta Burst Stimulation (cTBS) session an assessment of possible adverse events ( CTCAE v4.0 terms) occurring during and/or immediately after stimulation was done.