en Cognitive Neuroscience Cognitive Neuroscience Review Review <div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:Tahoma;"><span style="line-height:2;"><b>Purpose</b>: Stroke is the second most common cause of death and the third leading factor for disability worldwide. Non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) has emerged as an effective option for enhancing cognitive function following stroke. This Network Meta-Analysis attempts to compare the effects of NIBS techniques, including rTMS and tCDS, on post-stroke cognitive function.<br> <b>Methods</b>: Interventional studies published between January 2018 to August 2024 were reviewed in Medline, Scopus, and Psycinfo databases. A total of 220 records were reviewed, and 12studies involving 510 participants met the inclusion criteria. The risk of bias was assessed using Cochrane collaboration tools.<br> The global cognition severity was quantified using the MMSE and MoCA scales, and the ADL abilities were evaluated using the MBI and FIM scales.<br> An NMA was performed using the <i>Netmeta</i> package in R to compare the efficacy of NIBS modalities and examine their impact across different recovery stages.<br> <b>Results</b>: NIBS significantly improved cognitive function compared with controls. Among modalities, rTMS showed the most substantial effects on global cognition (MoCA: <i>p</i> < 0.0001; MMSE: <i>p</i> = 0.001), with the greatest benefits observed in the subacute phase (<i>p</i> < 0.0001). No significant improvements were observed in ADLs, likely due to variability in measurement scales.<br> <b>Conclusion</b>:Both rTMS and tDCS significantly enhance post-stroke cognitive function, however rTMS demonstrates superior outcomes. The findings highlight the critical role of prompt intervention in optimizing rehabilitation potential.</span></span></span></div> Post-stroke cognitive impairment, Non-invasive brain stimulation, Stroke Rehabilitation, Repeated transcranial magnetic stimulation, Transcranial direct current stimulation, Meta-analysis, stroke stages ​​​​​​​ 0 0 http://bcn.iums.ac.ir/browse.php?a_code=A-10-8452-1&slc_lang=en&sid=1 Fatemeh Hosseinnezhad hosseinnezhad.fatemeh70@gmail.com 13700319475328460057470 13700319475328460057470 No Medical Doctor, Cognitive Neuroscience PhD Candidate, Institute for Cognitive Science Studies, Tehran, Iran. Meysam Sadeghi meysamsadeghi7@gmail.com 13700319475328460057471 13700319475328460057471 Yes Department of Cognitive Psychology, Institute for Cognitive Science Studies, Tehran, Iran Nasrin Hajhadian hajhadiann@gmail.com 13700319475328460057472 13700319475328460057472 No Cognitive Neuroscience PhD candidate, Institute for Cognitive Science Studies, Tehran, Iran Mohammad Hasan Choobin mohammad.choobin@gmail.com 13700319475328460057473 13700319475328460057473 No Cognitive Neuroscience PhD candidate, Institute for Cognitive Science Studies, Tehran, Iran Neda Darvishzade Darvishzade.neda@gmail.com 13700319475328460057474 13700319475328460057474 No Cognitive Neuroscience PhD candidate, Institute for Cognitive Science Studies, Tehran, Iran