Non-Invasive Brain Stimulation to Improve Functional Recovery and Predict Outcome After Intracerebral Hemorrhage: A Narrative Review

Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) is a leading cause of stroke-related mortality and long-term disability, with initial ICH volume, age, location of the hemorrhage, and clinical severity being key predictors of outcome. While clinical scores incorporating these elements are validated and exhibit good inter-rater reliability, their accuracy in predicting long-term recovery remains suboptimal. Non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) has emerged as a potential adjunct for improving both prognostication and functional recovery in ICH survivors. Despite promising results, heterogeneity in stimulation protocols, patients’ populations, and outcome measures have prevented NIBS implementation in clinical practice. This narrative review summarizes the available evidence on the association between NIBS, outcome prediction and functional recovery, discussing current challenges and future perspectives.