Patients who suffered a stroke down one side of their body recovered significant motor function after simple non-invasive transcranial magnetic stimulation of the brain. Researchers believe that partial paralysis is caused when one area of the brain is affected by the stroke, becoming inhibited, and the other unaffected area become over-active. The treatment restored the balance. And because the time lapse from stroke to treatment made no difference to the results, this simple technique could have important implications for long-term stroke care.