scholarly journals Desynchronization does not contribute to intracortical inhibition and facilitation: a paired-pulse paradigm study combined with TST

2017 ◽  
Vol 117 (3) ◽  
pp. 1052-1056 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. Caranzano ◽  
M. A. Stephan ◽  
F. R. Herrmann ◽  
D. H. Benninger

The paired-pulse (PP) transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) paradigms allow the exploration of the motor cortex physiology. The triple stimulation technique (TST) improves conventional TMS by reducing effects of desynchronization of motor neuron discharges allowing a precise evaluation of the corticospinal conduction. The objective of our study was to explore PP TMS paradigms combined with the TST to study whether the desynchronization contributes to these phenomena and whether the combined TMS-TST protocol could improve the consistency of responses. We investigated the PP paradigms of short intracortical inhibition (SICI) with 2 ms interstimulus interval (ISI) and of intracortical facilitation (ICF) with 10 ms ISI in 22 healthy subjects applying either conventional TMS alone or combined with the TST protocol. The results of the PP paradigms combined with the TST of SICI and ICF do not differ from those with conventional TMS. However, combining the PP paradigm with the TST reduces their variability. These results speak against a contribution of the desynchronization of motor neuron discharges to the PP paradigms of SICI and ICF. Combining the PP TMS paradigm with the TST may improve their consistency, but the interindividual variability remains such that it precludes their utility for clinical practice. NEW & NOTEWORTHY Combining the triple stimulation technique with the paired-pulse stimulation paradigm improves the consistency of short intracortical inhibition and facilitation and could be useful in research, but the interindividual variability precludes their utility for clinical practice. Our findings do not suggest that desynchronization of descending discharges following transcranial magnetic stimulation contributes to short intracortical inhibition or intracortical facilitation.

2016 ◽  
Vol 25 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Abbey C. Thomas ◽  
Brian G. Pietrosimone ◽  
Carter J. Bayer

Context: Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) may provide important information regarding the corticospinal mechanisms that may contribute to the neuromuscular activation impairments. Paired-pulse TMS testing is a reliable method for measuring intracortical facilitation and inhibition; however, little evidence exists regarding agreement of these measures in the quadriceps. Objective: To determine the between-sessions and interrater agreement of intracortical excitability (short- and long-interval intracortical inhibition [SICI, LICI] and intracortical facilitation [ICF]) in the dominant-limb quadriceps. Design: Reliability study. Setting: Research laboratory. Participants: 13 healthy volunteers (n = 6 women; age 24.7 ± 2.1 y; height 1.7 ± 0.1 m; mass 77.1 ± 17.4 kg). Intervention: Participants completed 2 TMS sessions separated by 1 wk. Main Outcome Measures: Two investigators measured quadriceps SICI, LICI, and ICF at rest and actively (5% of maximal voluntary isometric contraction). All participants were seated in a dynamometer with the knee flexed to 90°. Intracortical-excitability paradigm and investigator order were randomized. Bland-Altman analyses were used to establish agreement. Results: Agreement was stronger between sessions within a single investigator than between investigators and for active than resting measures. Agreement was strongest for resting SICI and active ICF and LICI between sessions for each investigator. Conclusions: Quadriceps intracortical excitability may be measured longitudinally by a single investigator, though active muscle contraction should be elicited during testing.


2002 ◽  
Vol 333 (2) ◽  
pp. 83-86 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andon R Kossev ◽  
Christoph Schrader ◽  
Jan Däuper ◽  
Reinhard Dengler ◽  
Jens D Rollnik

2011 ◽  
Vol 105 (2) ◽  
pp. 615-624 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew M. Vahabzadeh-Hagh ◽  
Paul A. Muller ◽  
Alvaro Pascual-Leone ◽  
Frances E. Jensen ◽  
Alexander Rotenberg

Paired-pulse transcranial magnetic stimulation (ppTMS) is a noninvasive method to measure cortical inhibition in vivo. Long interpulse interval (50–500 ms) ppTMS (LI-ppTMS) provokes intracortical inhibitory circuits and can reveal pathologically impaired cortical inhibition in disorders such as epilepsy. Adaptation of ppTMS protocols to rodent disease models is highly desirable to facilitate basic and translational research. We previously adapted single-pulse TMS (spTMS) methods to rats, but ppTMS has yet to be applied. Specifically, whether ppTMS elicits an inhibitory response in rodents is unknown. ppTMS in rats also requires anesthesia, a setting under which the preservation of these measures is undetermined. We therefore tested, in anesthetized rats, whether anesthetic choice affects spTMS-motor-evoked potentials (MEPs), LI-ppTMS in rats, as in humans, elicits intracortical inhibition of the MEP, and rat LI-ppTMS inhibition is acutely impaired in a seizure model. Rats were anesthetized with pentobarbital (PB) or ketamine-atropine-xylazine (KAX) and stimulated unilaterally over the motor cortex while recording bilateral brachioradialis MEPs. LI-ppTMS was applied analogous to human long interval intracortical inhibition (LICI) protocols, and acute changes in inhibition were evaluated following injection of the convulsant pentylenetetrazole (PTZ). We find that spTMS-evoked MEPs were reliably present under either anesthetic, and that LI-ppTMS elicits inhibition of the conditioned MEP in rats, similar to human LICI, by as much as 58 ± 12 and 71 ± 11% under PB and KAX anesthesia, respectively. LI-ppTMS inhibition was reduced to as much as 53% of saline controls following PTZ injection, while spTMS-derived measures of corticospinal excitability were unchanged. Our data show that regional inhibition, similar to human LICI, is present in rats, can be elicited under PB or KAX anesthesia, and is reduced following convulsant administration. These results suggest a potential for LI-ppTMS as a biomarker of impaired cortical inhibition in murine disease models.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simranjit Sidhu ◽  
Benedikt Lauber

AbstractIn contrast to other rhythmic tasks such as running, the preferred movement rate in cycling does not minimize energy consumption. It is possible that neurophysiological mechanisms contribute to the choice of cadence, however this phenomenon is not well understood. Eleven participants cycled at a fixed workload of 125 W and different cadences including a freely chosen cadence (FCC, ∼72), and fixed cadences of 70, 80, 90 and 100 revolutions per minute (rpm) during which transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) was used to measure short interval intracortical inhibition (SICI) and intracortical facilitation (ICF). There was significant increase in SICI at 70 (P = 0.004), 80 (P = 0.008) and 100 rpm (P = 0.041) compared to FCC. ICF was significantly reduced at 70 rpm compared to FCC (P = 0.04). Inhibition-excitation ratio (SICI divided by ICF) declined (P = 0.014) with an increase in cadence. The results demonstrate that SICI is attenuated during FCC compared to fixed cadences. The outcomes suggest that the attenuation of intracortical inhibition and augmentation of ICF may be a contributing factor for FCC.


Author(s):  
Pierre Clos ◽  
Romuals Lepers ◽  
Yoann M. Garnier

Corticospinal excitability and particularly the balance between cortical inhibitory and excitatory processes (assessed in a muscle using transcranial magnetic stimulation), are affected by neurodegenerative pathologies or following a stroke. Non-fatiguing conventional locomotor exercise, such as cycling or walking, decreases intracortical inhibition and/or increases intracortical facilitation. These modifications notably seem to be a consequence of neurotrophic factors (e.g., brain-derived neurotrophic factors) resulting from hemodynamic solicitation. Furthermore, it can be inferred from non-invasive brain and peripheral stimulation studies that repeated activation of neural networks can endogenously shape neuroplasticity. Such mechanisms could also occur following eccentric exercises (i.e., active lengthening of the muscle), during which motor-related cortical potential is of greater magnitude and lasts longer (assessed by electroencephalography) than during concentric exercises (i.e., muscle shortening). As single-joint eccentric exercise decreased short- and long-interval intracortical inhibition and increased intracortical facilitation (assessed by paired-pulse transcranial magnetic stimulation immediately after), locomotor eccentric exercise may be even more potent by adding hemodynamic-related neuroplastic processes to endogenous processes. Besides, eccentric exercise is especially useful to develop relatively high force levels at low cardiorespiratory and perceived intensity, which can be a training goal in addition to inducing neuroplastic changes. Further studies are required to understand how neuroplasticity is 1) acutely influenced by locomotor exercise characteristics (e.g., intensity, duration), 2) modulated by an exercise-based rehabilitation program, 3) related to functional cognitive and motor outcomes relevant to pathological population.


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