The glutamate antagonist riluzole suppresses intracortical facilitation.
The effect of the glutamate antagonist riluzole on excitatory and inhibitory phenomena in the human motor system was studied by transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and peripheral electrical nerve stimulation. The motor threshold, the intracortical inhibition and intracortical facilitation as assessed by paired TMS, the cortical and peripheral silent periods, F wave amplitudes and F wave latencies were measured. Riluzole suppressed the intracortical facilitation whereas other parameters remained unchanged, indicating that the neurotransmitter glutamate is mainly involved in facilitatory mechanisms in the motor system.
Liepert
J
J
Department of Neurology, Ruhr University Bochum, Federal Republic of Germany.
Schwenkreis
P
P
Tegenthoff
M
M
Malin
J P
JP
D000328:Adult; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D004574:Electromagnetic Fields; D004594:Electrophysiology; D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018698:Glutamic Acid / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D009068:Movement / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D017933:Peripheral Nervous System / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D019782:Riluzole / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000187:drug effects
D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists; D018698:Glutamic Acid; D019782:Riluzole