Reproducibility of intracortical inhibition and facilitation using the paired-pulse paradigm.
We have evaluated the reproducibility of intracortical inhibition (ICI) and facilitation (ICF) studied with paired-pulse focal transcranial magnetic stimulation. Three investigators studied the same subjects (n = 4) in three different sessions. A high variability was shown across subjects [coefficient of variation, (cv) 67.3% for ICI and 21.2% for ICF]. Intersession variability was up to 37.1% for ICI and 22.7% for ICF. Interinvestigator variability was 17.3% for ICI and negligible for ICF. Our results may have implications for planning future studies.
Boroojerdi
B
B
Human Cortical Physiology Section, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Building 10, Room 5N 234, National Institutes of Health, 10 Center Drive, MSC 1428, Bethesda, Maryland 20892-1428, USA.
Kopylev
L
L
Battaglia
F
F
Facchini
S
S
Ziemann
U
U
Muellbacher
W
W
Cohen
L G
LG
D000328:Adult; D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology*; D004576:Electromyography; D019054:Evoked Potentials, Motor / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008280:Magnetics; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009132:Muscles / Q000502:physiology; D009433:Neural Inhibition / Q000502:physiology*; D012016:Reference Values; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013997:Time Factors