The cortical silent period: intrinsic variability and relation to the waveform of the transcranial magnetic stimulation pulse.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the variability of the duration of the contralateral cortical silent period (CSP) between individuals and to assess the effect of different transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) pulse waveforms.


METHODS
In Expt. 1, CSP duration, and the motor-evoked potential (MEP) amplitude and area were measured in the first dorsal interosseous muscle (FDI) of 11 subjects on 3 separate occasions using a TMS intensity of 150% active motor threshold (AMT). In Expt. 2, the stimulation intensity was varied between 100% AMT and 150% AMT. In both sets of experiments, 3 types of TMS pulse were used: monophasic posterior-anterior (PA) induced current in the brain, monophasic anterior-posterior induced current (AP), and biphasic PA/AP stimulation.


RESULTS
Experiment 1: Between-subject variation in CSP duration was high. In addition, the duration after PA stimulation was significantly shorter than after AP or PA/AP stimulation. However, there was a good correlation between CSP duration and the area, or amplitude, of the MEP. This meant that calculating the ratio of duration/amplitude or duration/area reduced intersubject variability and eliminated differences between TMS pulses. Experiment 2: increasing stimulation intensity increased the mean value of all parameters, but with significantly lower values for PA than other forms of stimulation. The ratios of duration/amplitude or duration/area did not differ between current flow directions and were relatively constant for intensities 130-150% AMT.


CONCLUSIONS
Between-subject variation in the duration of the CSP is high. A given intensity of stimulation (expressed in %AMT) produces a shorter CSP for PA stimulation than for AP or PA/AP stimulation.


CONCLUSIONS
If the ratio (CSP duration)/(MEP size) is calculated, then intersubject variability is reduced, and TMS pulse type differences are eliminated.
Orth
M
M
Sobell Department of Motor Neuroscience and Movement Disorders, The National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, Royal Free and University College Medical School, Institute of Neurology, London, UK. m.orth@ion.ucl.ac.uk
Rothwell
J C
JC
D000328:Adult; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000502:physiology*; D004056:Differential Threshold; D004558:Electric Stimulation / Q000379:methods; D004576:Electromyography; D019054:Evoked Potentials, Motor; D005260:Female; D006225:Hand; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000502:physiology; D013997:Time Factors; D050781:Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation