title: Transcranial magnetic stimulation and BDNF plasma levels in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
abstract: Low- and high-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) of the motor cortex results in lasting changes of excitatory neurotransmission. We investigated the effects of suprathreshold 1 Hz rTMS on brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) plasma levels in 10 healthy subjects and effects of either 1 Hz or 20 Hz rTMS in four amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients. BDNF levels were progressively decreased by 1 Hz rTMS in healthy subjects; there was no effect of 1 Hz rTMS on BDNF plasma levels in ALS patients, an effect probably due to the loss of motor cortex pyramidal cells. High frequency rTMS determined a transitory decrease in BDNF plasma levels. Cumulatively these findings suggest that rTMS might influence the BDNF production by interfering with neuronal activity.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Neurology, Catholic University, Largo Gemelli 8, 00168 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Angelucci
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Oliviero
authors.forename: Fabio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pilato
authors.forename: Eleonora
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Saturno
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dileone
authors.forename: Viviana
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Versace
authors.forename: Gabriella
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Musumeci
authors.forename: Anna P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Batocchi
authors.forename: Pietro A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Tonali
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Di Lazzaro
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000690:Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000528:radiation effects*; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000097:blood*; D004558:Electric Stimulation / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D004574:Electromagnetic Fields; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009044:Motor Cortex / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000528:radiation effects; D012016:Reference Values; D050781:Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation
chemical_list: D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor