Modification of the human motor cortex by associative stimulation.
Manipulation of afferent input is capable of inducing reorganisation of the motor cortex. For example, following 1 h of paired electrical stimulation to the motor point of two hand muscles ("associative stimulation") the excitability of the corticospinal projection to the stimulated muscles is increased. Here we investigated the mechanisms responsible for such change using transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). Cortical excitability changes were investigated by measuring motor evoked potentials (MEPs), intracortical inhibition (ICI), intracortical facilitation (ICF), and short-interval intracortical facilitation (SICF). Following 1 h of associative stimulation MEP amplitudes in the stimulated muscles significantly increased. Additionally, there was a significant increase in ICF and of SICF at interstimulus intervals in the range of 2.3-3.3 ms. There was no significant change in ICI. These findings confirm previous observations that a 1-h period of associative stimulation can increase the excitability of the cortical projection to stimulated muscles. Additionally, these results suggest that the observed modifications of excitability are due to changes in intracortical excitatory circuits.
Department of Medical Physiology, Panum Institute, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 3, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark.
H S
HS
Pyndt
M C
MC
Ridding
D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001244:Association; D004558:Electric Stimulation / Q000379:methods; D004574:Electromagnetic Fields; D019054:Evoked Potentials, Motor / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009044:Motor Cortex / Q000502:physiology*