rTMS combined with motor learning training in healthy subjects.
OBJECTIVE
This study explored the effects of motor learning training combined with repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) on motor performance in healthy subjects.


METHODS
Twenty-seven right-handed subjects were randomized to three groups: ipsilateral rTMS (IS group), contralateral rTMS (CS group), and sham rTMS (SS group). rTMS was applied for 10 minutes (1 Hz, 90% motor threshold) prior to training. Training involved 10 minutes of finger tracking with the right hand. Tracking performance was tested before, during and after training.


RESULTS
Improvement in tracking performance over the posttests was not significantly different between the CS and SS groups, whereas it was significantly lower for the IS group compared to the SS group. No difference was found across groups at retention tests.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings indicate that rTMS interfered with motor performance transiently when applied ipsilateral to the training hand and had no effect when applied contralaterally. These results invite further work to determine whether the disruptive effect of ipsilateral rTMS observed here in healthy subjects, with presumably balanced interhemispheric inhibition, might translate differently to subjects with abnormal interhemispheric inhibition (stroke patients) in a way that disinhibits the ipsilesional hemisphere and improves performance in the paretic hand.
Carey
James R
JR
Program in Physical Therapy, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA. carey007@umn.edu
Fregni
Felipe
F
Pascual-Leone
Alvaro
A
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D004576:Electromyography; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000502:physiology; D006225:Hand / Q000294:innervation / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007858:Learning / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology*; D009044:Motor Cortex / Q000502:physiology*; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology; D013663:Teaching / Q000379:methods*; D050781:Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation / Q000379:methods*