title: Transcranial magnetic stimulation for differential diagnostics in patients with parkinsonism.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We investigated transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) parameters in patients with parkinsonism, particularly in the early stages of the disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed TMS in 48 patients with PD, progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) and multiple system atrophy (MSA). We measured motor threshold (MT), latency (L), motor-evoked potential amplitude and central motor conduction time (CMCT) and cortical silent period (CSP). Furthermore, we selected and compared 27 patients with a disease duration of less than 3 years.
  
  
  RESULTS
  CMCT, MT, L and CSP were different among the three groups. Post hoc analyses revealed that CMCT and CSP were the shortest in PD, and that MT was significantly lower in PD than in MSA. In patients whose disease duration was less than 3 years, CMCT and CSP were different among the three groups. Post hoc analyses showed significantly shorter CMCT in PD.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  TMS can detect the pathophysiological difference among the groups in the early stages of the disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Geriatrics, Cardiology and Neurology, Kochi Medical School, Nankoku, Japan. moritay@kochi-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Morita
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Osaki
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Doi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017668:Age of Onset; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D019054:Evoked Potentials, Motor / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019578:Multiple System Atrophy / Q000175:diagnosis; D020734:Parkinsonian Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013494:Supranuclear Palsy, Progressive / Q000175:diagnosis; D050781:Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation