title: Consensus: Motor cortex plasticity protocols.
abstract: Noninvasive transcranial stimulation is being increasingly used by clinicians and neuroscientists to alter deliberately the status of the human brain. Important applications are the induction of virtual lesions (for example, transient dysfunction) to identify the importance of the stimulated brain network for a certain sensorimotor or cognitive task, and the induction of changes in neuronal excitability, synaptic plasticity or behavioral function outlasting the stimulation, for example, for therapeutic purposes. The aim of this article is to review critically the properties of the different currently used stimulation protocols, including a focus on their particular strengths and weaknesses, to facilitate their appropriate and conscientious application.
authors.affiliation: Department Neurology, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Germany. u.ziemann@em.uni-frankfurt.de
authors.forename: Ulf
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Ziemann
authors.forename: Walter
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Paulus
authors.forename: Michael A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Nitsche
authors.forename: Alvaro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pascual-Leone
authors.forename: Winston D
authors.initials: WD
authors.lastname: Byblow
authors.forename: Alfredo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Berardelli
authors.forename: Hartwig R
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Siebner
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Classen
authors.forename: Leonardo G
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Cohen
authors.forename: John C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Rothwell
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001519:Behavior / Q000502:physiology; D004558:Electric Stimulation / Q000379:methods*; D019054:Evoked Potentials, Motor / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D017774:Long-Term Potentiation / Q000502:physiology; D009044:Motor Cortex / Q000502:physiology*; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity / Q000502:physiology*; D010525:Peripheral Nerves / Q000502:physiology; D050781:Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation / Q000379:methods