Consensus: Motor cortex plasticity protocols.
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.
Ziemann
Ulf
U
Department Neurology, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Germany. u.ziemann@em.uni-frankfurt.de
Paulus
Walter
W
Nitsche
Michael A
MA
Pascual-Leone
Alvaro
A
Byblow
Winston D
WD
Berardelli
Alfredo
A
Siebner
Hartwig R
HR
Classen
Joseph
J
Cohen
Leonardo G
LG
Rothwell
John C
JC
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