Altered neurophysiologic response to intermittent theta burst stimulation in Tourette syndrome.
BACKGROUND
The motor system in Tourette syndrome has been found to be abnormal in previous fine-motor and neurophysiologic studies.


OBJECTIVE
This novel pilot study uses repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation as a method to characterize the neurophysiology of the motor system in Tourette syndrome.


METHODS
We investigated the modulation of cortical excitability in adult Tourette syndrome patients by measuring motor-evoked potential amplitudes before and after applying intermittent theta burst transcranial magnetic stimulation.


RESULTS
Motor-evoked potential amplitude changes over 1 and 10 minutes after intermittent theta burst transcranial magnetic stimulation were greater in 11 healthy controls than 10 adult patients with Tourette syndrome (P = 0.004).


CONCLUSIONS
This altered neurophysiologic response to intermittent theta burst stimulation may contribute to the understanding of motor cortical mechanisms in Tourette syndrome.
Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Division of Neurology, Cincinnati, Ohio. Electronic address: steve.wu@cchmc.org.
Steve W
SW
Wu
Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Division of Neurology, Cincinnati, Ohio.
Donald L
DL
Gilbert
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D019054:Evoked Potentials, Motor; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009044:Motor Cortex / Q000503:physiopathology*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D005879:Tourette Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D050781:Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation / Q000379:methods*; D055815:Young Adult