Objective: To analyze the effect of inhibitory repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) over ipsilateral motor cortex (ipsiM1) on the execution of sequential movements of different complexity. Background: Functional imaging studies in humans have shown that the activation of ipsiM1 during unimanual finger movements depends on movement complexity. Inhibitory rTMS over ipsiM1 has been shown to improve sequential simple finger movements in normal controls. Methods: Ten healthy subjects performed repetitive finger opposi- tion movements of different complexity (at a 2 Hz metronome fre- quency) wearing a sensor-engineered glove with their right hand. The following parameters were analyzed: inter tapping interval (ITI), touch duration (TD), timing error (TE), and movement rate (MR). The tasks were performed before, immediately after, and 15-30 minutes after 1 Hz rTMS (two conditioning trains of 750 stimuli at 90% of active motor threshold) applied over ipsiM1. All the subjects also received sham stimulation. Six subjects participated in a control experiment in which the task was performed only before and 30 minutes after rTMS. Results: In both sequences ITI significantly decreased after rTMS and remained stable at 30 minutes (ANOVA: p⬍0.01); ITI did not change after sham stimulation. Since the subjects were instructed to follow the metronome frequency (2 Hz), 60% of the subjects increased TD (ANOVA: p⬍0.01), while 40% of the subjects tended to increase the effective movement rate (ANOVA n.s.). In the control experiment ITI did not change 30 minutes after the rTMS session. Conclusions: Inhibitory rTMS over the ipsilateral motor cortex im- proves the execution of sequential finger movements of different com- plexity, making the movement faster. Repeated performance of the task (every 15 minutes) seems to prolong the effect of rTMS session with a sort of “use dependant” plasticity. These results may suggest new therapeutic strategies for movement disorders.
The role of ipsilateral motor cortex in complex finger movements: A rTMS study
Avanzino, L.;Tacchino, A.;Ogliastro, C.;Bove, M.;Trompetto, C.;Abbruzzese, G.
2007-01-01
Abstract
Objective: To analyze the effect of inhibitory repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) over ipsilateral motor cortex (ipsiM1) on the execution of sequential movements of different complexity. Background: Functional imaging studies in humans have shown that the activation of ipsiM1 during unimanual finger movements depends on movement complexity. Inhibitory rTMS over ipsiM1 has been shown to improve sequential simple finger movements in normal controls. Methods: Ten healthy subjects performed repetitive finger opposi- tion movements of different complexity (at a 2 Hz metronome fre- quency) wearing a sensor-engineered glove with their right hand. The following parameters were analyzed: inter tapping interval (ITI), touch duration (TD), timing error (TE), and movement rate (MR). The tasks were performed before, immediately after, and 15-30 minutes after 1 Hz rTMS (two conditioning trains of 750 stimuli at 90% of active motor threshold) applied over ipsiM1. All the subjects also received sham stimulation. Six subjects participated in a control experiment in which the task was performed only before and 30 minutes after rTMS. Results: In both sequences ITI significantly decreased after rTMS and remained stable at 30 minutes (ANOVA: p⬍0.01); ITI did not change after sham stimulation. Since the subjects were instructed to follow the metronome frequency (2 Hz), 60% of the subjects increased TD (ANOVA: p⬍0.01), while 40% of the subjects tended to increase the effective movement rate (ANOVA n.s.). In the control experiment ITI did not change 30 minutes after the rTMS session. Conclusions: Inhibitory rTMS over the ipsilateral motor cortex im- proves the execution of sequential finger movements of different com- plexity, making the movement faster. Repeated performance of the task (every 15 minutes) seems to prolong the effect of rTMS session with a sort of “use dependant” plasticity. These results may suggest new therapeutic strategies for movement disorders.
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