Cortical excitability in Duchenne muscular dystrophy

• Published in: Clinical neurophysiology Vol. 119; no. 2; pp. 459 - 465
• Main Authors: Yayla, V, Öge, A.E, Deymeer, F, Gurvit, H, Akca-Kalem, S, Parman, Y, Oflazer, P
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Shannon Elsevier Ireland Ltd 01-02-2008; Elsevier Science
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Biological and medical sciences; Cerebral Cortex - physiopathology; Child; Cortical excitability; Cortical silent period; Differential Threshold - physiology; Diseases of striated muscles. Neuromuscular diseases; Duchenne muscular dystrophy; Electric Stimulation - methods; Electrodiagnosis. Electric activity recording; Evoked Potentials, Motor - physiology; Humans; Investigative techniques, diagnostic techniques (general aspects); Male; Medical sciences; Muscular Dystrophy, Duchenne - pathology; Muscular Dystrophy, Duchenne - physiopathology; Nervous system; Neural Conduction; Neural Inhibition - physiology; Neurology; Paired TMS; Reaction Time - physiology; Time Factors; Transcranial magnetic stimulation; Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation - methods; Cortical excitability; Cortical silent period; Transcranial magnetic stimulation; Duchenne muscular dystrophy; Paired TMS; Human; Nervous system diseases; Neuromuscular diseases; Response amplitude; Excitability; Silent period; Genetic disease; Electrodiagnosis
• ISSN: 1388-2457; 1872-8952
• DOI: 10.1016/j.clinph.2007.09.125

Abstract Objective To investigate the probable cortical excitability changes in DMD by electrophysiological means. Methods Sixteen cases with DMD, 10 age-matched control children (CC) and 10 healthy adult volunteers (AC) were studied with a transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) test battery composed of central conduction time, cortical silent period and paired TMS paradigm. Results There were no significant differences between DMD and CC groups except for lower amplitude motor responses in DMD cases. These two groups showed a similar pattern of excitability with less short interval intracortical inhibitions and shorter silent period durations as compared to the AC subjects. Conclusions The electrophysiological tests performed in our DMD patients did not reveal abnormalities caused particularly by the disorder. Significance TMS excitability studies performed in DMD boys may not provide findings other than those related to the developmental age.