A comparison of two different continuous theta burst stimulation paradigms applied to the human primary motor cortex

• Published in: Clinical neurophysiology Vol. 123; no. 11; pp. 2256 - 2263
• Main Authors: Goldsworthy, Mitchell R, Pitcher, Julia B, Ridding, Michael C
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ireland Ltd 01-11-2012; Elsevier
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Biological and medical sciences; cTBS; Electrodiagnosis. Electric activity recording; Electromyography; Evoked Potentials, Motor - physiology; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Human; Humans; Investigative techniques, diagnostic techniques (general aspects); Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Models, Neurological; Motor control and motor pathways. Reflexes. Control centers of vegetative functions. Vestibular system and equilibration; Motor cortex; Motor Cortex - physiology; Muscle Contraction - physiology; Muscle, Skeletal - innervation; Muscle, Skeletal - physiology; Nervous system; Neurology; Neuronal Plasticity - physiology; Plasticity; Theta burst stimulation; Theta Rhythm - physiology; Transcranial magnetic stimulation; Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation - methods; Vertebrates: nervous system and sense organs; Young Adult; Human; Theta burst stimulation; Transcranial magnetic stimulation; cTBS; Motor cortex; Plasticity; Motor pathway; Brain stem; Suppression; Variability; Central nervous system; Electrophysiology; Dorsal interosseous muscle; Encephalon; Electrodiagnosis; Magnetic stimulus; Repetitive stimulus; Burst; Motor evoked potential
• ISSN: 1388-2457; 1872-8952
• DOI: 10.1016/j.clinph.2012.05.001

Highlights ► We show that slight modifications in the stimulation parameters used for the application of continuous theta burst stimulation (cTBS) can have a significant impact on its efficacy for inducing human motor cortical neuroplasticity. ► Whereas the standard paradigm (cTBSstd ) induced a neuroplastic response that was short-lived and highly variable, a modified variant (cTBSmod ) induced a lasting change in motor evoked potential (MEP) amplitude that was consistent between subjects. ► This is likely due to differences in inter and intra-burst frequencies between the two paradigms.