R Nardone1, Y Höller2, A Thomschewski2, A C Bathke3, A R Ellis4, S M Golaszewski5, F Brigo6, E Trinka2. 1. 1] Department of Neurology, Christian Doppler Klinik, Paracelsus Medical University and Center for Cognitive Neuroscience, Salzburg, Austria [2] Department of Neurology, Franz Tappeiner Hospital, Merano, Italy [3] Spinal Cord Injury and Tissue Regeneration Center, Paracelsus Medical University, Salzburg, Austria. 2. 1] Department of Neurology, Christian Doppler Klinik, Paracelsus Medical University and Center for Cognitive Neuroscience, Salzburg, Austria [2] Spinal Cord Injury and Tissue Regeneration Center, Paracelsus Medical University, Salzburg, Austria. 3. 1] Department of Mathematics, Paris Lodron University, Salzburg, Austria [2] Department of Statistics, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA. 4. Department of Statistics, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA. 5. Department of Neurology, Christian Doppler Klinik, Paracelsus Medical University and Center for Cognitive Neuroscience, Salzburg, Austria. 6. 1] Department of Neurology, Franz Tappeiner Hospital, Merano, Italy [2] Department of Neurological, Neuropsychological, Morphological and Movement Sciences, Section of Clinical Neurology, University of Verona, Verona, Italy.
Abstract
STUDY DESIGN: Transcranial magnetic stimulation study. OBJECTIVES: To further investigate the corticospinal excitability changes after spinal cord injury (SCI), as assessed by means of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). SETTING: Merano (Italy) and Salzburg (Austria). METHODS: We studied resting motor threshold (RMT), motor evoked potential (MEP) amplitude and recruitment curve in five subjects with good recovery after traumatic incomplete cervical SCI. RESULTS: RMT did not differ significantly between patients and controls, whereas the slope of MEP recruitment curve was significantly increased in the patients. CONCLUSION: This abnormal finding may represent an adaptive response after SCI. The impaired ability of the motor cortex to generate proper voluntary movement may be compensated by increasing spinal excitability. The easily performed measurement of MEP recruitment curve may provide a useful additional tool to improve the assessment and monitoring of motor cortical function in subjects with SCI. Increasing our knowledge of the corticospinal excitability changes in the functional recovery after SCI may also support the development of effective therapeutic strategies.
STUDY DESIGN: Transcranial magnetic stimulation study. OBJECTIVES: To further investigate the corticospinal excitability changes after spinal cord injury (SCI), as assessed by means of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). SETTING: Merano (Italy) and Salzburg (Austria). METHODS: We studied resting motor threshold (RMT), motor evoked potential (MEP) amplitude and recruitment curve in five subjects with good recovery after traumatic incomplete cervical SCI. RESULTS: RMT did not differ significantly between patients and controls, whereas the slope of MEP recruitment curve was significantly increased in the patients. CONCLUSION: This abnormal finding may represent an adaptive response after SCI. The impaired ability of the motor cortex to generate proper voluntary movement may be compensated by increasing spinal excitability. The easily performed measurement of MEP recruitment curve may provide a useful additional tool to improve the assessment and monitoring of motor cortical function in subjects with SCI. Increasing our knowledge of the corticospinal excitability changes in the functional recovery after SCI may also support the development of effective therapeutic strategies.
Authors: H C Smith; N J Davey; G Savic; D W Maskill; P H Ellaway; M A Jamous; H L Frankel Journal: J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry Date: 2000-04 Impact factor: 10.154
Authors: V K Kimiskidis; S Papagiannopoulos; K Sotirakoglou; D A Kazis; A Kazis; K R Mills Journal: Exp Brain Res Date: 2005-02-03 Impact factor: 1.972
Authors: Raffaele Nardone; Yvonne Höller; Francesco Brigo; Martin Seidl; Monica Christova; Jürgen Bergmann; Stefan Golaszewski; Eugen Trinka Journal: Brain Res Date: 2013-02-08 Impact factor: 3.252