Natalie Schaworonkow1, Jochen Triesch2, Ulf Ziemann3, Christoph Zrenner4. 1. Frankfurt Institute for Advanced Studies, Johann Wolfgang Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany; Department of Neurology & Stroke, and Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research, University of Tübingen, Germany. 2. Frankfurt Institute for Advanced Studies, Johann Wolfgang Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany. 3. Department of Neurology & Stroke, and Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research, University of Tübingen, Germany. Electronic address: ulf.ziemann@uni-tuebingen.de. 4. Department of Neurology & Stroke, and Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research, University of Tübingen, Germany.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Corticospinal excitability depends on the current brain state. The recent development of real-time EEG-triggered transcranial magnetic stimulation (EEG-TMS) allows studying this relationship in a causal fashion. Specifically, it has been shown that corticospinal excitability is higher during the scalp surface negative EEG peak compared to the positive peak of μ-oscillations in sensorimotor cortex, as indexed by larger motor evoked potentials (MEPs) for fixed stimulation intensity. OBJECTIVE: We further characterize the effect of μ-rhythm phase on the MEP input-output (IO) curve by measuring the degree of excitability modulation across a range of stimulation intensities. We furthermore seek to optimize stimulation parameters to enable discrimination of functionally relevant EEG-defined brain states. METHODS: A real-time EEG-TMS system was used to trigger MEPs during instantaneous brain-states corresponding to μ-rhythm surface positive and negative peaks with five different stimulation intensities covering an individually calibrated MEP IO curve in 15 healthy participants. RESULTS: MEP amplitude is modulated by μ-phase across a wide range of stimulation intensities, with larger MEPs at the surface negative peak. The largest relative MEP-modulation was observed for weak intensities, the largest absolute MEP-modulation for intermediate intensities. These results indicate a leftward shift of the MEP IO curve during the μ-rhythm negative peak. CONCLUSION: The choice of stimulation intensity influences the observed degree of corticospinal excitability modulation by μ-phase. Lower stimulation intensities enable more efficient differentiation of EEG μ-phase-defined brain states.
BACKGROUND: Corticospinal excitability depends on the current brain state. The recent development of real-time EEG-triggered transcranial magnetic stimulation (EEG-TMS) allows studying this relationship in a causal fashion. Specifically, it has been shown that corticospinal excitability is higher during the scalp surface negative EEG peak compared to the positive peak of μ-oscillations in sensorimotor cortex, as indexed by larger motor evoked potentials (MEPs) for fixed stimulation intensity. OBJECTIVE: We further characterize the effect of μ-rhythm phase on the MEP input-output (IO) curve by measuring the degree of excitability modulation across a range of stimulation intensities. We furthermore seek to optimize stimulation parameters to enable discrimination of functionally relevant EEG-defined brain states. METHODS: A real-time EEG-TMS system was used to trigger MEPs during instantaneous brain-states corresponding to μ-rhythm surface positive and negative peaks with five different stimulation intensities covering an individually calibrated MEP IO curve in 15 healthy participants. RESULTS: MEP amplitude is modulated by μ-phase across a wide range of stimulation intensities, with larger MEPs at the surface negative peak. The largest relative MEP-modulation was observed for weak intensities, the largest absolute MEP-modulation for intermediate intensities. These results indicate a leftward shift of the MEP IO curve during the μ-rhythm negative peak. CONCLUSION: The choice of stimulation intensity influences the observed degree of corticospinal excitability modulation by μ-phase. Lower stimulation intensities enable more efficient differentiation of EEG μ-phase-defined brain states.
Authors: Stefan M Goetz; Bryan Howell; Boshuo Wang; Zhongxi Li; Marc A Sommer; Angel V Peterchev; Warren M Grill Journal: Clin Neurophysiol Date: 2022-02-24 Impact factor: 4.861
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