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Moreno-Roco J, del Valle L, Jiménez D, Acosta I, Castillo JL, Dharmadasa T, Kiernan MC, Matamala JM. Diagnostic utility of transcranial magnetic stimulation for neurodegenerative disease: a critical review. Dement Neuropsychol 2024; 17:e20230048. [PMID: 38189033 PMCID: PMC10768644 DOI: 10.1590/1980-5764-dn-2023-0048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2023] [Revised: 09/13/2023] [Accepted: 09/24/2023] [Indexed: 01/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Neurodegenerative diseases pose significant challenges due to their impact on brain structure, function, and cognition. As life expectancy rises, the prevalence of these disorders is rapidly increasing, resulting in substantial personal, familial, and societal burdens. Efforts have been made to optimize the diagnostic and therapeutic processes, primarily focusing on clinical, cognitive, and imaging characterization. However, the emergence of non-invasive brain stimulation techniques, specifically transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), offers unique functional insights and diagnostic potential. TMS allows direct evaluation of brain function, providing valuable information inaccessible through other methods. This review aims to summarize the current and potential diagnostic utility of TMS in investigating neurodegenerative diseases, highlighting its relevance to the field of cognitive neuroscience. The findings presented herein contribute to the growing body of research focused on improving our understanding and management of these debilitating conditions, particularly in regions with limited resources and a pressing need for innovative approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Javier Moreno-Roco
- Universidad de Chile, Facultad de Medicina, Laboratorio de Neurología y Neurofisiología Traslacional, Santiago, Chile
- Universidad de Chile, Facultad de Medicina, Centro de Investigación Clínica Avanzado (CICA) Oriente, Santiago, Chile
- Universidad de Chile, Facultad de Medicina, Departamento de Ciencias Neurológicas Oriente, Santiago, Chile
| | - Lucía del Valle
- Universidad de Chile, Facultad de Medicina, Laboratorio de Neurología y Neurofisiología Traslacional, Santiago, Chile
- Universidad de Chile, Facultad de Medicina, Centro de Investigación Clínica Avanzado (CICA) Oriente, Santiago, Chile
- Universidad de Chile, Facultad de Medicina, Departamento de Ciencias Neurológicas Oriente, Santiago, Chile
| | - Daniel Jiménez
- Universidad de Chile, Facultad de Medicina, Laboratorio de Neurología y Neurofisiología Traslacional, Santiago, Chile
- Universidad de Chile, Facultad de Medicina, Centro de Investigación Clínica Avanzado (CICA) Oriente, Santiago, Chile
- Universidad de Chile, Facultad de Medicina, Departamento de Ciencias Neurológicas Oriente, Santiago, Chile
- Hospital del Salvador, Servicio de Neurología, Santiago, Chile
| | - Ignacio Acosta
- Universidad de Chile, Facultad de Medicina, Laboratorio de Neurología y Neurofisiología Traslacional, Santiago, Chile
- Universidad de Chile, Facultad de Medicina, Centro de Investigación Clínica Avanzado (CICA) Oriente, Santiago, Chile
- Universidad de Chile, Facultad de Medicina, Departamento de Ciencias Neurológicas Oriente, Santiago, Chile
- Hospital del Salvador, Servicio de Neurología, Santiago, Chile
| | - José Luis Castillo
- Universidad de Chile, Facultad de Medicina, Laboratorio de Neurología y Neurofisiología Traslacional, Santiago, Chile
- Universidad de Chile, Facultad de Medicina, Departamento de Ciencias Neurológicas Oriente, Santiago, Chile
| | - Thanuja Dharmadasa
- University of Melbourne, The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
- The Royal Melbourne Hospital, Department of Neurology, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
- University of Sydney, Brain and Mind Centre, Sydney, Australia
| | - Matthew C. Kiernan
- University of Sydney, Brain and Mind Centre, Sydney, Australia
- Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Department of Neurology, Sydney, AustraliaArgento
| | - José Manuel Matamala
- Universidad de Chile, Facultad de Medicina, Laboratorio de Neurología y Neurofisiología Traslacional, Santiago, Chile
- Universidad de Chile, Facultad de Medicina, Centro de Investigación Clínica Avanzado (CICA) Oriente, Santiago, Chile
- Universidad de Chile, Facultad de Medicina, Departamento de Ciencias Neurológicas Oriente, Santiago, Chile
- Universidad de Chile, Facultad de Medicina, Departamento de Neurociencias, Santiago, Chile
- Universidad de Chile, Facultad de Medicina, Instituto de Neurociencia Biomédica (BNI), Santiago, Chile
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Cengiz B, Koçak ÖK, Erdoğan T, Yanık E, Pek G, Savrun Y, Evren Boran H, Reha Kuruoğlu H. Excitability of somatosensory cortex is increased in ALS: A SEP recovery function study. Clin Neurophysiol 2023; 155:58-64. [PMID: 37734132 DOI: 10.1016/j.clinph.2023.08.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2023] [Revised: 07/28/2023] [Accepted: 08/14/2023] [Indexed: 09/23/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Neuronal loss in the somatosensory, as well as the motor cortex in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), indicative of a structural abnormality has been reported. Previously we have shown that afferent inhibition was impaired in ALS, suggestive of sensory involvement. In this study, we aimed to evaluate excitability changes in the somatosensory cortex of ALS patients. METHODS ALS patients underwent a paired pulse somatosensory evoked potential (SEP) paradigm at various interstimulus intervals (ISI). The amplitude ratio obtained by dividing the amplitude of paired pulse SEP stimulation S2 (paired pulse stimulation) to S1 (the single pulse stimulation) was considered the somatosensory cortex excitability parameter. Findings were compared to the results obtained from healthy controls. Resting motor threshold (RMT) was also assessed in the ALS group. RESULTS An increased S2/S1 ratio was found in the ALS group in every ISI examined. Additionally, the reduced inhibition correlated negatively with forced vital capacity, Medical Research Council sum score, median nerve compound muscle action potential amplitude, while there was a positive association with Penn upper motor neuron score and sural nerve conduction velocity. No correlation existed with RMT. CONCLUSIONS Our findings demonstrated increased somatosensory cortical excitability in ALS, which was associated with clinical parameters such as reduced pulmonary function and motor strength. SIGNIFICANCE Somatosensory cortical excitability is impaired in ALS. Whether this is associated with increased motor cortical excitability requires further studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bülent Cengiz
- Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, Gazi University, Ankara, Turkey; Department of Neurology, Section of Clinical Neurophysiology, Faculty of Medicine, Gazi University, Ankara, Turkey; Neuroscience and Neurotechnology Center of Excellence, Ankara, Turkey.
| | - Özlem Kurtkaya Koçak
- Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, Gazi University, Ankara, Turkey; Department of Neurology, Section of Clinical Neurophysiology, Faculty of Medicine, Gazi University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Tuğba Erdoğan
- Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, Gazi University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Ece Yanık
- Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, Gazi University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Gökhan Pek
- Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, Gazi University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Yusuf Savrun
- Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, Gazi University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - H Evren Boran
- Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, Gazi University, Ankara, Turkey; Department of Neurology, Section of Clinical Neurophysiology, Faculty of Medicine, Gazi University, Ankara, Turkey; Neuroscience and Neurotechnology Center of Excellence, Ankara, Turkey
| | - H Reha Kuruoğlu
- Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, Gazi University, Ankara, Turkey; Department of Neurology, Section of Clinical Neurophysiology, Faculty of Medicine, Gazi University, Ankara, Turkey
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Kato T, Sasaki A, Nakazawa K. Short-and long-latency afferent inhibition of the human leg motor cortex by H-reflex subthreshold electrical stimulation at the popliteal fossa. Exp Brain Res 2023; 241:249-261. [PMID: 36481937 PMCID: PMC9870969 DOI: 10.1007/s00221-022-06497-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2022] [Accepted: 10/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
In humans, peripheral sensory stimulation inhibits subsequent motor evoked potentials (MEPs) induced by transcranial magnetic stimulation; this process is referred to as short- or long-latency afferent inhibition (SAI or LAI, respectively), depending on the inter-stimulus interval (ISI) length. Although upper limb SAI and LAI have been well studied, lower limb SAI and LAI remain under-investigated. Here, we examined the time course of the soleus (SOL) muscle MEP following electrical tibial nerve (TN) stimulation at the popliteal fossa at ISIs of 20-220 ms. When the conditioning stimulus intensity was three-fold the perceptual threshold, MEP amplitudes were inhibited at an ISI of 220 ms, but not at shorter ISIs. TN stimulation just below the Hoffman (H)-reflex threshold intensity inhibited MEP amplitudes at ISIs of 30, 35, 100, 180 and 200 ms. However, the relationship between MEP inhibition and the P30 latency of somatosensory evoked potentials (SEPs) did not show corresponding ISIs at the SEP P30 latency that maximizes MEP inhibition. To clarify whether the site of afferent-induced MEP inhibition occurs at the cortical or spinal level, we examined the time course of SOL H-reflex following TN stimulation. H-reflex amplitudes were not significantly inhibited at ISIs where MEP inhibition occurred but at an ISI of 120 ms. Our findings indicate that stronger peripheral sensory stimulation is required for lower limb than for upper limb SAI and LAI and that lower limb SAI and LAI are of cortical origin. Moreover, the direct pathway from the periphery to the primary motor cortex may contribute to lower limb SAI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tatsuya Kato
- grid.26999.3d0000 0001 2151 536XGraduate School of Arts and Sciences, Department of Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, 153-8902 Tokyo, Japan ,grid.54432.340000 0001 0860 6072Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Tokyo, 102-0083 Japan
| | - Atsushi Sasaki
- grid.54432.340000 0001 0860 6072Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Tokyo, 102-0083 Japan ,grid.136593.b0000 0004 0373 3971Graduate School of Engineering Science, Department of Mechanical Science and Bioengineering, Osaka University, Osaka, 560-8531 Japan
| | - Kimitaka Nakazawa
- grid.26999.3d0000 0001 2151 536XGraduate School of Arts and Sciences, Department of Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, 153-8902 Tokyo, Japan
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The distribution and reliability of TMS-evoked short- and long-latency afferent interactions. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0260663. [PMID: 34905543 PMCID: PMC8670708 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0260663] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2021] [Accepted: 11/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Short-latency afferent inhibition (SAI) and long-latency afferent inhibition (LAI) occur when the motor evoked potential (MEP) elicited by transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is reduced by the delivery of a preceding peripheral nerve stimulus. The intra-individual variability in SAI and LAI is considerable, and the influence of sample demographics (e.g., age and biological sex) and testing context (e.g., time of day) is not clear. There are also no established normative values for these measures, and their reliability varies from study-to-study. To address these issues and facilitate the interpretation of SAI and LAI research, we pooled data from studies published by our lab between 2014 and 2020 and performed several retrospective analyses. Patterns in the depth of inhibition with respect to age, biological sex and time of testing were investigated, and the relative reliability of measurements from studies with repeated baseline SAI and LAI assessments was examined. Normative SAI and LAI values with respect to the mean and standard deviation were also calculated. Our data show no relationship between the depth of inhibition for SAI and LAI with either time of day or age. Further, there was no significant difference in SAI or LAI between males and females. Intra-class correlation coefficients (ICC) for repeated measurements of SAI and LAI ranged from moderate (ICC = 0.526) to strong (ICC = 0.881). The mean value of SAI was 0.71 ± 0.27 and the mean value of LAI was 0.61 ± 0.34. This retrospective study provides normative values, reliability estimates, and an exploration of demographic and testing influences on these measures as assessed in our lab. To further facilitate the interpretation of SAI and LAI data, similar studies should be performed by other labs that use these measures.
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Di Lazzaro V, Bella R, Benussi A, Bologna M, Borroni B, Capone F, Chen KHS, Chen R, Chistyakov AV, Classen J, Kiernan MC, Koch G, Lanza G, Lefaucheur JP, Matsumoto H, Nguyen JP, Orth M, Pascual-Leone A, Rektorova I, Simko P, Taylor JP, Tremblay S, Ugawa Y, Dubbioso R, Ranieri F. Diagnostic contribution and therapeutic perspectives of transcranial magnetic stimulation in dementia. Clin Neurophysiol 2021; 132:2568-2607. [PMID: 34482205 DOI: 10.1016/j.clinph.2021.05.035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2020] [Revised: 04/22/2021] [Accepted: 05/28/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is a powerful tool to probe in vivo brain circuits, as it allows to assess several cortical properties such asexcitability, plasticity and connectivity in humans. In the last 20 years, TMS has been applied to patients with dementia, enabling the identification of potential markers of thepathophysiology and predictors of cognitive decline; moreover, applied repetitively, TMS holds promise as a potential therapeutic intervention. The objective of this paper is to present a comprehensive review of studies that have employed TMS in dementia and to discuss potential clinical applications, from the diagnosis to the treatment. To provide a technical and theoretical framework, we first present an overview of the basic physiological mechanisms of the application of TMS to assess cortical excitability, excitation and inhibition balance, mechanisms of plasticity and cortico-cortical connectivity in the human brain. We then review the insights gained by TMS techniques into the pathophysiology and predictors of progression and response to treatment in dementias, including Alzheimer's disease (AD)-related dementias and secondary dementias. We show that while a single TMS measure offers low specificity, the use of a panel of measures and/or neurophysiological index can support the clinical diagnosis and predict progression. In the last part of the article, we discuss the therapeutic uses of TMS. So far, only repetitive TMS (rTMS) over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and multisite rTMS associated with cognitive training have been shown to be, respectively, possibly (Level C of evidence) and probably (Level B of evidence) effective to improve cognition, apathy, memory, and language in AD patients, especially at a mild/early stage of the disease. The clinical use of this type of treatment warrants the combination of brain imaging techniques and/or electrophysiological tools to elucidate neurobiological effects of neurostimulation and to optimally tailor rTMS treatment protocols in individual patients or specific patient subgroups with dementia or mild cognitive impairment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vincenzo Di Lazzaro
- Unit of Neurology, Neurophysiology, Neurobiology, Department of Medicine, Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, Rome, Italy.
| | - Rita Bella
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences and Advanced Technologies, Section of Neurosciences, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Alberto Benussi
- Centre for Neurodegenerative Disorders, Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
| | - Matteo Bologna
- Department of Human Neurosciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy; IRCCS Neuromed, Pozzilli, IS, Italy
| | - Barbara Borroni
- Centre for Neurodegenerative Disorders, Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
| | - Fioravante Capone
- Unit of Neurology, Neurophysiology, Neurobiology, Department of Medicine, Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, Rome, Italy
| | - Kai-Hsiang S Chen
- Department of Neurology, National Taiwan University Hospital Hsin-Chu Branch, Hsin-Chu, Taiwan
| | - Robert Chen
- Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada; Division of Brain, Imaging& Behaviour, Krembil Brain Institute, Toronto, Canada
| | | | - Joseph Classen
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital Leipzig, Leipzig University Medical Center, Germany
| | - Matthew C Kiernan
- Department of Neurology, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Brain and Mind Centre, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Giacomo Koch
- Non Invasive Brain Stimulation Unit/Department of Behavioral and Clinical Neurology, Santa Lucia Foundation IRCCS, Rome, Italy; Department of Neuroscience and Rehabilitation, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Lanza
- Department of Surgery and Medical-Surgical Specialties, University of Catania, Catania, Italy; Department of Neurology IC, Oasi Research Institute-IRCCS, Troina, Italy
| | - Jean-Pascal Lefaucheur
- ENT Team, EA4391, Faculty of Medicine, Paris Est Créteil University, Créteil, France; Clinical Neurophysiology Unit, Department of Physiology, Henri Mondor Hospital, Assistance Publique - Hôpitaux de Paris, Créteil, France
| | | | - Jean-Paul Nguyen
- Pain Center, clinique Bretéché, groupe ELSAN, Multidisciplinary Pain, Palliative and Supportive care Center, UIC 22/CAT2 and Laboratoire de Thérapeutique (EA3826), University Hospital, Nantes, France
| | - Michael Orth
- University Hospital of Old Age Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland; Swiss Huntington's Disease Centre, Siloah, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Alvaro Pascual-Leone
- Hinda and Arthur Marcus Institute for Aging Research, Center for Memory Health, Hebrew SeniorLife, USA; Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Guttmann Brain Health Institute, Universitat Autonoma Barcelona, Spain
| | - Irena Rektorova
- Applied Neuroscience Research Group, Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University (CEITEC MU), Brno, Czech Republic; Department of Neurology, St. Anne's University Hospital and Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Patrik Simko
- Applied Neuroscience Research Group, Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University (CEITEC MU), Brno, Czech Republic; Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - John-Paul Taylor
- Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Sara Tremblay
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, ON, Canada; Royal Ottawa Institute of Mental Health Research, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Yoshikazu Ugawa
- Department of Human Neurophysiology, School of Medicine, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima, Japan
| | - Raffaele Dubbioso
- Department of Neurosciences, Reproductive Sciences and Odontostomatology, University of Naples "Federico II", Naples, Italy
| | - Federico Ranieri
- Unit of Neurology, Department of Neuroscience, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
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Norioka R, Shimizu T, Bokuda K, Morishima R, Kawazoe T, Kimura H, Asano Y, Nakayama Y, Takahashi K. Enlarged high frequency oscillations of the median nerve somatosensory evoked potential and survival in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Clin Neurophysiol 2021; 132:2003-2011. [PMID: 34284234 DOI: 10.1016/j.clinph.2021.05.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2021] [Revised: 04/26/2021] [Accepted: 05/21/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE A large N20 and P25 of the median nerve somatosensory evoked potential (SEP) predicts short survival in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). We investigated whether high frequency oscillations (HFOs) over N20 are enlarged and associated with survival in ALS. METHODS A total of 145 patients with ALS and 57 healthy subjects were studied. We recorded the median nerve SEP and measured the onset-to-peak amplitude of N20 (N20o-p), and peak-to-peak amplitude between N20 and P25 (N20p-P25p). We obtained early and late HFO potentials by filtering SEP between 500 and 1 kHz, and measured the peak-to-peak amplitude. We followed up patients until endpoints (death or tracheostomy) and analyzed the relationship between SEP or HFO amplitudes and survival using a Cox analysis. RESULTS Patients showed larger N20o-p, N20p-P25p, and early and late HFO amplitudes than the control values. N20p-P25p was associated with survival periods (p = 0.0004), while early and late HFO amplitudes showed no significant association with survival (p = 0.4307, and p = 0.6858, respectively). CONCLUSIONS The HFO amplitude in ALS is increased, but does not predict survival. SIGNIFICANCE The enlarged HFOs in ALS might be a compensatory phenomenon to the hyperexcitability of the sensory cortex pyramidal neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryohei Norioka
- Department of Neurology, Tokyo Metropolitan Neurological Hospital, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Toshio Shimizu
- Department of Neurology, Tokyo Metropolitan Neurological Hospital, Tokyo, Japan.
| | - Kota Bokuda
- Department of Neurology, Tokyo Metropolitan Neurological Hospital, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Ryo Morishima
- Department of Neurology, Tokyo Metropolitan Neurological Hospital, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Tomoya Kawazoe
- Department of Neurology, Tokyo Metropolitan Neurological Hospital, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hideki Kimura
- Department of Neurology, Tokyo Metropolitan Neurological Hospital, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yuri Asano
- Department of Neurology, Tokyo Metropolitan Neurological Hospital, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yuki Nakayama
- Unit for Intractable Disease Nursing Care, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kazushi Takahashi
- Department of Neurology, Tokyo Metropolitan Neurological Hospital, Tokyo, Japan
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Turco CV, Toepp SL, Foglia SD, Dans PW, Nelson AJ. Association of short- and long-latency afferent inhibition with human behavior. Clin Neurophysiol 2021; 132:1462-1480. [PMID: 34030051 DOI: 10.1016/j.clinph.2021.02.402] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2020] [Revised: 01/26/2021] [Accepted: 02/12/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) paired with nerve stimulation evokes short-latency afferent inhibition (SAI) and long-latency afferent inhibition (LAI), which are non-invasive assessments of the excitability of the sensorimotor system. SAI and LAI are abnormally reduced in various special populations in comparison to healthy controls. However, the relationship between afferent inhibition and human behavior remains unclear. The purpose of this review is to survey the current literature and synthesize observations and patterns that affect the interpretation of SAI and LAI in the context of human behavior. We discuss human behaviour across the motor and cognitive domains, and in special and control populations. Further, we discuss future considerations for research in this field and the potential for clinical applications. By understanding how human behavior is mediated by changes in SAI and LAI, this can allow us to better understand the neurophysiological underpinnings of human motor control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia V Turco
- Department of Kinesiology, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4K1, Canada.
| | - Stephen L Toepp
- Department of Kinesiology, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4K1, Canada.
| | - Stevie D Foglia
- School of Biomedical Engineering, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4K1, Canada.
| | - Patrick W Dans
- Department of Kinesiology, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4K1, Canada.
| | - Aimee J Nelson
- Department of Kinesiology, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4K1, Canada.
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8
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Štětkářová I, Ehler E. Diagnostics of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: Up to Date. Diagnostics (Basel) 2021; 11:diagnostics11020231. [PMID: 33546386 PMCID: PMC7913557 DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics11020231] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2020] [Revised: 01/27/2021] [Accepted: 01/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease characterized by gradual loss of upper and lower motor neurons and their pathways, usually without affecting the extraocular and sphincter muscles. The cause of the disease is not yet known. It is a chain of subsequent events, ending in programmed cell death in selective neuronal subpopulations. The prognosis for survival is rather short with a median of 2 to 4 years. Survival may be prolonged based on prompt diagnosis, ALS subtype and proper management with supportive treatment (tracheostomy, gastrostomy, etc.). According to the clinical picture, the typical form of ALS with upper and lower motoneuron involvement and progressive bulbar paralysis with bulbar muscle involvement is observed. The ALS form with progressive muscle atrophy, where only the lower motoneuron is affected, and primary lateral sclerosis with only upper motoneuron damage are rare. Familiar forms of ALS (FALS) associated with specific genes (the most common is C9orf72) have been discovered. FALS is usually associated with dementia (frontotemporal lobar dementia, FTLD), behavioral disorders, cognitive dysfunction and impairment of executive functions. The diagnosis of ALS is determined by excluding other conditions and utilizing clinical examinations, laboratory and genetic tests and nerve conduction/needle electromyography studies (EMG). Needle EMG records abnormal activities at rest and looks for neurogenic patterns during muscle contraction. Motor evoked potentials after transcranial magnetic stimulation remain the test of choice to identify impairment of upper motor neurons. New biochemical, neurophysiological and morphological biomarkers are extensively studied as early diagnostic and prognostic factors and have implications for clinical trials, research and drug development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ivana Štětkářová
- Department of Neurology, Third Faculty of Medicine, Charles University and Faculty Hospital Královské Vinohrady, 100 34 Prague, Czech Republic
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +420-267162814
| | - Edvard Ehler
- Neurological Department, Faculty of Health Studies, Pardubice University and Pardubice Regional Hospital, 530 03 Pardubice, Czech Republic;
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9
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Cengiz B, Fidancı H, Baltacı H, Türksoy E, Kuruoğlu R. Reduced Occipital Cortex Excitability in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. J Clin Neurophysiol 2021; 39:486-491. [PMID: 33443392 DOI: 10.1097/wnp.0000000000000805] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE In addition to motor cortex involvement, sensory abnormalities have been demonstrated in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), including structural and metabolic alterations in the occipital cortex. The aim of this study was to examine occipital excitability changes in ALS. METHODS Twenty-one patients with ALS and 16 healthy subjects were enrolled into the study. Phosphene experience and phosphene threshold were studied to assess occipital excitability. Cognitive function was evaluated in both groups by means of Montreal Cognitive Assessment and Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination-Revised visuospatial score tests. RESULTS Phosphene was experienced in 13 (81.3%) healthy subjects and 9 (42.9%) patients with ALS (P = 0.04). The mean phosphene threshold was not significantly different between the two groups. No correlation existed between phosphene threshold and motor cortical excitability parameters, ALS Functional Rating Scale Revised, Montreal Cognitive Assessment, and Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination-Revised scores. CONCLUSIONS Visual cortex is affected, and the occipital excitability is reduced in ALS, without any relation to motor cortical excitability changes, providing another clue suggestive of sensory involvement in ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bülent Cengiz
- Department of Neurology, Gazi University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey; and Division of Clinical Neurophysiology, Gazi University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey
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10
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Fidancı H, Öztürk İ. The relationship between nerve conduction studies and neuropathic pain in sciatic nerve injury due to intramuscular injection. Korean J Pain 2021; 34:124-131. [PMID: 33380575 PMCID: PMC7783856 DOI: 10.3344/kjp.2021.34.1.124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2020] [Revised: 11/28/2020] [Accepted: 12/09/2020] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Sciatic nerve injury due to intramuscular injection (SNIII) is still a health problem. This study aimed to determine whether there is a correlation between neuropathic pain and electrodiagnostic findings in SNIII. Methods Patients whose clinical and electrodiagnostic findings were compatible with SNIII participated in this retrospective cohort study. Compound muscle action potential (CMAP) and sensory nerve action potential (SNAP) amplitudes of the sural, superficial peroneal, peroneal, and tibial nerves were graded from 1 to 4. Leeds assessment of neuropathic symptoms and signs scale (LANSS) was applied to all patients. Results Forty-eight patients were included in the study, 67% of whom had a LANSS score ≥ 12. Sural SNAP amplitude abnormalities were present in 8 (50%) out of 16 patients with a LANSS score < 12, and 28 (87.5%) out of 32 patients with a LANSS score ≥ 12, with significant differences between the groups (P = 0.011). There was a positive correlation between the LANSS score and the sural SNAP amplitude grading (P = 0.001, r = 0.476). A similar positive correlation was also found in the LANSS score and the tibial nerve CMAP amplitude grading (P = 0.004, r = 0.410). Conclusions This study showed a positive correlation between the severity of tibial nerve CMAP/sural SNAP amplitude abnormality and LANSS score in SNIII. Neuropathic pain may be more common in SNIII patients with sural nerve SNAP amplitude abnormality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Halit Fidancı
- Department of Neurology, Division of Clinical Neurophysiology, Adana City Training and Research Hospital, Adana, Turkey.,Department of Neurology, Adana City Training and Research Hospital, Adana, Turkey
| | - İlker Öztürk
- Department of Neurology, Adana City Training and Research Hospital, Adana, Turkey
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11
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Rawji V, Latorre A, Sharma N, Rothwell JC, Rocchi L. On the Use of TMS to Investigate the Pathophysiology of Neurodegenerative Diseases. Front Neurol 2020; 11:584664. [PMID: 33224098 PMCID: PMC7669623 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2020.584664] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2020] [Accepted: 10/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Neurodegenerative diseases are a collection of disorders that result in the progressive degeneration and death of neurons. They are clinically heterogenous and can present as deficits in movement, cognition, executive function, memory, visuospatial awareness and language. Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is a non-invasive brain stimulation tool that allows for the assessment of cortical function in vivo. We review how TMS has been used for the investigation of three neurodegenerative diseases that differ in their neuroanatomical axes: (1) Motor cortex-corticospinal tract (motor neuron diseases), (2) Non-motor cortical areas (dementias), and (3) Subcortical structures (parkinsonisms). We also make four recommendations that we hope will benefit the use of TMS in neurodegenerative diseases. Firstly, TMS has traditionally been limited by the lack of an objective output and so has been confined to stimulation of the motor cortex; this limitation can be overcome by the use of concurrent neuroimaging methods such as EEG. Given that neurodegenerative diseases progress over time, TMS measures should aim to track longitudinal changes, especially when the aim of the study is to look at disease progression and symptomatology. The lack of gold-standard diagnostic confirmation undermines the validity of findings in clinical populations. Consequently, diagnostic certainty should be maximized through a variety of methods including multiple, independent clinical assessments, imaging and fluids biomarkers, and post-mortem pathological confirmation where possible. There is great interest in understanding the mechanisms by which symptoms arise in neurodegenerative disorders. However, TMS assessments in patients are usually carried out during resting conditions, when the brain network engaged during these symptoms is not expressed. Rather, a context-appropriate form of TMS would be more suitable in probing the physiology driving clinical symptoms. In all, we hope that the recommendations made here will help to further understand the pathophysiology of neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Lorenzo Rocchi
- Department of Clinical and Movement Neurosciences, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
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12
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Gunes ZI, Kan VWY, Ye X, Liebscher S. Exciting Complexity: The Role of Motor Circuit Elements in ALS Pathophysiology. Front Neurosci 2020; 14:573. [PMID: 32625051 PMCID: PMC7311855 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2020.00573] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2020] [Accepted: 05/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal disease, characterized by the degeneration of both upper and lower motor neurons. Despite decades of research, we still to date lack a cure or disease modifying treatment, emphasizing the need for a much-improved insight into disease mechanisms and cell type vulnerability. Altered neuronal excitability is a common phenomenon reported in ALS patients, as well as in animal models of the disease, but the cellular and circuit processes involved, as well as the causal relevance of those observations to molecular alterations and final cell death, remain poorly understood. Here, we review evidence from clinical studies, cell type-specific electrophysiology, genetic manipulations and molecular characterizations in animal models and culture experiments, which argue for a causal involvement of complex alterations of structure, function and connectivity of different neuronal subtypes within the cortical and spinal cord motor circuitries. We also summarize the current knowledge regarding the detrimental role of astrocytes and reassess the frequently proposed hypothesis of glutamate-mediated excitotoxicity with respect to changes in neuronal excitability. Together, these findings suggest multifaceted cell type-, brain area- and disease stage- specific disturbances of the excitation/inhibition balance as a cardinal aspect of ALS pathophysiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zeynep I Gunes
- Institute of Clinical Neuroimmunology, Klinikum der Universität München, Ludwig Maximilians University Munich, Munich, Germany.,Graduate School of Systemic Neurosciences, Ludwig Maximilians University Munich, Munich, Germany.,Biomedical Center, Ludwig Maximilians University Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Vanessa W Y Kan
- Institute of Clinical Neuroimmunology, Klinikum der Universität München, Ludwig Maximilians University Munich, Munich, Germany.,Graduate School of Systemic Neurosciences, Ludwig Maximilians University Munich, Munich, Germany.,Biomedical Center, Ludwig Maximilians University Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - XiaoQian Ye
- Institute of Clinical Neuroimmunology, Klinikum der Universität München, Ludwig Maximilians University Munich, Munich, Germany.,Biomedical Center, Ludwig Maximilians University Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Sabine Liebscher
- Institute of Clinical Neuroimmunology, Klinikum der Universität München, Ludwig Maximilians University Munich, Munich, Germany.,Biomedical Center, Ludwig Maximilians University Munich, Munich, Germany.,Munich Cluster for Systems Neurology (SyNergy), Munich, Germany
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