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Sensory tricks and brain excitability in cervical dystonia: A transcranial magnetic stimulation study
Author(s) -
Amadio Stefano,
Houdayer Elise,
Bianchi Francesca,
Tesfaghebriel Tekle Habtom,
Urban Ivan Pietro,
Butera Calogera,
Guerriero Roberta,
Cursi Marco,
Leocani Letizia,
Comi Giancarlo,
Del Carro Ubaldo
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
movement disorders
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.352
H-Index - 198
eISSN - 1531-8257
pISSN - 0885-3185
DOI - 10.1002/mds.25888
Subject(s) - transcranial magnetic stimulation , cervical dystonia , sensory system , neuroscience , motor cortex , dystonia , stimulation , psychology , facilitation , medicine , physical medicine and rehabilitation
Background Sensory tricks such as touching the face with fingertips often improve cervical dystonia [CD]. This study is to determine whether sensory tricks modulate motor cortex excitability, assessed by paired‐pulse transcranial magnetic stimulation [p‐pTMS]. Methods Eight patients with rotational CD underwent p‐pTMS, at rest and when the sensory trick was applied. To test intracortical inhibition [ICI] and facilitation [ICF], the amplitude ratio between conditioned and unconditioned cortical motor evoked potentials was measured at several interstimulus intervals (ISI 1, 3, 15, and 20 ms) and compared with controls mimicking patients' sensory tricks. Results At rest, a significant ICF enhancement was found at ISIs 15 through 20 in patients compared with controls, whereas no significant ICI changes were observed. Sensory tricks significantly reduced the abnormal ICF in patients and did not induce any change in controls. Conclusions In our CD patients, sensory tricks seem to improve dystonia through an inhibitory effect on motor cortex excitability. © 2014 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society