Search Our Scientific Publications & Authors

Clin Neurophysiol 2020 Jun 18. Epub 2020 Jun 18.

Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany.

Objective: The relevance of motor evoked potential (MEP) recovery during mechanical endovascular thrombectomy (MT) in patients with ischemic stroke is unclear. We correlated MEP recovery during MT to symptom improvement and to ischemia in eloquent motor areas on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and compared the predictive value of MEPs to visual angiographic reperfusion status, classified by modified Thrombolysis in Cerebral Infarction grading (mTICI).

Methods: Patients with hemisyndrome and large-vessel occlusion undergoing MT were included (n35, 49% females; 73. Read More

Sleep Med 2020 Apr 5;72:126-129. Epub 2020 Apr 5.

Department of Psychology, University of Akureyri, Iceland.

Background: We aimed at evaluating the amplitude changes of the motor evoked potentials (MEPs) induced by of low-frequency (LF) repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) over the primary motor cortex (M1) in10 patients with primary insomnia (PI) and in 10 age-matched healthy controls.

Methods: Median peak-to-peak MEP amplitudes were assessed in all subjects at three times: at baseline (T), after the first train of a single rTMS session (T), and after the whole rTMS procedure (T). This consists of 20 trains of 1 Hz stimulation with 50 stimuli per train and an intertrain interval of 30 s. Read More

J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci 2020 Jul 2. Epub 2020 Jul 2.

Department of Health and Social Sciences, Molde University College, Norway.

Strength training performed with heavy loads and maximal intended velocity is documented to enhance efferent neural drive to maximally contracting musculature in older adults. However, it remains unclear whether the neural plasticity following training result from motor skill learning or if external resistance is a prerequisite. To investigate this, we assessed electrically evoked potentials (H-reflex and V-waves normalized to maximal M-wave) and voluntary activation (VA) in 36 older adults (73±4 years) randomized to 3 weeks of plantar flexion strength training, with (maximal strength training; MST) or without (unloaded ballistic training; UBT) heavy external loading (90% of one repetition maximum), or a control group. Read More

World Neurosurg X 2020 Jul 28;7:100073. Epub 2020 Feb 28.

Neurosurgery Department, Humanitas Clinical and Research Hospital, Milan, Italy.

Lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) is defined as a degenerative disorder showing a narrowing of the spinal canal. The diagnosis is straightforward in cases with typical neurogenic claudication symptoms and unequivocal imaging findings. However, not all patients present with typical symptoms, and there is obviously no correlation between the severity of stenosis and clinical complaint. Read More

Neurosci Res 2020 Jun 28. Epub 2020 Jun 28.

Non-Invasive Brain Stimulation and Neuroplasticity Laboratory, Department of Physiotherapy, School of Primary and Allied Health Care, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Science, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia.

Response variability following transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) highlights need for exploring different tDCS electrode montages. Corticospinal excitability (CSE), cortico-cortical excitability and intra-individual variability was compared following conventional and high-definition (HD) anodal (a-tDCS) and cathodal (c-tDCS) tDCS. Fifteen healthy males attended four sessions at-least one-week apart: conventional a-tDCS, conventional c-tDCS, HD-a-tDCS, HD-c-tDCS. Read More

J Neurosci 2020 Jun 29. Epub 2020 Jun 29.

Institute of Neuroscience, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK, NE2 4HH.

Following a program of resistance training, there are neural and muscular contributions to the gain in strength. Here, we measured changes in important central motor pathways during strength training in two female macaque monkeys. Animals were trained to pull a handle with one arm; weights could be added to increase load. Read More

Neuropsychologia 2020 Jun 25:107541. Epub 2020 Jun 25.

Dipartimento di Psicologia, Università di Bologna and Centro studi e ricerche in Neuroscienze Cognitive, Campus di Cesena, Università di Bologna, 47521, Cesena, Italy; Centro de Investigación en Neuropsicología y Neurociencias Cognitivas, Universidad Católica del Maule, Talca, 3460000, Chile. Electronic address:

The early response to emotional stimuli involves a transient suppression of motor reactivity to favor monitoring of emotionally relevant information. Using transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), we have previously shown that viewing emotional body postures induces an early and transient reduction in motor excitability. Yet, it remains unclear whether early motor responses to emotional bodies are automatic or influenced by top-down factors such as task- or gender-related effects. Read More

Exp Brain Res 2020 Jun 26. Epub 2020 Jun 26.

Department of Life Sciences, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, The University of Tokyo, 3-8-1 Komaba, Meguro-ku, Tokyo, 153-8902, Japan.

Ankle dorsiflexion force control is essential for performing daily living activities. However, the involvement of the corticospinal pathway during different ankle dorsiflexion tasks is not well understood. The objective of this study was to compare the corticospinal excitability during: (1) unilateral and bilateral; and (2) ballistic and tonic ankle dorsiflexion force control. Read More

Brain Behav 2020 Jun 25:e01624. Epub 2020 Jun 25.

Department of Physical Therapy, School of Health Science, Sapporo Medical University, Sapporo, Japan.

Introduction: Repetitive practice of sensorimotor tasks is widely used for neurorehabilitation; however, it is unknown how practice alters sensory processing (e.g., recognition, discrimination, and attentional allocation) and associated cognitive processing, such as decision-making. Read More

Front Neurosci 2020 4;14:559. Epub 2020 Jun 4.

Laboratory of Psychology, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Shizuoka, Japan.

Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is commonly used in basic research to evaluate human brain function. Although scalp pain is a side effect, no studies have quantitatively assessed the TMS intensity threshold for inducing pain and whether sensitivity to TMS-induced pain differs between sexes. In the present study, we measured pain thresholds when single-pulse TMS was applied over either Broca's area (BA) or left primary motor cortex (M1), and compared these thresholds with the motor threshold (MT) for inducing motor evoked potentials (MEPs) through M1 stimulation. Read More

Neurosurg Rev 2020 Jun 23. Epub 2020 Jun 23.

Department of Neurosurgery, Nara Medical University, 840 Shijo-cho, Kashihara, Nara, 634-8522, Japan.

The present study aimed to determine the incidence of intraprocedural motor-evoked potential (MEP) changes and to correlate them with intraprocedural ischemic complications and postprocedural neurological deficits in patients after endovascular intracranial aneurysm treatment. This study analyzed data from 164 consecutive patients who underwent endovascular coil embolization to treat intracranial aneurysms under transcranial MEP monitoring. We analyzed associations between significant changes in MEP defined as > 50% decrease in amplitude, and intraprocedural complications as well as postoperative neurological deficits. Read More

J Neural Transm (Vienna) 2020 Jun 22. Epub 2020 Jun 22.

Neurology Unit, Movement Disorders Division, Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, P.le Scuro 10, 37134, Verona, Italy.

Pain is a common and disabling non-motor symptom (NMS) of Parkinson's disease (PD), which occurs through the course of the disease, often unrecognized and undertreated. For this study, we evaluated the efficacy and safety of safinamide to reduce pain in PD patients with motor fluctuations. A total of 13 PD patients with pain receiving safinamide (Xadago®, 100 mg/daily) were prospectively evaluated for 12 weeks. Read More

Mult Scler Relat Disord 2020 Jun 4;44:102262. Epub 2020 Jun 4.

Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic; Department of Neurology, University Hospital Brno, Czech Republic. Electronic address:

Background: Multiple sclerosis (MS) begins with an acute clinical attack (clinically isolated syndrome) in approximately 85% of patients. The conversion rate from clinically isolated syndrome to multiple sclerosis has been documented at 30% to 82% in previous studies. When an individual presents for evaluation after a single episode of inflammation of the CNS, several decisions regarding follow-up in subsequent years need to be made, including that of whether or not to start a therapy. Read More

PLoS One 2020 22;15(6):e0235074. Epub 2020 Jun 22.

Cognition, Action and Sensorimotor Plasticity [CAPS], INSERM, University of Bourgogne Franche-Comté, Dijon, France.

Objectives: It is commonly accepted that motor imagery (MI), i.e. the mental simulation of a movement, leads to an increased size of cortical motor evoked potentials (MEPs), although the magnitude of this effect differs between studies. Read More

J Int Med Res 2020 Jun;48(6):300060520924205

Department of Neurosurgery, Affiliated Hospital of North China University of Science and Technology, Tangshan, China.

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the joint monitoring of somatosensory evoked potentials (SEPs) and motor evoked potentials (MEPs) in vertebral canal decompression surgery for acute spinal cord injury.

Methods: Twenty-four patients, who were admitted to the hospital for the surgical treatment of spinal cord injury with SEP and MEP monitoring, were assigned to the intraoperative monitoring group (group I). In addition, 24 patients who were admitted to the hospital for the surgical treatment of spinal cord injury without SEP or MEP monitoring were assigned to the control group (group C). Read More

Brain Topogr 2020 Jun 20. Epub 2020 Jun 20.

Non-invasive Brain Stimulation Unit, Department of Behavioural and Clinical Neurology, Santa Lucia Foundation IRCCS, Via Ardeatina 306, 00179, Rome, Italy.

Although the cerebellum is not among the most renowned brain structures affected in Alzheimer`s disease (AD), recent evidence suggest that it undergoes degenerative changes during the course of the disease. A main neurophysiological feature of AD patients is the remarkable impairment of long term potentiation (LTP)-like cortical plasticity assessed in the primary motor cortex (M1) using theta burst stimulation (TBS) protocols. In healthy conditions, continuous (cTBS) and intermittent TBS (iTBS) of the cerebellum induce respectively long term depression (LTD)-like and LTP-like after effects in the contralateral M1. Read More

Exp Brain Res 2020 Jun 20. Epub 2020 Jun 20.

College of Nursing and Health Sciences, Flinders University, Adelaide, 5001, Australia.

Acute musculoskeletal pain is associated with reductions in corticomotor output that persists even after pain resolves. Factors that contribute to corticomotor depression following acute pain are unknown. This study examined whether psychological factors, including pain catastrophising, kinesiophobia, and implicit theories of pain, were associated with corticomotor depression following acute experimental muscle pain. Read More

Neuroimage 2020 Jun 17;220:117059. Epub 2020 Jun 17.

Epilepsy Monitoring Unit, Neurology Department, Emergency University Hospital Bucharest, 169 Splaiul Independentei Street, Bucharest, Romania; Neurology Department, Medical Faculty, Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy Bucharest, 8 Eroii Sanitari Boulevard 8, Bucharest, Romania; Brain Research Group, Romanian Academy, 125 Calea Victoriei Street, Bucharest, Romania. Electronic address:

The cingulate cortex is part of the limbic system. Its function and connectivity are organized in a rostro-caudal and ventral-dorsal manner which was addressed by various other studies using rather coarse cortical parcellations. In this study, we aim at describing its function and connectivity using invasive recordings from patients explored for focal drug-resistant epilepsy. Read More

J Neurosci Methods 2020 Jun 17;342:108813. Epub 2020 Jun 17.

Neural Control of Movement Laboratory, School of Medicine, Faculty of Science, Medicine & Health, University of Wollongong, Northfields Avenue, Wollongong, NSW, 2522, Australia; Illawarra Health & Medical Research Institute (IHMRI), University of Wollongong, Northfields Avenue, Wollongong, NSW, 2522, Australia; Discipline of Graduate Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Wollongong, Northfields Avenue, Wollongong, NSW, 2522, Australia. Electronic address:

Background: Advances in the control of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) have enabled greater randomisation of stimulus intensity. It is unclear if such randomisation improves assessments of corticospinal excitability.

New Method: We recorded the amplitude of TMS-induced motor evoked potentials (MEPs) from the first dorsal interosseous muscle of eleven participants, during three TMS protocols: blocks of increasing intensity (IB), randomised blocks (RB) and inter-stimulus randomisation (IR). Read More

Neurol Sci 2020 Jun 15. Epub 2020 Jun 15.

Department of Physiology, Pain Research and TMS Lab, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India.

Introduction: Chronic migraine is a disease of altered cortical excitability. Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation provides a novel non-invasive method to target the nociceptive circuits in the cortex. Motor cortex is one such potential target. Read More

J Neural Eng 2020 Jun 17. Epub 2020 Jun 17.

Biomedical Engineering and Neurological Surgery, University of Wisconsin Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, 53706, UNITED STATES.

Clinical data suggest that efficacious vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) is limited by side effects such as cough and dyspnea that have stimulation thresholds lower than those for therapeutic outcomes. VNS side effects are putatively caused by activation of nearby muscles within the neck, via direct muscle activation or activation of nerve fibers innervating those muscles. Our goal was to determine the thresholds at which various VNS-evoked effects occur in the domestic pig-an animal model with vagus anatomy similar to human-using the bipolar helical lead deployed clinically. Read More

Eur J Appl Physiol 2020 Jun 12. Epub 2020 Jun 12.

Faculty of Education, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan.

Purpose: Repetitive or sustained simple muscle contractions have been shown to alter corticomotor excitability. The present study investigated the effects of a sustained handgrip contraction with the right hand on motor-evoked potentials (MEPs) in task-unrelated knee extensor muscles and determined whether the effects are influenced by intensity of the handgrip contraction.

Methods: Subjects performed a 120-s sustained handgrip contraction at 10% or 50% maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) using the right hand. Read More

Sci Rep 2020 Jun 12;10(1):9538. Epub 2020 Jun 12.

Department of Biology, York University, Toronto, Ontario, M3J1P3, Canada.

Pannexin 1 (Panx1) forms ATP-permeable membrane channels that play roles in the nervous system. The analysis of roles in both standard and pathological conditions benefits from a model organism with rapid development and early onset of behaviors. Such a model was developed by ablating the zebrafish panx1a gene using TALEN technology. Read More

Perspect ASHA Spec Interest Groups 2019 Dec 9;4(6):1622-1636. Epub 2019 Nov 9.

Department of Speech-Language-Hearing: Sciences & Disorders, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS.

Purpose: Brain-computer interface (BCI) techniques may provide computer access for individuals with severe physical impairments. However, the relatively hidden nature of BCI control obscures how BCI systems work behind the scenes, making it difficult to understand electroencephalography (EEG) records the BCI related brain signals, brain signals are recorded by EEG, and these signals are targeted for BCI control. Furthermore, in the field of speech-language-hearing, signals targeted for BCI application have been of primary interest to clinicians and researchers in the area of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). Read More

J Neuroeng Rehabil 2020 06 11;17(1):72. Epub 2020 Jun 11.

Institute of Brain Science, Brain Research Center, National Yang-Ming University, No.155, Sec. 2, Linong St., Beitou Dist, Taipei City, 112, Taiwan.

Background: Dual transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) to the bilateral primary motor cortices (M1s) has potential benefits in chronic stroke, but its effects in subacute stroke, when behavioural effects might be expected to be greater, have been relatively unexplored. Here, we examined the neurophysiological effects and the factors influencing responsiveness of dual-tDCS in subacute stroke survivors.

Methods: We conducted a randomized sham-controlled crossover study in 18 survivors with first-ever, unilateral subcortical ischaemic stroke 2-4 weeks after stroke onset and 14 matched healthy controls. Read More

Clin Neurol Neurosurg 2020 May 29;196:105954. Epub 2020 May 29.

Neurosurgery Unit, Department of Biomedical, Metabolic, and Neuroscience, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, AOU, Modena, Italy.

The use of intraoperative neurophysiological monitoring (IOM) has been proposed to prevent new neurological deficit during aneurysm clipping. The purpose of this meta-analysis was to evaluate if IOM can prevent neurological injury during clipping of intracranial aneurysm. Using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines for systematic reviews and meta-analysis, we reviewed clinical comparative studies who evaluate the rate of new neurological deficit in patients who had a surgical clipping with and without IOM. Read More

Transl Psychiatry 2020 Jun 10;10(1):188. Epub 2020 Jun 10.

The Cognitive Neurophysiology Laboratory, Ernest J. Del Monte Institute for Neuroscience, Department of Neuroscience, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, NY, USA.

Due to severe motor impairments and the lack of expressive language abilities seen in most patients with Rett Syndrome (RTT), it has proven extremely difficult to obtain accurate measures of auditory processing capabilities in this population. Here, we examined early auditory cortical processing of pure tones and more complex phonemes in females with Rett Syndrome (RTT), by recording high-density auditory evoked potentials (AEP), which allow for objective evaluation of the timing and severity of processing deficits along the auditory processing hierarchy. We compared AEPs of 12 females with RTT to those of 21 typically developing (TD) peers aged 4-21 years, interrogating the first four major components of the AEP (P1: 60-90 ms; N1: 100-130 ms; P2: 135-165 ms; and N2: 245-275 ms). Read More

BMC Neurol 2020 Jun 9;20(1):236. Epub 2020 Jun 9.

Department of Orthopedics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016, People's Republic of China.

Background: Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) is an effective method to identify subtle changes to normal-appearing white matter (WM). Here we analyzed the DTI data with other examinations, including motor evoked potentials (MEPs), histopathological images, and behavioral results, to reflect the lesion development in different degrees of spinal cord injury (SCI) in acute and subacute stages.

Method: Except for 2 Sprague -Dawley rats which died from the anesthesia accident, the rest 42 female rats were randomized into 3 groups: control group (n = 6), moderate group (n = 18), and severe group (n = 18). Read More

Bioelectron Med 2020 1;6:13. Epub 2020 Jun 1.

Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China.

Background: Neuromodulation via electrical stimulation (ES) is a common technique to treat numerous brain and spinal cord related neurological conditions. In the present study, we examined the efficacy of piezoelectric stimulation (pES) by a custom miniature piezostimulator to activate the spinal cord neurocircuit in comparison with conventional epidural ES in rats.

Methods: Stimulation electrodes were implanted on L2 and S1 spinal cord and were connected to a head-plug for ES, and a piezostimulator for pES. Read More

Front Neurol 2020 21;11:433. Epub 2020 May 21.

Graduate Program in Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, School of Medicine, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil.

Vestibular Evoked Myogenic Potential (VEMP) can be used to test central vestibular pathways from the midbrain to the lumbar spine, according to the muscle tested. to compare the spinal cord alteration in individuals with HTLV-1-associated myelopathy (HAM) and with HTLV-1-asymptomatic infection using the VEMP recorded from different muscles. VEMP was recorded in 90 individuals of whom 30 had HAM, 30 were HTLV-1 asymptomatic carriers, and 30 negative controls. Read More

Neuroimage 2020 Jun 4;219:117015. Epub 2020 Jun 4.

Department of Neurology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Germany; German Center for Vertigo and Balance Disorders-IFBLMU (DSGZ), Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Germany; Munich Cluster for Systems Neurology (SyNergy), Munich, Germany.

Perceptual decision-making is a complex task that requires multiple processing steps performed by spatially distinct brain regions interacting in order to optimize perception and motor response. Most of our knowledge on these processes and interactions were derived from unimodal stimulations of the visual system which identified the lateral intraparietal area and the posterior parietal cortex as critical regions. Unlike the visual system, the vestibular system has no primary cortical areas and it is associated with separate multisensory areas within the temporo-parietal cortex with the parieto-insular vestibular cortex, PIVC, being the core region. Read More

J Neurosurg 2020 Jun 5:1-10. Epub 2020 Jun 5.

Departments of1Neurological Surgery and.

Objective: Maximal safe resection of gliomas near motor pathways is facilitated by intraoperative mapping. The authors and other groups have described the use of bipolar or monopolar direct stimulation to identify functional tissue, as well as transcranial or transcortical motor evoked potentials (MEPs) to monitor motor pathways. Here, the authors describe their initial experience using all 3 modalities to identify, monitor, and preserve cortical and subcortical motor systems during glioma surgery. Read More

World Neurosurg 2020 Jun 2. Epub 2020 Jun 2.

Ankara Spine Center, Ankara, Turkey. Electronic address:

Background: Complications in spinal deformity surgery vary from insignificant to severe. Apart from direct mechanical insult, ischemia can also cause spinal cord injury. Ischemic injury may be detected during surgery or may manifest itself postoperatively. Read More

J Clin Neurophysiol 2020 May 26. Epub 2020 May 26.

Mech-Sense, Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Aalborg University Hospital, Aalborg, Denmark.

Purpose: Comprehensive evaluation of the upstream sensory processing in diabetic symmetrical polyneuropathy (DSPN) is sparse. The authors investigated the spinal nociceptive withdrawal reflex and the related elicited somatosensory evoked cortical potentials. They hypothesized that DSPN induces alterations in spinal and supraspinal sensory-motor processing compared with age- and gender-matched healthy controls. Read More

PLoS One 2020 4;15(6):e0233843. Epub 2020 Jun 4.

Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Rehabilitation of Greater Montreal, CRIR, Montreal, Canada.

The vestibular system is essential to produce adequate postural responses enabling voluntary movement. However, how the vestibular system influences corticospinal output during postural tasks is still unknown. Here, we examined the modulation exerted by the vestibular system on corticospinal output during standing. Read More

J Neurophysiol 2020 Jul 3;124(1):86-101. Epub 2020 Jun 3.

Department of Integrative Physiology, Kyorin University School of Medicine, Mitaka City, Tokyo, Japan.

Motor imagery is known to affect the reacquisition of motor functioning after damage to the central nervous system. However, it remains unclear whether motor imagery influences corticospinal (CST) excitation mediated via cervical premotoneurons, which may be important for functional motor recovery in animals and humans. To investigate this, we examined the spatial facilitation of motor-evoked potentials (MEPs) induced by combined stimulation (CS) of CST and peripheral nerves. Read More

Doc Ophthalmol 2020 Jun 2. Epub 2020 Jun 2.

The Department of Clinical and Academic Ophthalmology, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, London, UK.

Purpose: Visual evoked potentials (VEPs) can be used to measure visual resolution via a spatial frequency (SF) limit as an objective estimate of visual acuity. The aim of this systematic review is to collate descriptions of the VEP SF limit in humans, healthy and disordered, and to assess how accurately and precisely VEP SF limits reflect visual acuity.

Methods: The protocol methodology followed the PRISMA statement. Read More

Front Hum Neurosci 2020 14;14:174. Epub 2020 May 14.

Vision and Motor System Research Group, Department of Neurology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.

: Navigated transcranial magnetic stimulation (nTMS) provides significant benefits over classic TMS. Yet, the acquisition of individual structural magnetic resonance images (MRI) is a time-consuming, expensive, and not feasible prerequisite in all subjects for spatial tracking and anatomical guidance in nTMS studies. We hypothesize that spatial transformation can be used to adjust MRI templates to individual head shapes (MRI) and that TMS parameters do not differ between nTMS using MRI or MRI. Read More

Acta Neurol Scand 2020 May 31. Epub 2020 May 31.

Exercise Biology, Department of Public Health, Aarhus University, Aarhus C, Denmark.

A systematic review of the literature was conducted comparing neurophysiological outcomes in persons with multiple sclerosis (PwMS) to healthy controls (HC), in studies of the central nervous system (CNS) function comprising motor evoked potentials (MEP) elicited by transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and in studies of the peripheral nervous system (PNS) function comprising electroneuronography (ENG) outcomes elicited by peripheral nerve stimulation. Studies comparing neuromuscular function, assessed during maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) of muscle, were included if they reported muscle strength along with muscle activation by use of electromyography (EMG) and/or interpolated twitch technique (ITT). Studies investigating CNS function showed prolonged central motor conduction times, asymmetry of nerve conduction motor pathways, and prolonged latencies in PwMS when compared to HC. Read More

BMC Neurol 2020 May 30;20(1):221. Epub 2020 May 30.

Department of Orthopedics, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, 1 Shuai Fu Yuan, Beijing, 100730, PR China.

Background: Surgery is usually the treatment of choice for patients with cervical compressive myelopathy (CCM). Motor evoked potential (MEP) has proved to be helpful tool in evaluating intraoperative cervical spinal cord function change of those patients. This study aims to describe and evaluate different MEP baseline phenotypes for predicting MEP changes during CCM surgery. Read More

PLoS One 2020 29;15(5):e0233999. Epub 2020 May 29.

BioMag Laboratory, HUS Medical Imaging Center, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland.

Paired associative stimulation (PAS) combines transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and peripheral nerve stimulation (PNS) to induce plastic changes in the corticospinal tract. PAS employing single 0.2-Hz TMS pulses synchronized with the first pulse of 50-100 Hz PNS trains potentiates motor-evoked potentials (MEPs) in a stable manner in healthy participants and enhances voluntary motor output in spinal cord injury (SCI) patients. Read More

Int J Neurosci 2020 Jun 7:1-8. Epub 2020 Jun 7.

Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Hallym University College of Medicine, Anyang, South Korea.

Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is used to measure corticospinal excitability (CSE) from the primary motor cortex (M1) in humans through motor-evoked potentials (MEPs). The variability of CSE responses to transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) protocols is high and needs to be reproduced in the healthy population. The M1 and posterior parietal cortex (PPC) are anatomically and functionally connected and could play a role in understanding the variability in CSE responses. Read More

Med Sci Monit 2020 May 27;26:e923166. Epub 2020 May 27.

Department of Neuroscience, Laboratory for Human and Experimental Neurophysiology (LAHEN), University of Split School of Medicine, Split, Croatia.

BACKGROUND Little is known about how vibrational stimuli applied to hand digits affect motor cortical excitability. The present transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) study investigated motor evoked potentials (MEPs) in the upper extremity muscle following high-frequency vibratory digit stimulation. MATERIAL AND METHODS High-frequency vibration was applied to the upper extremity digit II utilizing a miniature electromagnetic solenoid-type stimulator-tactor in 11 healthy study participants. Read More

Clin Neurophysiol Pract 2020 29;5:87-99. Epub 2020 Apr 29.

School of Healthcare Sciences, Cardiff University, United Kingdom.

Objective: To evaluate the extent to which transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) can identify discrete cortical representation of lower-limb muscles in healthy individuals.

Methods: Motor evoked potentials were recorded from resting vastus medialis, rectus femoris, vastus lateralis, medial and lateral hamstring, and medial and lateral gastrocnemius muscles on the right leg of 16 young healthy adults using bipolar surface electrodes. TMS was delivered through a 110-mm double-cone coil at 63 sites over the left hemisphere. Read More

PLoS One 2020 26;15(5):e0233614. Epub 2020 May 26.

Department of Psychiatry, Section for Neurostimulation, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany.

Recently, modulatory effects of static magnetic field stimulation (tSMS) on excitability of the motor cortex have been reported. In our previous study we failed to replicate these results. It was suggested that the lack of modulatory effects was due to the use of an auditory oddball task in our study. Read More

Spine Deform 2020 May 25. Epub 2020 May 25.

Radboud University Medical Center, Postbus 9101, 6500 HB, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.

The Scoliosis Research Society has developed an updated information statement on intraoperative neurophysiological monitoring of spinal cord function during spinal deformity surgery. The statement reviews the risks of spinal cord compromise associated with spinal deformity surgery; the statement then discusses the various modalities that are available to monitor the spinal cord, including somatosensory-evoked potentials, motor-evoked potentials, and electromyographic (EMG) options. Anesthesia considerations, the importance of a thoughtful team approach to successful monitoring, and the utility of checklists are also discussed. Read More

Neurogastroenterol Motil 2020 May 24:e13887. Epub 2020 May 24.

Gastrointestinal Physiology Laboratory. Department of Surgery, Hospital de Mataró (Universitat Autónoma de Barcelona), Mataró, Spain.

Background: Neurorehabilitation strategies for chronic poststroke (PS) oropharyngeal dysphagia (OD) have been mainly focused on the neurostimulation of the pharyngeal motor cortex with only marginal effects. In contrast, treatments targeting the PS oropharyngeal sensory pathway dysfunction offer very promising results, but there is little knowledge on the underlying mechanisms. We aimed to explore the neurophysiological mechanisms behind the effect of three sensory neurostimulation strategies. Read More

J Clin Med 2020 May 18;9(5). Epub 2020 May 18.

Pain in Motion International Research Group, www.paininmotion.be, Brussels, Belgium.

Background: Patients with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) and chronic whiplash associated disorders (cWAD) present a reduced ability to activate central descending nociceptive inhibition after exercise, compared to measurements before exercise. It was hypothesised that a dysfunctional motor-induced inhibition of nociception partly explains this dysfunctional exercise-induced hypoalgesia. This study investigates if engagement of the motor system during movement preparation inhibits nociception-evoked brain responses in these patients as compared to healthy controls (HC). Read More

Eur Spine J 2020 May 21. Epub 2020 May 21.

Department of Neurosurgery, University Medical Centre Groningen, University of Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, 9713 GZ, Groningen, The Netherlands.

Purpose: Little is known about the reliability and value of intraoperative neurophysiological monitoring (IONM) in patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) undergoing scoliosis correction surgery. The aim of this study was to investigate the feasibility of IONM and the cortical excitability in these patients.

Methods: Fifteen patients with DMD and scoliosis and 15 patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) underwent scoliosis correction surgery with the use of IONM. Read More

J Surg Case Rep 2020 May 18;2020(5):rjaa049. Epub 2020 May 18.

Division of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada.

Intraoperative neurophysiologic monitoring is a technique utilized during spinal operations to minimize sensory and motor function morbidity. We herein report a case of a 73-year-old female with renal cell carcinoma and metastatic involvement of the cervical and thoracic spine, who underwent a multilevel complex anterior and posterior operation. Neurophysiological monitoring was able to localize the lower limb ischemia utilizing somatosensory evoked potentials. Read More