Motor threshold in transcranial magnetic stimulation: comparison of three estimation methods

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Clinical Neurophysiology

Background:

• Motor threshold (MT) is crucial for transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS).
• Accurate MT estimation is vital for reliable clinical applications and research.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare three distinct methods for estimating motor threshold (MT) in a clinical setting.
• Evaluate the efficiency and variability of each MT estimation technique.

Main Methods:

• Comparison of Rossini-Rothwell, Mills-Nithi, and a supervised parametric method for MT estimation.
• Ten healthy subjects underwent six MT estimations per method in a single session.

Main Results:

• No significant differences in MT estimation variability were observed between the three methods.
• The Rossini-Rothwell method demonstrated superior efficiency, requiring half the number of stimuli compared to the other two methods.

Conclusions:

• The Rossini-Rothwell method is recommended for MT estimation in clinical settings due to its efficiency.
• While MT estimation variability is acceptable, it may introduce errors in excitability studies, necessitating further investigation.