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Comprehensive Autopsy Program for Individuals with Multiple Sclerosis
Published on: July 19, 2019
Excitability decreasing central motor plasticity is retained in multiple sclerosis patients
Daniel Zeller1, Su-Yin Dang, David Weise
1Dept, of Neurology, University of Würzburg, Josef-Schneider-Str. 11, 97080, Würzburg, Germany. zeller_d@klinik.uni-wuerzburg.de
BMC Neurology
|September 15, 2012
Summary
Long-term depression-like plasticity is preserved in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients, suggesting intact motor cortex function. However, this plasticity may be less responsive to interventions with increasing brain injury.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Neurophysiology
- Motor Control
Background:
- Multiple sclerosis (MS) involves brain injury, potentially affecting neuronal plasticity and motor skill recovery.
- Previous studies on MS plasticity have yielded ambiguous results, focusing mainly on excitability enhancement.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate long-term depression-like central motor plasticity using continuous theta-burst stimulation (cTBS) in MS patients.
- To explore the functional role of the primary motor cortex (M1) in force control and its response to cTBS in MS.
Main Methods:
- 14 MS patients and 14 controls received cTBS over the left M1 hand area.
- Corticospinal excitability was measured via motor-evoked potentials (MEPs).
- Force production performance was assessed using an isometric thumb abduction task.
Main Results:
- cTBS similarly reduced MEP amplitudes in both MS patients and controls, indicating preserved plasticity.
- Force production performance was impaired in controls post-cTBS but not in MS patients.
- Impaired force control in MS patients correlated with corticomuscular latencies, not MEP reduction.
Conclusions:
- Long-term depression-like plasticity is largely intact in mild-to-moderate MS.
- Neuronal networks in MS may become less responsive to plasticity-inducing protocols like cTBS with greater brain injury.
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