Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 3, 2026
Assessing Primary Motor Cortex Excitability and Excitability Modulation by Pairing Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation with Electromyography
Published on: October 7, 2025
Optimization of the transcranial magnetic stimulation protocol by defining a reliable estimate for corticospinal
Koen Cuypers1, Herbert Thijs2, Raf L J Meesen1
1REVAL Rehabilitation Research Centre, Biomedical Research Institute, Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Hasselt University, Diepenbeek, Belgium ; Motor Control Laboratory, Research Center for Movement Control and Neuroplasticity, Department of Biomedical Kinesiology, Group Biomedical Sciences, K.U. Leuven, Heverlee, Belgium.
Abstract:
The goal of this study was to optimize the transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) protocol for acquiring a reliable estimate of corticospinal excitability (CSE) using single-pulse TMS. Moreover, the minimal number of stimuli required to obtain a reliable estimate of CSE was investigated. In addition, the effect of two frequently used stimulation intensities [110% relative to the resting motor threshold (rMT) and 120% rMT] and gender was evaluated. Thirty-six healthy young subjects (18 males and 18 females) participated in a double-blind crossover procedure. They received 2 blocks of 40 consecutive TMS stimuli at either 110% rMT or 120% rMT in a randomized order. Based upon our data, we advise that at least 30 consecutive stimuli are required to obtain the most reliable estimate for CSE. Stimulation intensity and gender had no significant influence on CSE estimation. In addition, our results revealed that for subjects with a higher rMT, fewer consecutive stimuli were required to reach a stable estimate of CSE. The current findings can be used to optimize the design of similar TMS experiments.
