Origin of the facial long latency responses elicited by magnetic stimulation

With magnetic stimulation (MS) it is possible to elicit bilateral long latency facial motor responses (LLRs). Due to a relatively wide magnetic field, the site of neural activation may take place in many different structures. The purpose of this study was to determine the site of origin of facial LLRs. The motor long latency responses were recorded bilaterally on the naso-labial folds (NLFs) with reference electrodes on the nose, and on some subjects also with reference electrodes on the chin. The stimulating coil was placed in the right parietal area. LLRs obtained with MS were compared to LLRs elicited electrically at the right stylomastoid foramen, supraorbital foramen, as well as cutaneous sensory area V1 of the trigeminal nerve. In addition, right sided high intensity electrical stimuli, paired magnetic stimulation and electrical stimulation with interstimulus intervals ranging from 0 to 80 msec were also applied for comparison. LLRs recorded with reference to the nose were always elicitable with MS as well as with the other stimulation procedures. The responses elicited with MS did not differ from those elicited electrically at various extracranial stimulation sites. With paired stimuli the second LLRs were inhibited by the preceding stimulation, whether given magnetically or electrically. In subjects with elicitable LLRs with chin references, the responses were always bilateral. Based on the similar characteristics with extracranial electrical stimuli, bilateral distribution of the responses, and inhibition of the second response with paired stimuli, it is concluded that the neural origin of LLRs to MS is in the extracranial trigeminal or facial nerve branches.