Neurophysiological correlates of plasticity induced by paired associative stimulation (PAS) targeting the motor cortex: a TMS-EEG registered reportuse asterix (*) to get italics

Eleonora Arrigoni, Nadia Bolognini, Alberto Pisoni, Giacomo GuidaliPlease use the format "First name initials family name" as in "Marie S. Curie, Niels H. D. Bohr, Albert Einstein, John R. R. Tolkien, Donna T. Strickland"

2023

<p>Paired associative stimulation (PAS) can induce long-term potentiation (LTP) and long-term depression (LTD) in the human motor system by applying transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) pulses on the primary motor cortex (M1) paired with electrical stimulation of the contralateral median nerve. Previous studies have primarily assessed the effectiveness of M1-PAS by measuring corticospinal excitability (i.e., motor-evoked potentials – MEPs) or behavioral outcomes. Concurrent TMS and electroencephalography (TMS-EEG) co-registration can provide further evidence about cortical patterns of M1-PAS-induced plasticity. In the present work, we will take advantage of the TMS-EEG technique to track the cortical dynamics related to M1-PAS, aiming to characterize the neurophysiological substrates better, grounding the effectiveness of such protocol. This investigation will provide evidence about the specificity of early transcranial-evoked potential (TEP) components in reflecting changes of M1 functional activity underpinning PAS effects.</p> <p>In two counterbalanced, within-subject sessions, healthy participants will undergo the standard M1-PAS protocols inducing LTP (i.e., exploiting an interstimulus interval – ISI – between paired stimuli of 25 ms) and LTD (i.e., ISI of 10 ms) while measuring MEPs and M1-TEPs before, immediately after, and 30 minutes from the end of the protocol, both at supra- (i.e., 110%) and sub- (i.e., 90%) resting motor threshold intensities. Thus, the spatiotemporal profile of early evoked cortical responses will be deeply investigated.</p> <p>Our study aims to foster evidence about using TMS-EEG biomarkers to track complex plastic changes induced in the human brain exploiting non-invasive brain stimulation protocols based on associative mechanisms, like PAS.</p>

Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), electroencephalography (EEG), motor cortex, paired associative stimulation (PAS), brain plasticity, TMS-evoked potentials

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Life Sciences

Domenica Veniero suggested: Julio Herndanzez-Pavon julio.hpavon@gmail.com, Ulf Ziemann [ulf.ziemann@med.uni-tuebingen.de] suggested: Dr Hernandez-Pavon (julio.hpavon@gmail.com) , Ulf Ziemann [ulf.ziemann@med.uni-tuebingen.de] suggested: Best regards, , Ulf Ziemann [ulf.ziemann@med.uni-tuebingen.de] suggested: Prof. Ulf Ziemann, Gregor Thut [gregor.thut@glasgow.ac.uk] suggested: sorry. I need to decline (too busy). , Gregor Thut [gregor.thut@glasgow.ac.uk] suggested: Til Ole Bergmann would be a great reviewer No need for them to be recommenders of PCI Registered Reports. Please do not suggest reviewers for whom there might be a conflict of interest. Reviewers are not allowed to review preprints written by close colleagues (with whom they have published in the last four years, with whom they have received joint funding in the last four years, or with whom they are currently writing a manuscript, or submitting a grant proposal), or by family members, friends, or anyone for whom bias might affect the nature of the review - see the code of conduct

2023-07-22 10:25:21

Grace Edwards