A transcranial magnetic stimulation study for the characterization of corticospinal pathway plasticity in children with neurological disorders

Tekgul H., Saz U., POLAT M., Kose T., Tekgul N., Kitis O.

Journal of Clinical Neuroscience, cilt.96, ss.1-7, 2022 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus)

  • Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
  • Cilt numarası: 96
  • Basım Tarihi: 2022
  • Doi Numarası: 10.1016/j.jocn.2021.12.010
  • Dergi Adı: Journal of Clinical Neuroscience
  • Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus, EMBASE, MEDLINE
  • Sayfa Sayıları: ss.1-7
  • Anahtar Kelimeler: Transcranial magnetic stimulation, Neurological syndrome, Magnetic resonance imaging, Neurodegenerative disorders, Plasticity, Cerebral palsy
  • Sağlık Bilimleri Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet

Özet

We aimed to investigate cortical and radicular TMS-evoked motor evoked potentials (MEPs) in children with neurological disorders (n = 57, mean age: 5.45 years) and agematched healthy controls (n = 46). Four TMS parameters were analyzed: MEP amplitudes, the latencies of MEP, the latency jump (cortical MEP latency at rest – cortical active-MEP latency at with slightly contracted targeted muscle), and central motor conduction time. Children with neurological disorders were categorized according to the two major types of neuronal plasticity; excessive plasticity: 29 children with cerebral palsy and impaired plasticity: 28 children with neurodegenerative diseases, stroke, and central nervous system infections. The active-MEP abnormalities (absent and prolonged latencies) were correlated with the location of cortical involvement on MRI patterns. We obtained a significantly increased rate of abnormal cortical active-MEPs in children with impaired plasticity (21/28, 75%) compared with excessive plasticity (18/29, 62%). The rate of absent MEP response is three times more in children with impaired plasticity (43%) than in children with excessive plasticity (14%). A more reduced latency jump was measured in children with impaired plasticity compared to children with excessive plasticity. TMS-evoked active-MEPs and latency jumping are valuable parameters for characterizing neuronal plasticity in children with neurological disorders.