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Hand BJ, Merkin A, Opie GM, Ziemann U, Semmler JG. Repetitive paired-pulse TMS increases motor cortex excitability and visuomotor skill acquisition in young and older adults. Cereb Cortex 2023; 33:10660-10675. [PMID: 37689833 PMCID: PMC10560576 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhad315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2023] [Revised: 08/13/2023] [Accepted: 08/15/2023] [Indexed: 09/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) over primary motor cortex (M1) recruits indirect (I) waves that can be modulated by repetitive paired-pulse TMS (rppTMS). The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of rppTMS on M1 excitability and visuomotor skill acquisition in young and older adults. A total of 37 healthy adults (22 young, 18-32 yr; 15 older, 60-79 yr) participated in a study that involved rppTMS at early (1.4 ms) and late (4.5 ms) interstimulus intervals (ISIs), followed by the performance of a visuomotor training task. M1 excitability was examined with motor-evoked potential (MEP) amplitudes and short-interval intracortical facilitation (SICF) using posterior-anterior (PA) and anterior-posterior (AP) TMS current directions. We found that rppTMS increased M1 excitability in young and old adults, with the greatest effects for PA TMS at the late ISI (4.5 ms). Motor skill acquisition was improved by rppTMS at an early (1.4 ms) but not late (4.5 ms) ISI in young and older adults. An additional study using a non-I-wave interval (3.5 ms) also showed increased M1 excitability and visuomotor skill acquisition. These findings show that rppTMS at both I-wave and non-I-wave intervals can alter M1 excitability and improve visuomotor skill acquisition in young and older adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brodie J Hand
- Discipline of Physiology, School of Biomedicine, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide 5005, Australia
| | - Ashley Merkin
- Discipline of Physiology, School of Biomedicine, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide 5005, Australia
| | - George M Opie
- Discipline of Physiology, School of Biomedicine, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide 5005, Australia
| | - Ulf Ziemann
- Department of Neurology & Stroke, and Hertie-Institute for Clinical Brain Research, University of Tübingen, Tübingen 72076, Germany
| | - John G Semmler
- Discipline of Physiology, School of Biomedicine, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide 5005, Australia
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Age-related changes in motor cortex plasticity assessed with non-invasive brain stimulation: an update and new perspectives. Exp Brain Res 2021; 239:2661-2678. [PMID: 34269850 DOI: 10.1007/s00221-021-06163-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2021] [Accepted: 06/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
It is commonly accepted that the brains capacity to change, known as plasticity, declines into old age. Recent studies have used a variety of non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) techniques to examine this age-related decline in plasticity in the primary motor cortex (M1), but the effects seem inconsistent and difficult to unravel. The purpose of this review is to provide an update on studies that have used different NIBS techniques to assess M1 plasticity with advancing age and offer some new perspective on NIBS strategies to boost plasticity in the ageing brain. We find that early studies show clear differences in M1 plasticity between young and older adults, but many recent studies with motor training show no decline in use-dependent M1 plasticity with age. For NIBS-induced plasticity in M1, some protocols show more convincing differences with advancing age than others. Therefore, our view from the NIBS literature is that it should not be automatically assumed that M1 plasticity declines with age. Instead, the effects of age are likely to depend on how M1 plasticity is measured, and the characteristics of the elderly population tested. We also suggest that NIBS performed concurrently with motor training is likely to be most effective at producing improvements in M1 plasticity and motor skill learning in older adults. Proposed NIBS techniques for future studies include combining multiple NIBS protocols in a co-stimulation approach, or NIBS strategies to modulate intracortical inhibitory mechanisms, in an effort to more effectively boost M1 plasticity and improve motor skill learning in older adults.
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Sasaki R, Watanabe H, Miyaguchi S, Otsuru N, Ohno K, Sakurai N, Kodama N, Onishi H. Contribution of the brain-derived neurotrophic factor and neurometabolites to the motor performance. Behav Brain Res 2021; 412:113433. [PMID: 34175359 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2021.113433] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2021] [Revised: 06/02/2021] [Accepted: 06/21/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Individual motor performance ability is affected by various factors. Although the key factor has not yet completely been elucidated, the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) genotype as well as neurometabolites may become contibuting factors depending on the learning stage. We investigated the effects of the Met allele of the BDNF gene and those of the neurometabolites on visuomotor learning. In total, 43 healthy participants performed a visuomotor learning task consisting of 10 blocks using the right index finger (Val66Val, n = 15; Val66Met, n = 15; and Met66Met, n = 13). Glutamate plus glutamine (Glx) concentrations in the primary motor cortex, primary somatosensory cortex (S1), and cerebellum were evaluated using 3-T magnetic resonance spectroscopy in 19 participants who participated in the visuomotor learning task. For the learning stage, the task error (i.e., learning ability) was significantly smaller in the Met66Met group compared with that observed in the remaining groups, irrespective of the learning stage (all p values < 0.003). A significant difference was observed between the Val66Val and Met66Met groups in the learning slope (i.e., learning speed) in the early learning stage (p = 0.048) but not in the late learning stage (all p values> 0.54). Moreover, positive correlations were detected between the learning slope and Glx concentrations in S1 only in the early learning stage (r = 0.579, p = 0.009). The BDNF genotype and Glx concentrations in S1 partially contribute to interindividual variability on learning speed in the early learning stage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryoki Sasaki
- Institute for Human Movement and Medical Sciences, Niigata University of Health and Welfare, Niigata City, Niigata, Japan; Discipline of Physiology, Adelaide Medical School, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia.
| | - Hiraku Watanabe
- Institute for Human Movement and Medical Sciences, Niigata University of Health and Welfare, Niigata City, Niigata, Japan.
| | - Shota Miyaguchi
- Institute for Human Movement and Medical Sciences, Niigata University of Health and Welfare, Niigata City, Niigata, Japan; Department of Physical Therapy, Niigata University of Health and Welfare, Niigata City, Niigata, Japan.
| | - Naofumi Otsuru
- Institute for Human Movement and Medical Sciences, Niigata University of Health and Welfare, Niigata City, Niigata, Japan; Department of Physical Therapy, Niigata University of Health and Welfare, Niigata City, Niigata, Japan.
| | - Ken Ohno
- Department of Radiological Technology, Niigata University of Health and Welfare, Niigata City, Niigata, Japan.
| | - Noriko Sakurai
- Department of Radiological Technology, Niigata University of Health and Welfare, Niigata City, Niigata, Japan.
| | - Naoki Kodama
- Institute for Human Movement and Medical Sciences, Niigata University of Health and Welfare, Niigata City, Niigata, Japan; Department of Radiological Technology, Niigata University of Health and Welfare, Niigata City, Niigata, Japan.
| | - Hideaki Onishi
- Institute for Human Movement and Medical Sciences, Niigata University of Health and Welfare, Niigata City, Niigata, Japan; Department of Physical Therapy, Niigata University of Health and Welfare, Niigata City, Niigata, Japan.
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Sasaki R, Otsuru N, Miyaguchi S, Kojima S, Watanabe H, Ohno K, Sakurai N, Kodama N, Sato D, Onishi H. Influence of Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Genotype on Short-Latency Afferent Inhibition and Motor Cortex Metabolites. Brain Sci 2021; 11:brainsci11030395. [PMID: 33804682 PMCID: PMC8003639 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci11030395] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2021] [Revised: 03/01/2021] [Accepted: 03/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The Met allele of the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) gene confers reduced cortical BDNF expression and associated neurobehavioral changes. BDNF signaling influences the survival, development, and synaptic function of cortical networks. Here, we compared gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)ergic network activity in the human primary motor cortex (M1) between the Met (Val/Met and Met/Met) and non-Met (Val/Val) genotype groups. Short- and long-interval intracortical inhibition, short-latency afferent inhibition (SAI), and long-latency afferent inhibition were measured using transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) as indices of GABAergic activity. Furthermore, the considerable inter-individual variability in inhibitory network activity typically measured by TMS may be affected not only by GABA but also by other pathways, including glutamatergic and cholinergic activities; therefore, we used 3-T magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) to measure the dynamics of glutamate plus glutamine (Glx) and choline concentrations in the left M1, left somatosensory cortex, and right cerebellum. All inhibitory TMS conditions produced significantly smaller motor-evoked potentials than single-pulses. SAI was significantly stronger in the Met group than in the Val/Val group. Only the M1 Glx concentration was significantly lower in the Met group, while the BDNF genotype did not affect choline concentration in any region. Further, a positive correlation was observed between SAI and Glx concentrations only in M1. Our findings provide evidence that the BDNF genotype regulates both the inhibitory and excitatory circuits in human M1. In addition, lower Glx concentration in the M1 of Met carriers may alter specific inhibitory network on M1, thereby influencing the cortical signal processing required for neurobehavioral functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryoki Sasaki
- Institute for Human Movement and Medical Sciences, Niigata University of Health and Welfare, Niigata City, Niigata 950-3198, Japan; (N.O.); (S.M.); (S.K.); (H.W.); (N.K.); (D.S.); (H.O.)
- Discipline of Physiology, Adelaide Medical School, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide 5000, Australia
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +81-25-257-4445
| | - Naofumi Otsuru
- Institute for Human Movement and Medical Sciences, Niigata University of Health and Welfare, Niigata City, Niigata 950-3198, Japan; (N.O.); (S.M.); (S.K.); (H.W.); (N.K.); (D.S.); (H.O.)
- Department of Physical Therapy, Niigata University of Health and Welfare, Niigata City, Niigata 950-3198, Japan
| | - Shota Miyaguchi
- Institute for Human Movement and Medical Sciences, Niigata University of Health and Welfare, Niigata City, Niigata 950-3198, Japan; (N.O.); (S.M.); (S.K.); (H.W.); (N.K.); (D.S.); (H.O.)
- Department of Physical Therapy, Niigata University of Health and Welfare, Niigata City, Niigata 950-3198, Japan
| | - Sho Kojima
- Institute for Human Movement and Medical Sciences, Niigata University of Health and Welfare, Niigata City, Niigata 950-3198, Japan; (N.O.); (S.M.); (S.K.); (H.W.); (N.K.); (D.S.); (H.O.)
- Department of Physical Therapy, Niigata University of Health and Welfare, Niigata City, Niigata 950-3198, Japan
| | - Hiraku Watanabe
- Institute for Human Movement and Medical Sciences, Niigata University of Health and Welfare, Niigata City, Niigata 950-3198, Japan; (N.O.); (S.M.); (S.K.); (H.W.); (N.K.); (D.S.); (H.O.)
| | - Ken Ohno
- Department of Radiological Technology, Niigata University of Health and Welfare, Niigata City, Niigata 950-3198, Japan; (K.O.); (N.S.)
| | - Noriko Sakurai
- Department of Radiological Technology, Niigata University of Health and Welfare, Niigata City, Niigata 950-3198, Japan; (K.O.); (N.S.)
| | - Naoki Kodama
- Institute for Human Movement and Medical Sciences, Niigata University of Health and Welfare, Niigata City, Niigata 950-3198, Japan; (N.O.); (S.M.); (S.K.); (H.W.); (N.K.); (D.S.); (H.O.)
- Department of Radiological Technology, Niigata University of Health and Welfare, Niigata City, Niigata 950-3198, Japan; (K.O.); (N.S.)
| | - Daisuke Sato
- Institute for Human Movement and Medical Sciences, Niigata University of Health and Welfare, Niigata City, Niigata 950-3198, Japan; (N.O.); (S.M.); (S.K.); (H.W.); (N.K.); (D.S.); (H.O.)
- Department of Health and Sports, Niigata University of Health and Welfare, Niigata City, Niigata 950-3198, Japan
| | - Hideaki Onishi
- Institute for Human Movement and Medical Sciences, Niigata University of Health and Welfare, Niigata City, Niigata 950-3198, Japan; (N.O.); (S.M.); (S.K.); (H.W.); (N.K.); (D.S.); (H.O.)
- Department of Physical Therapy, Niigata University of Health and Welfare, Niigata City, Niigata 950-3198, Japan
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