Task dependency of the long-latency facilitatory effect on the soleus H-reflex by cerebellar transcranial magnetic stimulation

Akiyoshi Matsugi, Nobuhiko Mori, Shintaro Uehara, Noriyuki Kamata, Kosuke Oku, Kouichi Mukai, Kiyoshi Nagano

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

17 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

We investigated whether cerebellar transcranial magnetic stimulation (C-TMS) facilitates the excitability of the ipsilateral soleus motoneuron pool in resting humans, and whether the facilitation is modulated by a task that promotes cerebellar activity. A test tibial nerve stimulus evoking the H-reflex from the right soleus muscle was delivered before or after conditioning C-TMS in prone individuals. The amplitude of the H-reflex was significantly increased at conditioning-test interstimulus intervals of 110, 120, and 130 ms. Furthermore, we revealed that this facilitation effect was inhibited while the individuals tapped their right index finger. These findings indicate that C-TMS facilitates spinal motoneuronal excitability with an ∼100ms latency in resting humans, and that this cerebellar spinal facilitation is modulated by a task that might increase cerebellar activity. Cerebellar spinal facilitation could thus be useful for assessing the excitability of the cerebellum, or the cerebellar output to spinal motoneurons.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1375-1380
Number of pages6
JournalNeuroreport
Volume25
Issue number17
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 03-12-2014
Externally publishedYes

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • General Neuroscience

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