Motor cortex abnormalities in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis with transcranial direct-current stimulation

TY - JOUR

T1 - Motor cortex abnormalities in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis with transcranial direct-current stimulation

AU - Quartarone, Angelo

AU - Lang, Nicolas

AU - Rizzo, Vincenzo

AU - Bagnato, Sergio

AU - Morgante, Francesca

AU - Sant'Angelo, Antonino

AU - Crupi, Domenica

AU - Battaglia, Fortunato

AU - Messina, Corrado

AU - Girlanda, Paolo

PY - 2007/5

Y1 - 2007/5

N2 - The aim of this study was to identify a neurophysiological marker of upper motoneuron involvement in patients with sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). For this purpose we evaluated the after-effects of transcranial direct-current stimulation (tDCS) on excitability of the motor cortex of eight ALS patients and eight healthy controls. Healthy controls showed a transient polarity-specific change in corticospinal excitability of about ±45%, with anodal tDCS inducing facilitation and cathodal tDCS leading to inhibition, whereas no change could be induced in ALS patients after either type of tDCS. It is likely that the lack of tDCS after-effects in ALS is the result of alterations of the motoneuronal membrane or, alternatively, may represent an electrophysiological correlate of disordered glutamate neurotransmission. Further studies are warranted to confirm these results. The present findings may lead to a new, reliable electrophysiological marker of upper motoneuronal involvement in ALS.

AB - The aim of this study was to identify a neurophysiological marker of upper motoneuron involvement in patients with sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). For this purpose we evaluated the after-effects of transcranial direct-current stimulation (tDCS) on excitability of the motor cortex of eight ALS patients and eight healthy controls. Healthy controls showed a transient polarity-specific change in corticospinal excitability of about ±45%, with anodal tDCS inducing facilitation and cathodal tDCS leading to inhibition, whereas no change could be induced in ALS patients after either type of tDCS. It is likely that the lack of tDCS after-effects in ALS is the result of alterations of the motoneuronal membrane or, alternatively, may represent an electrophysiological correlate of disordered glutamate neurotransmission. Further studies are warranted to confirm these results. The present findings may lead to a new, reliable electrophysiological marker of upper motoneuronal involvement in ALS.

KW - ALS

KW - Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

KW - Cortical hyperexcitability

KW - TMS

KW - Transcranial direct-current stimulation

KW - Transcranial magnetic stimulation

KW - tDCS

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/34247592849

U2 - 10.1002/mus.20737

DO - 10.1002/mus.20737

M3 - Article

C2 - 17221883

SN - 0148-639X

VL - 35

SP - 620

EP - 624

JO - Muscle and Nerve

JF - Muscle and Nerve

IS - 5

ER -