Reproducibility of intracortical inhibition and facilitation using the paired-pulse paradigm

Muscle Nerve. 2000 Oct;23(10):1594-7. doi: 10.1002/1097-4598(200010)23:10<1594::aid-mus19>3.0.co;2-3.

Abstract

We have evaluated the reproducibility of intracortical inhibition (ICI) and facilitation (ICF) studied with paired-pulse focal transcranial magnetic stimulation. Three investigators studied the same subjects (n = 4) in three different sessions. A high variability was shown across subjects [coefficient of variation, (cv) 67.3% for ICI and 21.2% for ICF]. Intersession variability was up to 37.1% for ICI and 22.7% for ICF. Interinvestigator variability was 17.3% for ICI and negligible for ICF. Our results may have implications for planning future studies.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Brain / physiology*
  • Electromyography
  • Evoked Potentials, Motor / physiology
  • Humans
  • Magnetics*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Muscles / physiology
  • Neural Inhibition / physiology*
  • Reference Values
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Time Factors