Motor evoked potential amplitude (MEPamp) is frequently measured in transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) studies that target the primary motor cortex (M1), and a subset of these studies involve motor behavior. This systematic review explored the role of MEPamp as an indicator of neural change in M1-targeted tDCS studies involving motor behavior (i.e., motor practice and/or evaluation of motor performance) in healthy individuals, and examined the association between changes in motor performance and MEPamp. We executed our search strategy across four bibliographic databases. Twenty-two manuscripts met eligibility criteria. While anodal tDCS combined with motor practice frequently increased MEPamp, MEPamp outcomes did not necessarily align with changes in motor performance. Thus, MEPamp may not be the most appropriate indicator of neural change in tDCS studies that aim to improve motor performance.
Keywords: healthy volunteers; motor cortex; motor evoked potentials; motor performance; transcranial direct current stimulation.