Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation in Idiopathic Parkinson’s Disease

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Activating the motor cortex via Transcranial

Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) gives information about the central motor

neuronal pathways. It has been used to assess the functional integrity of

motor neurons and descending pathways in different neurological

disorders including Idiopathic Parkinson’s Disease. There are different

conclusions from different studies regarding TMS in IPD patients, but

the most common finding is an increase in MEP amplitude. The aim of this study was to evaluate the functional integrity

of corticomotor neuronal pathways in IPD patients, using TMS.

METHODS: We studied 30 IPD patients (21 male, 9

female) and age and sex matched 30 healty controls with TMS. The MEP

latency and amplitude was recorded and compared between the

patients and controls. The effect of, age of onset, disease duration and

disability degree was evaluated.

RESULTS: We found no difference between the two groups for MEP

latency but there was an increase in MEP ampltiude in patient group.

This finding was correlated with disease duration and disability scales,

and there was no change with dopaminergic treatment.

CONCLUSION: PD is not only a disease of extrapyramidal system and the

central motor neuronal pathways are affected early in the disease

course.