Objective

To test the hypothesis that intermittent theta burst stimulation (iTBS) variability depends on the ability to engage specific neurons in the primary motor cortex (M1).

Methods

In a sham-controlled interventional study on 31 healthy volunteers, we used concomitant transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and electroencephalography (EEG). We compared baseline motor evoked potentials (MEPs), M1 iTBS-evoked EEG oscillations, and resting-state EEG (rsEEG) between subjects who did and did not show MEP facilitation following iTBS. We also investigated whether baseline MEP and iTBS-evoked EEG oscillations could explain inter and intraindividual variability in iTBS aftereffects.

Results

The facilitation group had smaller baseline MEPs than the no-facilitation group and showed more iTBS-evoked EEG oscillation synchronization in the alpha and beta frequency bands. Resting-state EEG power was similar between groups and iTBS had a similar non-significant effect on rsEEG in both groups. Baseline MEP amplitude and beta iTBS-evoked EEG oscillation power explained both inter and intraindividual variability in MEP modulation following iTBS.

Conclusions

The results show that variability in iTBS-associated plasticity depends on baseline corticospinal excitability and on the ability of iTBS to engage M1 beta oscillations.

Significance

These observations can be used to optimize iTBS investigational and therapeutic applications.

中文翻译：

---

间歇性 theta-burst 刺激诱导的可塑性变异的皮层机制：一项 TMS-EEG 研究

客观的

测试间歇性 theta 脉冲刺激 (iTBS) 变异性取决于初级运动皮层 (M1) 中特定神经元参与能力的假设。

方法

在对 31 名健康志愿者进行的一项假对照干预研究中，我们使用了伴随的经颅磁刺激 (TMS) 和脑电图 (EEG)。我们在 iTBS 后显示和未显示 MEP 促进的受试者之间比较了基线运动诱发电位 (MEP)、M1 iTBS 诱发的 EEG 振荡和静息态 EEG (rsEEG)。我们还研究了基线 MEP 和 iTBS 诱发的 EEG 振荡是否可以解释 iTBS 后遗症的个体间和个体间变异性。

结果

促进组的基线 MEP 比非促进组更小，并且在 alpha 和 beta 频带中显示出更多的 iTBS 诱发的 EEG 振荡同步。两组的静息状态脑电图功率相似，iTBS 对两组的 rsEEG 具有相似的非显着影响。基线 MEP 振幅和 beta iTBS 诱发的 EEG 振荡功率解释了 iTBS 后 MEP 调制的个体间和个体内变异性。

结论

结果表明 iTBS 相关可塑性的变异性取决于基线皮质脊髓兴奋性和 iTBS 参与 M1 beta 振荡的能力。

意义

这些观察结果可用于优化 iTBS 研究和治疗应用。