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| Research article summary (published 29 Jun 2003): |
Slow frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation affects reaction times, but not priming effects, in a masked prime task.
Full Abstract
OBJECTIVE:
Slow frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) reduces motor cortex excitability, but it is unclear whether this has behavioural consequences in healthy subjects.
METHODS:
We examined the effects of 1 Hz rTMS (train of 20 min; stimulus intensity 80% of active motor threshold) over left motor or left premotor cortex on performance in a visually cued choice reaction time task, using a 'masked prime' paradigm to assess whether rTMS might affect more automatic motor processes. Twelve healthy volunteers participated.
RESULTS:
Motor cortex rTMS and, to a lesser extent, premotor cortex rTMS resulted in a slowing of right (stimulated) hand responses, but not of left (unstimulated) hand responses. In a control experiment, rTMS of the left somatosensory cortex did not lead to slower right hand responses.
DISCUSSION:
We conclude that long trains of low intensity 1 Hz rTMS over the motor or premotor cortex can have subtle behavioural consequences outlasting the stimulation. rTMS did not affect the modulation of reaction times by subliminal primes, suggesting that priming effects triggered by subliminal primes are not generated at the level of motor or pre-motor cortex.
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Author information
Author/s: Schlaghecken, F (F); Münchau, A (A); Bloem, B R (BR); Rothwell, J (J); Eimer, M (M);
Affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, UK. f.schlaghecken(-atsign-)warwick.ac.uk
Journal and publication information
Publication Type: Clinical Trial; Comparative Study; Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Journal: Clinical neurophysiology : official journal of the International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology (Clin Neurophysiol), published in Netherlands. (Language: eng)
Reference: 2003-Jul; vol 114 (issue 7) : pp 1272-7
Dates: Created 2003/07/04; Completed 2003/08/20; Revised 2008/09/10;
PMID: 12842725, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 11/6/2008)
Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.
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