Corticospinal Excitability After rTMS in Spinal Cord Injury Patients

Higher cortical representation area of first right dorsal interosseous muscle will be determined through a figure-eight coil connected to the magnetic stimulator (Rapid2, Magstim, UK) held manually and at 45 degrees from the midline over the right primary motor cortex (C3 - 10/20 System). Then, will be determined the rest motor threshold by finding the lowest stimulator output that elicit motor evoked potential at least 50μV. After determined the RMT, the coil will be positioned over the scalp (Cz - 10/20 System). Thereafter, RMT will be measure. rTMS protocols was based on previous studies. High frequency protocol: 10Hz, 90% RMT, 45 trains, 40 stimuli per train, inter interval of 28s, 1800 stimuli. After each rTMS session, presence of adverse effects will be computed.

Initially, the higher cortical representation area (hotspot) of first right dorsal interosseous (FDI) muscle will be determined through a figure-eight coil connected to the magnetic stimulator (Rapid2, Magstim, UK) held manually and at 45 degrees from the midline, will be placed over the right primary motor cortex (C3 - 10/20 System). Then, will be determined the rest motor threshold (RMT) by finding the lowest stimulator output that elicit motor evoked potential (MEP) at least 50 microvolts (μV). After determined the RMT, the coil will be positioned over the scalp (Cz - 10/20 System). Thereafter, RMT will be measure. Low frequency protocol: 1Hz, 90% RMT, 1500 stimuli (1 train). After each rTMS session, presence of adverse effects will be computed

The hotspot of first right dorsal interosseous (FDI) muscle will be determinate through a figure-eight coil connected to the magnetic stimulator positioned over the motor primary cortex (C3). Then, the motor threshold (RMT) of FDI will be measure. Sham rTMS will be performed with low frequency (1Hz, 90% RMT, 1500 stimuli) protocol using two coils. The first one - connected to the stimulator - will be positioned on a coil support close to the volunteer but not visible. Therefore, characteristic stimulation noises will be audible. The second - disconnected to the stimulator - will be placed over primary motor area Cz. After each rTMS session, presence of adverse effects will be computed.