Journal
MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS JOURNAL
Volume 23, Issue 6, Pages 855-863Publisher
SAGE PUBLICATIONS LTD
DOI: 10.1177/1352458516661640
Keywords
Multiple sclerosis; spasticity; intermittent theta burst stimulation; primary motor cortex; resting state fMRI; connectivity
Categories
Funding
- ARSEP (Fondation pour l'Aide a la Recherche sur la Sclerose En Plaques)
- Biogen France
- Aix-Marseille University School of Medicine
- JNLF (Journees de Neurologie de Langue Francaise)
Ask authors/readers for more resources
Background: Intermittent theta burst stimulation (iTBS) of the primary motor cortex improves transiently lower limbs spasticity in multiple sclerosis (MS). However, the cerebral mechanisms underlying this effect have never been investigated. Objective: To assess whether modulation of spasticity induced by iTBS is underlined by functional reorganization of the primary motor cortices. Methods: A total of 17 patients with MS suffering from lower limbs spasticity were randomized to receive real iTBS or sham iTBS during the first half of a 5-week indoor rehabilitation programme. Spasticity was assessed using the Modified Ashworth Scale and the Visual Analogue Scale at baseline, after the stimulation session and at the end of the rehabilitation programme. Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was performed at the three time points, and brain functional networks topology was analysed using graph-theoretical approach. Results: At the end of stimulation, improvement of spasticity was greater in real iTBS group than in sham iTBS group (p=0.026). iTBS had a significant effect on the balance of the connectivity degree between the stimulated and the homologous primary motor cortex (p=0.005). Changes in inter-hemispheric balance were correlated with improvement of spasticity (rho=0.56, p=0.015). Conclusion: This longitudinal resting-state fMRI study evidences that functional reorganization of the primary motor cortices may underlie the effect of iTBS on spasticity in MS.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available