In article <3hjvhh$ad6 at newsbf02.news.aol.com>, bldhounds at aol.com
(Bldhounds) wrote:
> I recently completed a literature review on the uses of magnetic
> stimulation for both cortical mapping and activation of peripheral nerves.
> Of the many questions I still have, my most pressing is this:
> Can either form of magnetic stim supramaximally activate muscle?
>> I've received conflicting reports on this from mag stim manufacturers.
> Thanks for your reply.
>
Cortical stimulation can produce motor evoked potentials in hand muscles
that are close to the maximal M wave (from nerve stimulation) during high
intensity repetitive stimulation of motor cortex at about 10 Hz. This is
due to hypersynchrony of firing in the corticospinal system (Pascual-Leone
et al., Brain 117, 1994). MEPs to single cortical stimuli cannot match
maximal M wave amplitude. Peripherally it depends on the nerve, the coil
and the stimulator, but the answer is a qualified yes.
I would be happy to answer any other questions by email.
Eric Wassermann
