The effects of alterations in conditioning stimulus intensity on short interval intracortical inhibition

• Published in: Brain research Vol. 1273; pp. 39 - 47
• Main Authors: Vucic, Steve, Cheah, Benjamin C., Krishnan, Arun V., Burke, David, Kiernan, Matthew C.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 01.06.2009; Elsevier
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Biological and medical sciences; Central nervous system; Cerebral Cortex - physiology; Conditioning (Psychology) - physiology; Conditioning stimulus; Electrophysiology; Evoked Potentials, Motor - physiology; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Humans; Interneurons; Interneurons - physiology; Male; Middle Aged; Nerve Net - physiology; Neural Inhibition - physiology; Neural Pathways - physiology; Neurology; Reaction Time - physiology; Short interval intracortical inhibition; Synaptic Transmission - physiology; Time Factors; Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation; Vertebrates: nervous system and sense organs; Young Adult; Conditioning stimulus; Short interval intracortical inhibition; Interneurons; Human; Cerebral cortex; Stimulus; Central nervous system; Electrophysiology; Stimulus intensity; Encephalon; Interneuron; Conditioning; Inhibition; Short interval intracortical
• ISSN: 0006-8993; 1872-6240; 1872-6240
• DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2009.03.043

Short interval intracortical inhibition [SICI] is mediated by cortical inhibitory interneurons, with two physiologically distinct phases at interstimulus interval [ISI] < 1 ms and 2.5–3 ms. The second phase of SICI is mediated by synaptic mechanisms, while the first phase has been attributed to axonal refractoriness, synaptic mechanisms or both. In the present study, threshold-tracking transcranial magnetic stimulation was used to explore mechanisms underlying SICI. SICI was studied in 10 normal subjects at three different conditioning stimulus [CS] intensities [40%, 70% and 90% of resting motor threshold, RMT, defined as the threshold for a MEP of ∼ 0.2 mV]. Motor responses were recorded from abductor pollicis brevis. Maximal SICI developed with CS set to 70% RMT [SICI 70%], with two phases evident, at ISI 1 ms [12.7 ± 3.4%] and ISI 2.5 ms [19.3 ± 2.9%]. With CS set to 40% RMT, SICI occurred between 1 ms and 5 ms, peaking at 2.5 ms and was reduced [1.9 ± 1.4%, P < 0.0001] compared to peak SICI 70%. The small SICI peak at 1 ms was absent. With CS at 90% RMT, SICI developed between 2 and 5 ms, peaking at 4 ms [11.2 ± 7.8%]. Facilitation was evident at 1 ms. The findings from the present study suggest that inhibitory circuits with different thresholds underlie the phases of SICI, with synaptic mechanisms also critical to the development of SICI at 1 ms.