Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Measures in the Elderly: Reliability, Smallest Detectable Change and the Potential Influence of Lifestyle Habits

Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience

Louis-David Beaulieu¹  Ailin Olivares-Marchant²  Veronique Thivierge³  Guillaume Leonard³  Marylie Martel³  Frederique Daigle³  Marie-Philippe Harvey³  Francis Houde³  Sarah Laroche³ 

[1] Biomechanical and Neurophysiological Research Lab in Neuro-Musculo-Skelettal Rehabilitation, Université du Québec à Chicoutimi, Chicoutimi, QC, Canada;Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada;Research Centre on Aging, CIUSSS de l’Estrie – CHUS, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada;

关键词: transcranial magnetic stimulation;    aging;    elderly;    lifestyle habits;    chronic disease;    reliability;   

DOI  :  10.3389/fnagi.2018.00379

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

Background: Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is a non-invasive technique that can be used to evaluate cortical function and corticospinal pathway in normal and pathological aging. Yet, the metrologic properties of TMS-related measurements is still limited in the aging population.Objectives: The aim of this cross-sectional study was to document the reliability and smallest detectable change of TMS measurements among community-dwelling seniors. A secondary objective was to test if TMS measurements differ between elders based on lifestyle, medical and socio-demographic factors.Methods: Motor evoked potentials (MEPs) elicited by single-pulse TMS were recorded in the first dorsal interosseous (FDI) in 26 elderly individuals (mean age = 70 ± 3.8 years). Resting motor threshold (rMT), MEP amplitudes and contralateral silent period (cSP) were measured on two separate occasions (1-week interval), and the standard error of the measurement (SEMeas), intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), and smallest detectable change in an individual (SDCindv) were calculated. Lifestyle, medical and socio-demographic factors were collected using questionnaires. TMS-related outcomes were compared using independent sample t-test based on the presence of chronic health diseases, chronic medication intake, obesity, history of smoking, physical activity levels, gender, and level of education.Results: rMT and cSP measures were the most reliable outcomes, with the lowest SEMeas and highest ICCs, whereas MEP amplitude-related measures were less reliable. SDCindv levels were generally high, even for rMT (7.29 %MSO) and cSP (43.16–50.84 ms) measures. Although not systematically significant, results pointed toward a higher corticospinal excitability in elderly individuals who were regularly active, who had no chronic medical conditions and who did not take any medication.Conclusion: Even though SDCindv levels were relatively high, these results show that rMT and cSP are the most reliable outcomes to investigate age-related changes in the corticomotor system and suggest that the influence of factors such as lifestyle habits and medications on TMS measures should be investigated further.

【 授权许可】

Unknown