Human Theta Burst Stimulation Combined with Subsequent Electroacupuncture Increases Corticospinal Excitability

Overview

Journal Evid Based Complement Alternat Med

Specialty Rehabilitation Medicine

Date 2021 Jan 11

PMID 33424994

Citations 1

Authors

Jiali Li

Meng Ren

Wenjing Wang

Shutian Xu

Sicong Zhang

Yuanli Li

Chunlei Shan

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Objective: Intermittent theta burst stimulation (iTBS) is a widely used noninvasive brain stimulation for the facilitation of corticospinal excitability (CSE). Previous studies have shown that acupuncture applied to acupoints associated with motor function in healthy people can reduce the amplitude of the motor-evoked potentials (MEPs), which reflects the inhibition of CSE. In our work, we wanted to test whether the combination of iTBS and electroacupuncture (EA) would have different effects on CSE in humans.

Methods: A single-blind sham-controlled crossover design study was conducted on 20 healthy subjects. Subjects received 20 minutes' sham or real EA stimulation immediately after sham or real iTBS. MEPs, short-interval intracortical inhibition (SICI), intracortical facilitation (ICF), cortical silent period (CSP), and central motor conduction time (CMCT) were recorded before each trial, and immediately, 20 minutes, and 40 minutes after the end of stimulation.

Results: In the sham iTBS group, EA produced a reduction in MEPs amplitude, lasting approximately 40 minutes, while in the real iTBS group, EA significantly increased MEPs amplitude beyond 40 minutes after the end of stimulation. In sham EA group, the recorded MEPs amplitude showed no significant trend over time compared to baseline. Among all experiments, there were no significant changes in SICI, ICF, CSP, CMCT, etc.

Conclusion: These data indicate that immediate application of EA after iTBS significantly increased corticospinal excitability. This trial was registered in the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (registration no. ChiCTR1900025348).

Citing Articles

The Immediate Effects of Intermittent Theta Burst Stimulation of the Cerebellar Vermis on Cerebral Cortical Excitability During a Balance Task in Healthy Individuals: A Pilot Study.

Tan H, Wei Q, Chen Y, Xie Y, Guo Q, He L Front Hum Neurosci. 2021; 15:748241.

PMID: 34867241 PMC: 8632863. DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2021.748241.

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