TY - JOUR
T1 - Transcranial magnetic stimulation primes the effects of exercise therapy in multiple sclerosis
AU - Mori, Francesco
AU - Ljoka, Concetta
AU - Magni, Elisabetta
AU - Codecà, Claudia
AU - Kusayanagi, Hajime
AU - Monteleone, Fabrizia
AU - Sancesario, Andrea
AU - Bernardi, Giorgio
AU - Koch, Giacomo
AU - Foti, Calogero
AU - Centonze, Diego
PY - 2011/7
Y1 - 2011/7
N2 - Exercise therapy (ET) can be beneficial in disabled multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. Intermittent transcranial magnetic theta burst stimulation (iTBS) induces long-term excitability changes of the cerebral cortex and may ameliorate spasticity in MS. We investigated whether the combination of iTBS and a program of ET can improve motor disability in MS patients. In a double-blind, sham-controlled trial, 30 participants were randomized to three different interventions: iTBS plus ET, sham stimulation plus ET, and iTBS alone. Before and after 2 weeks of treatment, measures of spasticity through the modified Ashworth scale (MAS) and the 88 items Multiple Sclerosis Spasticity Score questionnaire (MSSS-88), fatigue through the Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS), daily living activities (ADL) through the Barthel index and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) through the 54 items Multiple Sclerosis Quality of life inventory (MSQoL-54) were collected. iTBS plus ET reduced MAS, MSSS-88, FSS scores, while in the Barthel index and MSQoL-54, physical composite scores were increased. iTBS alone caused a reduction of the MAS score, while none of the measured scales showed significant changes after sham iTBS plus ET. iTBS associated with ET is a promising tool for motor rehabilitation of MS patients.
AB - Exercise therapy (ET) can be beneficial in disabled multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. Intermittent transcranial magnetic theta burst stimulation (iTBS) induces long-term excitability changes of the cerebral cortex and may ameliorate spasticity in MS. We investigated whether the combination of iTBS and a program of ET can improve motor disability in MS patients. In a double-blind, sham-controlled trial, 30 participants were randomized to three different interventions: iTBS plus ET, sham stimulation plus ET, and iTBS alone. Before and after 2 weeks of treatment, measures of spasticity through the modified Ashworth scale (MAS) and the 88 items Multiple Sclerosis Spasticity Score questionnaire (MSSS-88), fatigue through the Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS), daily living activities (ADL) through the Barthel index and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) through the 54 items Multiple Sclerosis Quality of life inventory (MSQoL-54) were collected. iTBS plus ET reduced MAS, MSSS-88, FSS scores, while in the Barthel index and MSQoL-54, physical composite scores were increased. iTBS alone caused a reduction of the MAS score, while none of the measured scales showed significant changes after sham iTBS plus ET. iTBS associated with ET is a promising tool for motor rehabilitation of MS patients.
KW - LTP
KW - Plasticity
KW - Quality of life
KW - Rehabilitation
KW - Spasticity
KW - TMS
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=79961030935&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=79961030935&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/s00415-011-5924-1
DO - 10.1007/s00415-011-5924-1
M3 - Article
C2 - 21286740
AN - SCOPUS:79961030935
VL - 258
SP - 1281
EP - 1287
JO - Journal of Neurology
JF - Journal of Neurology
SN - 0340-5354
IS - 7
ER -