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Reduced cortical excitability in depression

Impaired post-exercise motor facilitation with transcranial magnetic stimulation

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 January 2018

P. M. Shajahan ,
M. F. Glabus ,
P. A. Gooding ,
P. J. Shah  and
K. P. Ebmeier
P. M. Shajahan*
Affiliation:
MRC Brain Metabolism Unit, Royal Edinburgh Hospital, Edinburgh
M. F. Glabus
Affiliation:
Department of Medical Physics, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, and MRC Brain Metabolism Unit, Royal Edinburgh Hospital, Edinburgh
P. A. Gooding
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow and MRC Brain Metabolism Unit, Royal Edinburgh Hospital, Edinburgh
P. J. Shah
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, University of Edinburgh and MRC Brain Metabolism Unit, Royal Edinburgh Hospital, Edinburgh
K. P. Ebmeier
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, University of Edinburgh and MRC Brain Metabolism Unit, Royal Edinburgh Hospital, Edinburgh
*
P. M. Shajahan, MRC Brain Metabolism Unit, Royal Edinburgh Hospital, Morningside Park, Edinburgh EH10 5HF
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Abstract

Background

In healthy controls, preactivation of muscles by exercise results in enhanced motor-evoked potential (MEP) responses to transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS).

Aims

We tested the hypothesis that medicated, depressed patients would show reduced post-exercise MEP facilitation compared with controls.

Method

Ten patients with DSM-IV depression (two male, eight female) and ten controls (three male, seven female) participated. MEPs were elicited at rest, then after exercising the contralateral abductor pollicis brevis muscle, using TMS of the primary motor cortex.

Results

The mean MEP amplitude recorded after exercise (expressed as a percentage of baseline) was 210% in controls and 130% in patients. There was a significant difference in post-exercise MEP between patients and controls (P=0.03).

Conclusions

Post-exercise MEP facilitation was demonstrated in controls but not in patients. This supports the hypothesis that the modulation of cortical excitability may be impaired in depression.

Type
Papers
Information
The British Journal of Psychiatry , Volume 174 , Issue 5 , May 1999 , pp. 449 - 454
Copyright
Copyright © 1999 The Royal College of Psychiatrists 

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Footnotes

Declaration of interest

Funding was provided by the Medical Research Council.

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