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Open Access 01-06-2023 | Motor Evoked Potential | Research Article

Muscarinic acetylcholine activity modulates cortical silent period, but not motor evoked potentials, during muscle contractions

Authors: Lisa M. Dempsey, Justin J. Kavanagh

Published in: Experimental Brain Research | Issue 6/2023

Abstract

This study used transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to determine if muscarinic receptor blockade affects muscle responses during voluntary contractions. Motor evoked potentials (MEPs) were recorded from biceps brachii in 10 subjects (age: 23 ± 2) during 10%, 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100% maximal voluntary contractions (MVCs). Each contraction intensity was examined under non-fatigued and fatigued conditions. All measurements were obtained post-ingestion of 25 mg promethazine or placebo. MEP area and the duration of the TMS-evoked silent period (SP) were calculated for all contractions. No drug-related differences were detected for MEP area during non-fatigued or fatigued contractions. A main effect of drug was detected for the SP (p = 0.019) where promethazine increased SP duration by an average of 0.023 \(\pm\) 0.015 s. This drug effect was only identified for the unfatigued contractions and not following the sustained fatiguing contractions (p = 0.105). The cholinergic system does not influence corticospinal excitability during voluntary muscle contractions, but instead affects neural circuits associated with the TMS-evoked SP. Given the prevalence of cholinergic properties in prescription and over-the-counter medications, the current study enhances our understanding of mechanisms that may contribute to motor side-effects.

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Title: Muscarinic acetylcholine activity modulates cortical silent period, but not motor evoked potentials, during muscle contractions
Authors: Lisa M. Dempsey
Justin J. Kavanagh
Publication date: 01-06-2023
Publisher: Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Keywords: Motor Evoked Potential
Motor Evoked Potential
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation
Fatigue
Published in: Experimental Brain Research / Issue 6/2023
Print ISSN: 0014-4819
Electronic ISSN: 1432-1106
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00221-023-06616-7

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Muscarinic acetylcholine activity modulates cortical silent period, but not motor evoked potentials, during muscle contractions

Abstract

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