Terao Y, Ugawa Y, Suzuki M, Sakai K, Hanajima R, Gemba-Shimizu K, Kanazawa I
Department of Neurology, Institute for Brain Research, School of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Japan.
Exp Brain Res. 1997 Jul;115(3):541-5. doi: 10.1007/pl00005724.
Subthreshold transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) over the motor cortex can shorten the simple reaction time in contralateral arm muscles if the cortical shock is given at about the same time as the reaction stimulus. The present experiments were designed to investigate whether this phenomenon is due to a specific facilitatory effect on cortical circuitry. The simple visual reaction time was shortened by 20-50 ms when subthreshold TMS was given over the contralateral motor cortex. Reaction time was reduced to the same level whether the magnetic stimulus was given over the bilateral motor cortices or over other points on the scalp (Cz, Pz). Indeed, similar effects could be seen with conventional electrical stimulation over the neck, or even when the coil was discharged (giving a click sound) near the head. We conclude that much of the effect of TMS on simple reaction time is due to intersensory facilitation, although part of it may be ascribed to a specific effect on the excitability of motor cortex.
如果在反应刺激大约相同的时间给予皮层冲击，对运动皮层进行阈下经颅磁刺激（TMS）可以缩短对侧手臂肌肉的简单反应时间。本实验旨在研究这种现象是否归因于对皮层回路的特定促进作用。当对侧运动皮层接受阈下TMS时，简单视觉反应时间缩短了20 - 50毫秒。无论磁刺激是施加在双侧运动皮层还是头皮上的其他点（Cz、Pz），反应时间都降低到相同水平。实际上，在颈部进行传统电刺激时，甚至当线圈在头部附近放电（发出咔哒声）时，也能看到类似的效果。我们得出结论，TMS对简单反应时间的大部分影响是由于感觉间促进作用，尽管部分影响可能归因于对运动皮层兴奋性的特定作用。
