Reliability and minimal detectable change of transcranial magnetic stimulation outcomes in healthy adults: A systematic review

The interindividual variability of transcranial magnetic stimulation effects: Implications for diagnostic use in movement disorders

“…[7][8][9][10][11] Others, such as intracortical facilitation (ICF), are even less reliable. 12 The same variability has been observed in repetitive TMS (rTMS) after-effects. [13][14][15][16][17] rTMS includes several techniques ( Supplementary Table) able to induce changes in the excitability of the stimulated cortical site that outlast the period of stimulation by minutes or hours 4,[18][19][20] ; they are thought to represent long-term potentiation (LTP)/ depression (LTD)-like phenomena (ie, plasticity).…”

“…For instance, measures such as resting motor threshold (RMT), active motor threshold (AMT), central motor conduction time (CMCT), and the amplitude of MEPs obtained with high stimulator intensities seem to have the highest reliability, whereas others, such as MEP recruitment, short‐latency afferent inhibition (SAI) or facilitation, cortical silent period (SP), and short‐interval intracortical inhibition (SICI) are thought to have only moderate reliability . Others, such as intracortical facilitation (ICF), are even less reliable …”

Paired Associative Stimulation Delivered by Pairing Movement-Related Cortical Potentials With Peripheral Electrical Stimulation: An Investigation of the Duration of Neuromodulatory Effects

“…An inspection of the individual MEP results showed that all participants had an increase in corticomotor excitability immediately following delivery of novel‐PAS. However, the extent of this increase was variable (4% to 368%), and for some participants may not have exceeded the error of the measure . The response pattern over the 60‐min period was also variable, with the maximum increase occurring immediately for some participants, and for others at 30, 45, or 60 min.…”

Reply to the comment on: “Reporting matters: Brain mapping with transcranial magnetic stimulation”

“…Finally, it is also important to note than the variability and lack of reproducibility in brain stimulation studies are not only related to statistical issues (Beaulieu, Flamand, Masse-Alarie, & Schneider, 2017;Chipchase et al, 2012). It is also likely to reflect a variable understanding of the measurement techniques, and the frequent suboptimal control of factors that impact on the properties of the motor-evoked potential.…”