Effects of Chronic High-Frequency rTMS Protocol on Respiratory Neuroplasticity Following C2 Spinal Cord Hemisection in Rats.

ABSTRACT: High spinal cord injuries (SCIs) lead to permanent diaphragmatic paralysis. The search for therapeutics to induce functional motor recovery is essential. One promising noninvasive therapeutic tool that could harness plasticity in a spared descending respiratory circuit is repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS). Here, we tested the effect of chronic high-frequency (10 Hz) rTMS above the cortical areas in C2 hemisected rats when applied for 7 days, 1 month, or 2 months. An increase in intact hemidiaphragm electromyogram (EMG) activity and excitability (diaphragm motor evoked potentials) was observed after 1 month of rTMS application. Interestingly, despite no real functional effects of rTMS treatment on the injured hemidiaphragm activity during eupnea, 2 months of rTMS treatment

SUBMITTER: Michel-Flutot P 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8945729 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature