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. 2021 Oct;132(10):2639-2653.
doi: 10.1016/j.clinph.2021.06.014. Epub 2021 Jul 6.

Large-scale analysis of interindividual variability in single and paired-pulse TMS data

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Large-scale analysis of interindividual variability in single and paired-pulse TMS data

Daniel T Corp et al. Clin Neurophysiol. 2021 Oct.

Abstract

Objective: This study brought together over 60 transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) researchers to create the largest known sample of individual participant single and paired-pulse TMS data to date, enabling a more comprehensive evaluation of factors driving response variability.

Methods: Authors of previously published studies were contacted and asked to share deidentified individual TMS data. Mixed-effects regression investigated a range of individual and study level variables for their contribution to variability in response to single and paired-pulse TMS data.

Results: 687 healthy participant's data were pooled across 35 studies. Target muscle, pulse waveform, neuronavigation use, and TMS machine significantly predicted an individual's single-pulse TMS amplitude. Baseline motor evoked potential amplitude, motor cortex hemisphere, and motor threshold (MT) significantly predicted short-interval intracortical inhibition response. Baseline motor evoked potential amplitude, test stimulus intensity, interstimulus interval, and MT significantly predicted intracortical facilitation response. Age, hemisphere, and TMS machine significantly predicted MT.

Conclusions: This large-scale analysis has identified a number of factors influencing participants' responses to single and paired-pulse TMS. We provide specific recommendations to minimise interindividual variability in single and paired-pulse TMS data.

Significance: This study has used large-scale analyses to give clarity to factors driving variance in TMS data. We hope that this ongoing collaborative approach will increase standardisation of methods and thus the utility of single and paired-pulse TMS.

Keywords: Big data; Motor threshold; Paired-pulse TMS; Single-pulse TMS; Variability.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.

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