Brain Stimulation During Arm Immobilisation

Lancaster University24 enrolled

Overview

The research project explores how non-invasive brain stimulation can be used to detect and ameliorate loss of muscle strength after inactivity. At present, there is a limited understanding of how to maintain muscle strength during inactivity. Increasing evidence indicates that reduction in muscle strength following immobilisation is associated with reduced cortical motor output. Therefore, the aim of the study is to test if brain stimulation, can maintain cortical motor output and ameliorate the loss of muscle strength following immobilisation.

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

BASIC_SCIENCE

Masking

SINGLE

Enrollment

Conditions

Muscle Loss

Interventions

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS)OTHER

TMS is a safe and non-invasive technique, which involves the generation of brief magnetic pulses applied to the head through a coil. The magnetic pulses pass through the scalp and skull and induce weak electric currents in the neural tissue directly underneath the coil. When TMS is applied in repetitive, patterned trains of pulses (rTMS), it can induce cortical plasticity specifically in the targeted brain region.

Eligibility

Sex: MALEMin age: 18 YearsMax age: 30 YearsHealthy volunteers:

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: * Male * right-handed * aged 18-30 * healthy BMI Exclusion Criteria: * no primary muscle disorders * no open wounds or skin conditions to arms and hands * no neurological disorders or history of * no history of fainting/convulsions * no metal implanted into head/eye/neck * non-smoker * no arm, hand, fingers, shoulder injuries

Locations (1)

Lancaster University

Lancaster, Lancashire, United Kingdom

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Change in Motor Evoked Potentials (MEPs) across time points

MEPs are elicited via TMS to primary motor cortex and index the excitability of the motor pathway. They are recorded non-invasively from muscles using surface electrodes. At each time point of the study (0, 24, 48, 72 hours) record MEPs will be recorded pre and post-intervention from the hand muscles of the dominant (immobilised) arm, and non-dominant (non-immobilised arm), to evaluate changes in excitability. Specifically, the peak-to-peak value of the MEPs from the hand will be measured, which reflects the amplitude of the MEP response. The latency of the MEP to index neural conduction speed will also be measured.

Time frame: 0, 24, 48, and 72 hours

Secondary Outcomes

Change in grip strength across time points

Grip strength of the dominant and non-dominant hands will be assessed using an isokinetic dynamometer at 0 and 72 hrs post-immobilisation. This will measure the strength of the hand muscles.

Time frame: 0, and 72 hours.

Data from ClinicalTrials.gov

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