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. 2004 Mar 22;15(4):717-20.
doi: 10.1097/00001756-200403220-00029.

Transcranial magnetic stimulation and BDNF plasma levels in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Francesco Angelucci  1 , Antonio Oliviero, Fabio Pilato, Eleonora Saturno, Michele Dileone, Viviana Versace, Gabriella Musumeci, Anna P Batocchi, Pietro A Tonali, Vincenzo Di Lazzaro
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Transcranial magnetic stimulation and BDNF plasma levels in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Francesco Angelucci et al. Neuroreport. .

Abstract

Low- and high-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) of the motor cortex results in lasting changes of excitatory neurotransmission. We investigated the effects of suprathreshold 1 Hz rTMS on brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) plasma levels in 10 healthy subjects and effects of either 1 Hz or 20 Hz rTMS in four amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients. BDNF levels were progressively decreased by 1 Hz rTMS in healthy subjects; there was no effect of 1 Hz rTMS on BDNF plasma levels in ALS patients, an effect probably due to the loss of motor cortex pyramidal cells. High frequency rTMS determined a transitory decrease in BDNF plasma levels. Cumulatively these findings suggest that rTMS might influence the BDNF production by interfering with neuronal activity.

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