• Sidikejiang Wupuer, Takamitsu Yamamoto, Yoichi Katayama, Hara Motohiko, Shinichi Sekiguchi, Yuhei Matsumura, Kazutaka Kobayashi, Toshiki Obuchi, and Chikashi Fukaya.
• Division of Applied System Neuroscience, Department of Neurological Surgery, Nihon University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
• Neuromodulation. 2013 May 1;16(3):206-11; discussion 211.

ObjectiveHigh-intensity and high-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) of the primary motor cortex was carried out in poststroke patients with increased spasticity, and the changes in F-wave parameters in comparison with M-wave parameters induced by rTMS were examined.MethodsTen-hertz rTMS pulses were delivered to the primary motor cortex of the lesion side at 110% intensity of the resting motor threshold, and F-waves were obtained from the first dorsal interosseous muscle. F-waves were recorded before (pre-stim) and immediately after the end of rTMS (post-stim) in poststroke patients.ResultsF-wave persistence and F/M Amp.Ratio increased significantly in patients with lesions in upper motor tract as compared with healthy subjects (Wilcoxon rank sum test, p = 0.00023 and p = 0.0073, respectively). After the rTMS application, both F-wave persistence and F/M Amp.Ratio decreased significantly (paired t-test, p = 0.0095 and p = 0.037, respectively). However, the F-wave amplitude did not show a statistically significant variance in poststroke patients.ConclusionsHigh-frequency suprathreshold rTMS may suppress the F-waves by enhancing the inhibitory effect on spinal excitability through the corticospinal tract, and F-wave persistence and F/M Amp.Ratio can be used to determine the effect of rTMS on patients with increased spasticity.© 2012 International Neuromodulation Society.

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