J Korean Neurol Assoc.  1992 Mar;10(1):79-88.

Motor Evoked Potentials by Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation in Epileptic Patients

• Lee H
• Cheon Y

Abstract

This study was performed to verify whether transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) ca induce seizures in epileptic patients or not and to compare motor evoked potentials (MEP between patients with idiopathic epilepsy and normal control group. MEP were elicited witl TMS using a magnetic coil in 22 normal control group (16 men and 6 women) and 3 epileptic patients (19 men and 12 women). MEP were recorded by using digitimer magneti stimulator model D190 and Medelec ER94a/Sensor apparatus, and MEP were evoked b magnetic stimulations at the vertex, the 7th cervical vertebra and Erb's ploint. Central motor conduction time (CMCT) was calculated by subtracting the latency of compound muscle action potentials from abductor pollicis brevis (APB) muscle obtained by magnetic stimulation over C7/T1 interspace from that obtained by stimulation over the motor cortex. The mean latency, arnplitude of MEP from APB and CMCT at three stimulus sites, were not significant difference between age and height matched patients with generalized seizure and norrnal control group. In patients with focal seizure, the mean latency of MEP from APE and CMCT at three stimulus sites. Were not significant difference between involved site anc uninvolved site. Seizures of any type were not observed during and 1 hour after TMS in norrnal contro group and epileptic patients. The seizure frequencies in 2 months before and after TMS were not significant difference in patients with focal seizure and generalized seizure. This result suggested that TMS as currently used for the study of corticomotor evoked responses does not induce seizures in epileptic patients receiving antiepileptic drug therapy.

MeSH Terms

Action Potentials
Drug Therapy
Epilepsy
Evoked Potentials, Motor*
Hominidae
Humans
Male
Motor Cortex
Seizures
Spine
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation*