Interdisciplinary Approaches of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Applied to a Respiratory Neuronal Circuitry Model

摘要: Respiratory related diseases associated with the neuronal control of breathing represent life-threatening issues and to date, no effective therapeutics are available enhance impaired function. The aim this study was determine whether a preclinical respiratory model could be used for further studies develop non-invasive therapeutic tool applied rat diaphragmatic circuitry. Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) performed on adult male Sprague-Dawley rats using human figure-of-eight coil. largest motor evoked potentials (MEPdia) were recorded when center coil positioned 6 mm caudal from Bregma, involving supraspinal pathways. Magnetic shielding mu metal reduced field intensities improved focality increased threshold lower amplitude recruitment curve. Moreover, transynaptic neuroanatomical tracing pseudorabies virus (applied diaphragm) suggest that connections exist between cortex, periaqueductal grey cell regions, several brainstem neurons spinal phrenic motoneurons (distributed in C3-4 cord). These results reveal anatomical substrate through which can convey descending action potential volleys (directly or indirectly). We conclude MEPdia following single pulse TMS successfully may assessment plasticity. Supraspinal stimulations aimed neuromodulate circuitry will enable new avenues research into neuroplasticity development therapies dysfunction neural injury disease (e.g. cord injury, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis).