Spike-timing-related plasticity is preserved in Parkinson's disease and is enhanced by dopamine: Evidence from transcranial magnetic stimulation

We sought to investigate the effects of dopamine on motor cortical plasticity in Parkinson's disease (PD) using a novel interventional transcranial magnetic stimulation protocol that targets spike-timing-dependent plasticity (iTMS). Six patients (3F, mean age 62 years) with mild-moderate PD (mean disease duration 6 years, UPDRS-off 13, UPDRS-on 3, H&Y stage 2, daily levodopa dosage 450 mg) were studied off and on levodopa on separate days. Paired TMS pulses at resting motor threshold with an inter-stimulus interval of 1.5 ms were given over the hand area of the motor cortex for 20 min at 0.2 Hz. Single-pulse motor evoked potential (MEP) amplitude and visually cued simple reaction time (SRT) were measured before and after iTMS. When on levodopa, MEP amplitude increased to 278 ± 36% of baseline (p < 0.01), and when off levodopa to 157 ± 13% of baseline (p = 0.02). All patients showed a significantly greater increase in MEP amplitude when on levodopa than off levodopa (p = 0.01). SRT was reduced to 95% baseline after iTMS off levodopa (p = 0.02), but did not change on levodopa. These findings indicate that motor cortex plasticity to iTMS is preserved in mild-moderate PD. The effects of this spike-timing-related TMS protocol on cortical excitability were consistent and were enhanced by levodopa. The results support the important role of dopamine in regulating synaptic plasticity and justify a larger crossover study to assess the therapeutic effects of iTMS in PD.