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Sympathetic responses to repetitive trans-spinal magnetic stimulation

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Abstract

Purpose

Electromagnetic fields have been administered, with mixed success, in order to treat a variety of ailments. Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) elicits brief changes in peripheral sympathetic nervous system (SNS) activity. The purpose of this study was to explore the utility of repetitive trans-spinal magnetic stimulation (rTSMS) for acute and prolonged modulation of SNS in adult humans.

Methods

23 healthy men and women were randomly assigned to receive either rTSMS (figure-eight coil aligned with the sixth and seventh cervical vertebrae; 10 Hz; n = 14, at 100% intensity of stimulator output) or sham stimulation (n = 13).

Results

Compared with sham, rTSMS did not affect skeletal muscle SNS activity (via microneurography) during the 60-s or 10-min period following stimulation. rTSMS also had no effect on R-to-R interval (RRint) and standard deviation of RRint (a marker of heart rate variability), blood pressure or plasma concentrations of norepinephrine, epinephrine, insulin and glucose (condition/time interaction, all P > 0.10).

Conclusion

These data suggest that rTSMS does not influence SNS in adults. While rTSMS represents a novel application of TMS technology, further study and perhaps modification of the technique is required before use in clinical studies of peripheral SNS function.

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by awards from the National Institutes of Health (NIA AG022053) and the College of Applied Human Sciences at Colorado State University. We thank the Clinical Translation Research Center at Pennsylvania State University, Hershey, PA and the University of Colorado Denver for assistance with plasma catecholamine analysis.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Health and Exercise Science, Colorado State University, 205E Moby B-Complex, Fort Collins, CO, 80523-1582, USA

    Roger J. Paxton, Sean A. Newsom, Jennifer C. Richards, Grant M. Rynn & Christopher Bell

  2. Department of Occupational Therapy, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA

    Matthew P. Malcolm

Authors
  1. Roger J. Paxton
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  2. Matthew P. Malcolm
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  3. Sean A. Newsom
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  4. Jennifer C. Richards
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  5. Grant M. Rynn
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  6. Christopher Bell
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Correspondence to Christopher Bell.

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Paxton, R.J., Malcolm, M.P., Newsom, S.A. et al. Sympathetic responses to repetitive trans-spinal magnetic stimulation. Clin Auton Res 21, 81–87 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10286-010-0092-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10286-010-0092-4

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