ORIGINAL ARTICLE Corticospinal Facilitation Following Prolonged Proprioceptive Stimulation by Means of Passive Wrist Movement

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the delayed effects of repetitive sensory stimulation with passive wrist movement on corticospinal excitability of the forearm and hand musculature. Motor evoked potential responses to single and double pulse trans-cranial magnetic stimulation were recorded from the flexor carpi radialis, extensor carpi radialis, and the first dorsal interosseous muscles of the right limb. Data were collected before and after a 1 hour session of passive wrist movement (intervention group, n 11) or after a same period of rest (control group, n 9). Motor evoked potential size and area were analyzed to evaluate corticospinal excitability and short interval intracortical inhibition and facilitation. Training with passive movement resulted in a prolonged increase in corticospinal excitability in the flexor carpi radialis and extensor carpi radialis (until at least 1 hour postintervention), but did not evoke significant changes in the levels of short interval intracortica