Does interhemispheric communication relate to the bilateral function of muscles? A study of scapulothoracic muscles using transcranial magnetic stimulation

Interhemispheric connections have been demonstrated between the motor cortex controlling muscle pairs. However, these investigations have tended to concentrate upon hand muscles. We have extended these investigations to proximal muscles that control the scapula upon the trunk and help to move and stabilise the shoulder. Using a paired pulse transcranial magnetic stimulation protocol, the interhemispheric interactions between different shoulder girdle muscle pairs, serratus anterior, upper trapezius and lower trapezius were investigated. Test motor evoked potentials were conditioned using conditioning pulse intensities of 80% and 120% of active motor threshold at three different condition-test intervals, during three different tasks. Interhemispheric inhibition was observed in upper trapezius using a conditioning intensity of 120% and condition-test interval of 8 ms (17 +/- 18%, p < 0.007). A trend towards inhibition was observed in lower trapezius and serratus anterior using a conditioning intensity of 120% and a condition-test interval of 8 ms (13 +/- 22%; p < 0.07 and 10 +/- 19% respectively; p < 0.07). No interhemispheric facilitation was evoked. The study demonstrates that a low level of interhemispheric inhibition rather than interhemispheric facilitation could be evoked between these muscle pairs.