Modulation of Corticospinal Excitability Depends on the Pattern of Mechanical Tactile Stimulation

Figure 4

The motor-evoked potential (MEP) amplitude of each subject and the mean before and after interventions (black line: mean data, gray line: each subject data). (a) The mean MEP amplitudes were significantly smaller immediately 5 min and 10 min after simple intervention than they were preintervention (immediately; , post 5 min; , post 10 min; ). (b) The mean MEP amplitudes were significantly larger 5 min and 10 min after lateral complex intervention than they were preintervention (post 5 min; , post 10 min; ). (c) The mean MEP amplitudes were significantly larger 5 min and 10 min after rubbing intervention than they were preintervention (post 5 min; , post 10 min; ). (d) The mean MEP amplitudes were significantly larger 5 and 10 min after vertical complex intervention than they were preintervention (post 5 min; , post 10 min; ). (e) The mean MEP amplitudes were not significantly different between prerandom complex intervention and postintervention. (; , ; ).

(a) Simple intervention

(b) Lateral complex intervention

(c) Rubbing intervention

(d) Vertical complex intervention

(e) Random complex intervention