Cortical excitability in Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

Objective: To investigate the probable cortical excitability changes in DMD by electrophysiological means.

Methods: Sixteen cases with DMD, 10 age-matched control children (CC) and 10 healthy adult volunteers (AC) were studied with a transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) test battery composed of central conduction time, cortical silent period and paired TMS paradigm.

Results: There were no significant differences between DMD and CC groups except for lower amplitude motor responses in DMD cases. These two groups showed a similar pattern of excitability with less short interval intracortical inhibitions and shorter silent period durations as compared to the AC subjects.

Conclusions: The electrophysiological tests performed in our DMD patients did not reveal abnormalities caused particularly by the disorder.

Significance: TMS excitability studies performed in DMD boys may not provide findings other than those related to the developmental age.