Neurophysics Assessment of the Muscle Bioenergy Generated by Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation
Fidias E. Leon-Sarmiento,
Alexander Gonzalez-Castaño,
Carlos V. Rizzo-Sierra,
Juan Aceros,
Daniel S. Leon-Ariza,
Juan S. Leon-Ariza,
Diddier G. Prada,
William Bara-Jimenez,
Zeng Y. Wang
Affiliations
Fidias E. Leon-Sarmiento
Smell and Taste Center, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA; Human Motor Control Section, NINDS, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA; Mediciencias Research Group, Louisville, KY, USA
Alexander Gonzalez-Castaño
Universidad Internacional de la Rioja, Spain; Neurophysics Unit, Corporación Universitaria Minuto de Dios-UNIMINUTO, Colombia
Carlos V. Rizzo-Sierra
Charity Association for Person Centered Medicine, Moral Entity, Italy
Juan Aceros
School of Engineering, University of North Florida, Jacksonville, FL, USA
Daniel S. Leon-Ariza
Mediciencias Research Group, Louisville, KY, USA; Faculty of Health Sciences, Santander University, UDES, Colombia; Department of Neurosurgery, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MA, USA
Juan S. Leon-Ariza
Mediciencias Research Group, Louisville, KY, USA
Diddier G. Prada
Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA; Unidad de Investigación Biomédica en Cáncer, Instituto Nacional de Cáncer, México DF, Mexico
William Bara-Jimenez
Smell and Taste Center, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
Zeng Y. Wang
Neuromuscular Division, Department of Neurology, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, USA
The content of the rectified motor evoked potential (MEP) induced by transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) has ambiguously been assessed without the precision that energy calculation deserves. This fact has misled data interpretation and misguided biomedical interventions. To definitively fill the gap that exits in the neurophysics processing of these signals, we computed, in Walls (W^), the bioenergy within the rectified MEP recorded from the human first digitorum index (FDI) muscle at rest and under isometric contraction. We also gauged the biowork exerted by this muscle. Here we show that bioenergy and biowork can accurately and successfully be assessed, validated, and determined in W^ from MEP signals induced by TMS, regardless of knowing the mathematical expression of the function of the signal. Our novel neurophysics approach represents a dramatic paradigm shift in analysis and interpretation of the content of the MEP and will give a true meaning to the content of rectified signals. Importantly, this innovative approach allowed unveiling that women exerted more bioenergy than men at the magnetic stimulations used in this study. Revisitation of conclusions drawn from studies published elsewhere assessing rectified EMG signals that have used ambiguous units is strongly recommended.
