Effects of alcohol on TMS-evoked N100 responses

J Neurosci Methods. 2007 Oct 15;166(1):104-8. doi: 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2007.06.030. Epub 2007 Jul 10.

Abstract

TMS combined with simultaneous EEG is a novel brain imaging tool allowing investigation local excitability of human cortex. As alcohol acts through increasing function of A-type gamma-aminobutyric acid receptors and attenuating the function of glutaminergic NMDA-receptors-related excitation, we tested whether TMS-evoked N100 response which is thought to reflect cortical inhibitory processes, might be affected by alcohol. Ten healthy subjects ingested alcohol (0.8 g/kg) and EEG responses from 60 channels before and after alcohol ingestion were recorded after left motor-cortex stimulation. Alcohol almost abolished TMS-evoked N100 response. Control experiments with a piece of plastic placed between the head and coil to exclude auditory artefacts were conducted. Alcohol effects were similar when EEG responses from control experiments were subtracted from real-TMS. Alcohol-induced decrease was similar at ipsilateral, contralateral and frontal EEG sites suggesting that alcohol may change cortico-cortical connectivity of motor cortex. Alternative explanation is that alcohol has overall suppression effect on motor cortex. N100 may provide a useful marker of neural inhibition of human cortex for drug research.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Biomarkers / analysis
  • Brain Mapping / methods
  • Central Nervous System Depressants / pharmacology*
  • Electrodes / standards
  • Electroencephalography / methods
  • Ethanol / pharmacology*
  • Evoked Potentials / drug effects
  • Evoked Potentials / physiology
  • Evoked Potentials, Motor / drug effects*
  • Evoked Potentials, Motor / physiology
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Motor Cortex / drug effects*
  • Motor Cortex / physiology
  • Neural Inhibition / drug effects*
  • Neural Inhibition / physiology
  • Reaction Time / drug effects
  • Reaction Time / physiology
  • Receptors, GABA-A / drug effects
  • Receptors, GABA-A / metabolism
  • Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation / methods*

Substances

  • Biomarkers
  • Central Nervous System Depressants
  • Receptors, GABA-A
  • Ethanol