A Spectral Method For Determining Cortical Silent Period Induced By Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation

Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) of the motor cortex performed during voluntary muscle activity produces motor evoked potentials (MEPs) followed by a period of suppression in electromyographic activity known as the cortical silent period (CSP). The duration of the CSP can be used to measure cortical inhibition. CSP is typically determined via visual inspection or automated amplitude thresholding methods that can be affected by noisy data. We describe a new technique of quantifying CSPs using a spectral approach.