Bilateral median nerve stimulation and High-Frequency Oscillations unveil interhemispheric inhibition of primary sensory cortex

Objective

This study aimed at investigating the effect of median nerve stimulation on ipsilateral cortical potentials evoked by contralateral median nerve electrical stimulation.

Methods

We recorded somatosensory-evoked potentials (SEPs) from the left parietal cortex in 15 right-handed, healthy subjects. We administered bilateral median nerve stimulation, with the ipsilateral stimulation preceding the stimulation on the contralateral by intervals of 5, 10, 20, or 40 ms. We adjusted these intervals based on each individual’s N20 latency. As a measure of S1 excitability, the amplitude of the N20 and the area of the High Frequency Oscillation (HFO) burst were analyzed for each condition.

Results

The results revealed significant inhibition of N20 amplitude by ipsilateral median nerve stimulation at interstimulus intervals (ISIs) between 5 and 40 ms. Late HFO burst was suppressed at short ISIs of 5 and 10 ms, pointing to a transcallosal inhibitory effect on S1 intracortical circuits.

Conclusions

Findings suggest interhemispheric interaction between the primary somatosensory areas, supporting the existence of transcallosal transfer of tactile information.

Significance

This study provides valuable insights into the interhemispheric connections between primary sensory areas and underscore the potential role of interhemispheric interactions in somatosensory processing.