A comparison of neuromuscular electrical stimulation parameters on increasing corticospinal excitability
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Abstract
In this thesis, experiments that investigated the effects of neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) parameters on corticospinal (CS) excitability are described. The NMES-induced afferent volley can increase CS excitability, which can facilitate neurorehabilitation. However, literature outlining the optimal NMES parameters for increasing CS excitability is limited. In the first project, we found that functional electrical stimulation (NMES with high stimulus intensity and frequency) increased CS excitability, while somatosensory stimulation (NMES with low stimulus intensity and frequency) did not. In the second project, longer pulse durations increased the magnitude of H-reflexes from tibialis anterior, but we found no difference in their effects on CS excitability between pulse durations. These results provide insight for which parameters of NMES best increase CS excitability. Improvements in function resulting from NMES are attributed to the NMES-induced increases in CS excitability, thus identifying how to best increase CS excitability may be important for rehabilitative applications.