Research article summary (published 29 Apr 2006):

Pregabalin exerts oppositional effects on different inhibitory circuits in human motor cortex: a double-blind, placebo-controlled transcranial magnetic stimulation study.

Full Abstract

PURPOSE: To explore acute effects of pregabalin (PGB) on human motor cortex excitability with transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). METHODS: PGB, 600 mg/day, was orally administered in 19 healthy subjects twice daily in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover design. Several measures of motor cortex excitability were tested with single- and paired-pulse TMS. RESULTS: Mean short-interval intracortical inhibition (SICI) was reduced after PGB (74 +/- 7% of unconditioned response) compared with placebo (60 +/- 6% of unconditioned response). In contrast, mean long-interval intracortical inhibition (LICI) was increased by PGB (26 +/- 4% of unconditioned response) compared with placebo (45 +/- 8% of unconditioned response), and mean cortical silent period (CSP) showed an increase from 139 +/- 8 ms or 145 +/- 8 ms after placebo to 162 +/- 7 ms or 161 +/- 10 ms after PGB. Motor thresholds, intracortical facilitation, and corticospinal excitability were unaffected. CONCLUSIONS: The observed excitability changes with oppositional effects on SICI and LICI or CSP suggest gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)B-receptor activation. They are markedly distinct from those induced by gabapentin, although both PGB and gabapentin are thought to mediate their function by binding to the alpha2-delta subunit of voltage-gated calcium channels. Conversely, the TMS profile of PGB shows striking similarities with the pattern evoked by the GABA-reuptake inhibitor tiagabine.

Author information

Author/s: Lang, Nicolas (N); Sueske, Elke (E); Hasan, Alkomiet (A); Paulus, Walter (W); Tergau, Frithjof (F);

Affiliation: Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, Georg-August-University, Goettingen, Germany. nlang(-atsign-)gwdg.de

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Comparative Study; Journal Article; Randomized Controlled Trial

Journal: Epilepsia (Epilepsia), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2006-May; vol 47 (issue 5) : pp 813-9

Dates: Created 2006/05/11; Completed 2006/06/23; Revised 2006/11/15;

PMID: 16686645, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 2/18/2009, IMS Date: )

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Adult Amines - pharmacology Anticonvulsants - pharmacology Calcium Channels - drug effects; physiology Cyclohexanecarboxylic Acids - pharmacology Double-Blind Method Evoked Potentials, Motor - drug effects; physiology Female Humans Male

Male Motor Cortex - drug effects; physiology Neural Inhibition - drug effects; physiology Neurotransmitter Uptake Inhibitors - pharmacology Nipecotic Acids - pharmacology Placebos Receptors, GABA-B - drug effects; physiology Recruitment, Neurophysiological - drug effects; physiology Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation - statistics & numerical data gamma-Aminobutyric Acid - analogs & derivatives; pharmacology; physiology

Associated Chemicals: Amines (0) ; Anticonvulsants (0) ; Calcium Channels (0) ; Cyclohexanecarboxylic Acids (0) ; Neurotransmitter Uptake Inhibitors (0) ; Nipecotic Acids (0) ; Placebos (0) ; Receptors, GABA-B (0) ; pregabalin (0) ; tiagabine (115103-54-3) ; gamma-Aminobutyric Acid (56-12-2) ; gabapentin (60142-96-3)

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