Motor cortex excitability and post-exercise fatigue in muscular dystrophy and fibromyalgia syndrome: a transcranial magnetic stimulation study

In previous studies using transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), there has been evidence for an altered motor cortex excitability in patients with muscular dystrophy as well as in patients with fibromyalgia-syndrome. Besides, abnormal fatigue is a common feature in both patient groups. However, the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying fatigue might be different in both disorders. The aim of the present study therefore was to assess motor cortex excitability by TMS before and after performance of a fatiguing hand-grip exercise in these patients, to get insight into central mechanisms being involved in post-…