LTD-like central motor plasticity is not compromised in multiple sclerosis patients

Background: Compensation of brain injury in multiple sclerosis (MS) may be based on neuronal plasticity. Plasticity of neuronal connections likely involves both enhancement and depression of synaptic efficacy. We previously showed that expression of rapid onset excitability increasing, LTP-like motor plasticity remains intact in MS. However, it remains unknown if excitability decreasing, LTD-like plasticity is compromised in MS patients. This question is of interest, because in a functional magnetic resonance study (fMRI), MS-patients specifically failed to exhibit task-specific reductions, but not enhancements,…