Intracortical inhibition and facilitation in adolescents with idiopathic scoliosis

Objective: The etiology of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) is still unknown. As this spine deformity parallels spine deformities in patients with Parkinson's disease or dystonia, it is discussed that AIS might be caused by a movement disorder, e.g. a form of dystonia. In dystonia short-interval intracortical inhibition (SICI) of motor cortex is significantly reduced compared to healthy subjects. This study assessed SICI and intracortical facilitation (ICF) by transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) in patients with AIS and age-matched healthy subjects. Methods: In 11 patients with AIS (15.3±1.7; 7f, 3m; ri…