NEUROLOGY 2004;62:2124-2126
© 2004 American Academy of Neurology
Brief Communications
Improved motor skill acquisition after selective stimulation of central norepinephrine
Christian Plewnia, MD,
Julia Hoppe,
Leonardo G. Cohen, MD and
Christian Gerloff, MD
From the Cortical Physiology Research Group, Department of General Neurology, Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research (Drs. Plewnia and Gerloff, J. Hoppe), and Neurophysiology Section, Department of Psychiatry (Dr. Plewnia), University of Tuebingen, Germany; and Human Cortical Physiology Section, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (Dr. Cohen), NIH Bethesda, MD.
Address correspondence and reprint requests to Dr. C. Gerloff, Cortical Physiology Research Group, Department of Neurology, Eberhard-Karls University Medical School, Hoppe-Seyler-Str. 3, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany; e-mail: christian.gerloff{at}uni-tuebingen.de
It has been proposed that the beneficial effects of training on motor function can be enhanced by stimulation of -adrenergic mechanisms. Consistent with this view, a single oral dose of the selective norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor reboxetine was found to enhance motor skill acquisition (rapid elbow flexion) and corticomotor excitability tested with transcranial magnetic stimulation in the absence of effects on basal motor performance. Therefore, -adrenergic mechanisms could possibly be manipulated to magnify training effects in neurorehabilitation.
Received December 14, 2003.
Accepted in final form January 31, 2004.
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