Intracerebral interactions caused by bilateral median nerve stimulation in man: a magnetoencephalographic study

Abstract

Somatosensory evoked magnetic fields (SEFs) following stimulation of the median nerves bilaterally (‘bilateral’ waveform) were examined in normal subjects to determine the interference effects of activation of sensory areas in bilateral hemispheres. SEFs following right median nerve stimulation and those following left median nerve stimulation were summated (‘summated’ waveform). A ‘difference’ waveform was induced by subtraction of the ’bilateral’ waveform from ‘summated’ waveform. Short-latency deflections showed no consistent differences between the ‘summated’ and ‘bilateral’ waveforms, but the middle-latency deflection, N60m-P60m, in the ‘bilateral’ waveform was significantly ( P < 0.01) smaller than that in the ‘summated’ waveform. The long-latency deflection, the N90m-P90m, in the ‘bilateral’ waveform was markedly ( P < 0.001) reduced in amplitude as compared with the ‘summated’ waveform. The differences were clearly identified in the ‘difference’ waveform, in which the main deflections, U90m-D90m, were found in all subjects. Equivalent current dipoles (ECDs) of the short- and middle-latency deflections were located in the primary sensory cortex (SI) contralateral to the stimulated nerve, but ECDs of the N90m-P90m and U90m-D90m were located in bilateral second sensory cortices (SII) which are considered to receive ascending signals from bilateral sides of the body.