Long-term effect of safinamide on primary motor cortex excitability and plasticity in Parkinson's disease: A TMS study

Abstract

In a recent Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) study, we demonstrated abnormally enhanced Short-Interval Intracortical Facilitation (SICF) in patients with Parkinson's Disease (PD). These abnormalities reflect increased glutamatergic transmission in primary motor cortex (M1). A short-term treatment with safinamide at 100 mg/day can restore SICF in PD by reducing glutamatergic transmission via blockade of voltage-gated sodium channels. We here examined the long-term effect of chronic treatment with safinamide 100 mg/day on SICF and other measures of M1 excitability and plasticity in PD.