Direct comparison of cortical excitability to transcranial magnetic stimulation in obstructive sleep apnea syndrome and restless legs syndrome

Objective Changes to transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) have been reported in obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) and restless legs syndrome (RLS), although no direct comparison study is available. The aim of this new investigation is to assess and compare cortical excitability of OSAS and RLS patients using the same methodology and under the same experimental conditions. Methods Fourteen patients with OSAS and 12 with RLS were compared to 14 age-matched controls. All patients were untreated and had a severe degree of disease. Resting motor threshold (rMT), cortical silent period (CSP) and motor evoked potentials MEPs, as well as intracortical inhibition (ICI) and facilitation at interstimulus interval (ISI) of 3 and 10 ms, respectively, were explored from the right first dorsal interosseous muscle, during wakefulness. Results rMT was higher in OSAS than in RLS and controls. CSP was shorter in RLS only when compared to apneic patients, whereas it was similar between OSAS and controls. OSAS subjects exhibited slightly prolonged central motor conductivity, whereas MEP amplitude was smaller in both patient groups. The ICI ratio at ISI of 3 ms was decreased in RLS patients only. Conclusions Distinct changes of responses at TMS were found, probably connected with the different neurophysiological substrates underlying OSAS and RLS and could not be interpreted as a mere reflection of the effects of sleep architecture alteration. TMS can be considered an additional tool for the understanding of clinical and pathophysiological aspects of sleep disorders, and possibly for the evaluation of the effect of therapy.