Pilot Study on Menstrual Cycle-Related Hormonal Effects on Motor Cortex Plasticity Assessed by TMS in Healthy Young Adults
University of Pennsylvania
Summary
Aim 1: Assess how menstrual cycle phase affects motor cortex plasticity in females. Aim 2: Compare motor cortex plasticity between males and females across the same time points, identifying potential sex differences in TMS response. Aim 3: Examine associations between serum hormone levels and TMS-induced plasticity within and between sexes.
Description
This project will recruit healthy male and female volunteers between the ages of 20-40. Females must who are not on hormonal medications and, if female, have regular menstrual cycles as defined in Table 1. At time of consent, female participants will be send home with given tests that may assess urine estradiol, LH and/or their metabolites. Participants will be asked to complete these tests at home, will be instructed to use these tests in the morning at the first void of the day; the number of days during each cycle that participants will be asked to complete these tests will be based on thei…
Eligibility
- Age range
- 20–40 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Yes
Inclusion Criteria: * Able to give their consent * If female, must have menstrual cycles of normal frequency, regularity, and duration. Exclusion Criteria: * Non-English speaking * Any medical condition that increases risk for TMS * History of seizure * History of epilepsy * Increased risk of seizure for any reason
Interventions
- Devicetranscranial magnetic stimulation
Subjects will receive a series of 60 10s trains that will be presented over the course of the \~3.5 min session. Each train will consist of 2 s of stimulation with an 8 s ITI. During the 2 s of stimulation, 10, 50 Hz bursts will be repeated at intervals of 200 ms (5 Hz). iTBS will be administered at 100% of the motor threshold (MT).
Location
- University of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania