Table 5.
Contralateral silent period latency and duration findings in individuals with and without spinal cord injury.
| Reference | Muscle | Test side | Number of participants | Metric | SCI (ms) | Healthy control (ms) | CSP definition + findings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Davey et al., 1998 (46) | Thenar | More Affected Side (lateralized symptoms) OR ELSE Dominant Side (Right) | SCI = 10 AB = 10 | Onset Latency | 51.8 (SE = 1.8) | 33.4 (SE = 1.9) | From the stimulus to the point in the record where the EMG fell consistently below mean background levels using sub-threshold TMS intensity |
| Smith et al., 2000 (45) | Thenar | More Affected Side (lateralized symptoms) OR ELSE Dominant Side (Right) | SCI = 21 AB = 10 | Onset Latency | 50 (SE = 2.2) | 32 (SE = 1.5) | From the stimulus to the point in the record where the EMG fell consistently below mean background levels using sub-threshold TMS intensity + Reported values at 51–100 days post injury |
| Freund et al., 2011 (40) | Extensor Digitorum Communis | Dominant side (9 = right; 1 = left) | SCI = 9 AB = 14 | Duration | Median = 130 (IQR = 60) | Median = 96 (IQR = 30) | From the time-point of TMS stimulus artefact to the resumption of sustained EMG activity + CSP duration negatively correlated with cervical cross-sectional area |
| Sfreddo et al., 2021 (44) | Abductor Pollicis Brevis | Side with lower motor thresholds and more consistent central and peripheral electrophysiological responses | SCI = 9 AB = 12 | Duration | Median = 102.5 (IQR = 76.3–148.6) | Median = 95.4 (IQR = 86.6–110.2) | From the end of MEP to the earliest resumption of pre-TMS EMG activity. Differences between groups not significant |
| Nardone et al., 2008 (74) | First Dorsal Interossei | Both sides | SCI = 1 AB = 10 | Duration | Right = 245 Left = 252 | Right = 162.6 (95% CI = 82.2) Left = 165.2 (95% CI = 83.4) | From the end of the EMG response to the return of sustained poststimulus EMG activity |
AB, Able-bodied; CI, confidence intervals; CSP, contralateral silent period; EMG, electromyography; IQR, Interquartile range; MEP, motor evoked potential; ms, milliseconds; SCI, spinal cord injury; SE, standard error of the mean; TMS, transcranial magnetic stimulation.