Abstract
BACKGROUND: Deeper short-interval intracortical inhibition (SICI), a marker of GABA(A) activity, correlates with better motor performance in patients with moderate to severe hand impairments in the chronic phase after stroke. OBJECTIVES: We evaluated the correlation between SICI in the affected hemisphere and pinch force of the paretic hand in well-recovered patients. We also investigated the correlation between SICI and pinch force in controls. METHODS: Twenty-two subjects were included in the study. SICI was measured with a paired-pulse paradigm. The correlation between lateral pinch strength and SICI was assessed with Spearman's rho. RESULTS: There was a significant correlation (rho = 0.69, p = 0.014) between SICI and pinch strength in patients, but not in controls. SICI was significantly deeper in patients with greater hand weakness. CONCLUSIONS: These preliminary findings suggest that decreased GABA(A) activity in M1(AH) correlates with better hand motor performance in well-recovered subjects with stroke in the chronic phase.