scholarly journals Somatosensory electrical stimulation improves skill acquisition, consolidation, and transfer by increasing sensorimotor activity and connectivity

2018 ◽  
Vol 120 (1) ◽  
pp. 281-290 ◽  
Author(s):  
Menno P. Veldman ◽  
Natasha M. Maurits ◽  
Inge Zijdewind ◽  
Nicola A. Maffiuletti ◽  
Stella van Middelkoop ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Electrical Stimulation ◽  
Skill Acquisition ◽  
Motor Performance ◽  
Sensorimotor Integration ◽  
Primary Motor Cortex ◽  
Subcortical Structures ◽  
Left Hand ◽  
Phase Slope ◽  
Neuronal Mechanisms ◽  
Multifactorial Approach

The interaction between the somatosensory and motor systems is important for normal human motor function and learning. Enhancing somatosensory input using somatosensory electrical stimulation (SES) can increase motor performance, but the neuronal mechanisms underlying these effects are largely unknown. With EEG, we examined whether skill acquisition, consolidation, and interlimb transfer after SES was related to increased activity in sensorimotor regions, as assessed by the N30 somatosensory evoked potential or rather increased connectivity between these regions, as assessed by the phase slope index (PSI). Right- and left-hand motor performance and EEG measures were taken before, immediately after, and 24 h ( day 2) after either SES ( n = 12; 5 men) or Control ( n = 12; 5 men). The results showed skill acquisition and consolidation in the stimulated right hand immediately after SES (6%) and on day 2 (9%) and interlimb transfer to the nonstimulated left hand on day 2 relative to Control (8%, all P < 0.05). Increases in N30 amplitudes correlated with skill acquisition while PSI from electrodes that represent the posterior parietal and primary somatosensory cortex to the electrode representing the primary motor cortex correlated with skill consolidation. In contrast, interlimb transfer did not correlate with the EEG-derived neurophysiological estimates obtained in the present study, which may indicate the involvement of subcortical structures in interlimb transfer after SES. In conclusion, weak peripheral somatosensory inputs in the form of SES improve skill acquisition, consolidation, and interlimb transfer that coincide with different cortical adaptations, including enhanced N30 amplitudes and PSI.NEW & NOTEWORTHY The relationship between adaptations in synaptic plasticity and motor learning following somatosensory electrical stimulation (SES) is incompletely understood. Here, we used for the first time a multifactorial approach that examined skill acquisition, consolidation, and interlimb transfer following 20 min of SES. In addition, we quantified sensorimotor integration and the magnitude and direction of connectivity with EEG. Following artificial electrical stimulation, increases in sensorimotor integration and connectivity were found to correlate with skill acquisition and consolidation, respectively.

scholarly journals Strengthened Corticosubcortical Functional Connectivity during Muscle Fatigue

2016 ◽  
Vol 2016 ◽  
pp. 1-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhiguo Jiang ◽  
Xiao-Feng Wang ◽  
Guang H. Yue
Keyword(s):  
Motor Control ◽  
Functional Connectivity ◽  
Quantile Regression ◽  
Muscle Fatigue ◽  
Motor Performance ◽  
Primary Motor Cortex ◽  
Motor Task ◽  
Voluntary Contraction ◽  
Control Network ◽  
Subcortical Structures

The present study examined functional connectivity (FC) between functional MRI (fMRI) signals of the primary motor cortex (M1) and each of the three subcortical neural structures, cerebellum (CB), basal ganglia (BG), and thalamus (TL), during muscle fatigue using the quantile regression technique. Understanding activation relation between the subcortical structures and the M1 during prolonged motor performance should help delineate how central motor control network modulates acute perturbations at peripheral sensorimotor system such as muscle fatigue. Ten healthy subjects participated in the study and completed a 20-minute intermittent handgrip motor task at 50% of their maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) level. Quantile regression analyses were carried out to compare the FC between the contralateral (left) M1 and CB, BG, and TL in the minimal (beginning 100 s) versus significant (ending 100 s) fatigue stages. Widespread, statistically significant increases in FC were found in bilateral BG, CB, and TL with the left M1 during significant versus minimal fatigue stages. Our results imply that these subcortical nuclei are critical components in the motor control network and actively involved in modulating voluntary muscle fatigue, possibly, by working together with the M1 to strengthen the descending central command to prolong the motor performance.

scholarly journals Examination and Comparison of Theta Band Connectivity in Left- and Right-Hand Dominant Individuals throughout a Motor Skill Acquisition

Symmetry ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 728
Author(s):  
Jessica McDonnell ◽  
Nicholas P Murray ◽  
Sungwoo Ahn ◽  
Stefan Clemens ◽  
Erik Everhart ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Skill Acquisition ◽  
Information Integration ◽  
Visual Information ◽  
Parietal Lobe ◽  
The United States ◽  
Alternative Methods ◽  
Population Difference ◽  
Left Hand ◽  
Right Hand ◽  
Neurological Differences

The majority of the population identifies as right-hand dominant, with a minority 10.6% identifying as left-hand dominant. Social factors may partially skew the distribution, but it remains that left-hand dominant individuals make up approximately 40 million people in the United States alone and yet, remain underrepresented in the motor control literature. Recent research has revealed behavioral and neurological differences between populations, therein overturning assumptions of a simple hemispheric flip in motor-related activations. The present work showed differentially adaptable motor programs between populations and found fundamental differences in methods of skill acquisition highlighting underlying neural strategies unique to each population. Difference maps and descriptive metrics of coherent activation patterns showed differences in how theta oscillations were utilized. The right-hand group relied on occipital parietal lobe connectivity for visual information integration necessary to inform the motor task, while the left-hand group relied on a more frontal lobe localized cognitive based approach. The findings provide insight into potential alternative methods of information integration and emphasize the importance for inclusion of the left-hand dominant population in the growing conceptualization of the brain promoting the generation of a more complete, stable, and accurate understanding of our complex biology.

scholarly journals Demand on skillfulness modulates interhemispheric inhibition of motor cortices

2016 ◽  
Vol 115 (6) ◽  
pp. 2803-2813 ◽  
Author(s):  
Miles Wischnewski ◽  
Greg M. Kowalski ◽  
Farrah Rink ◽  
Samir R. Belagaje ◽  
Marc W. Haut ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Primary Motor Cortex ◽  
Motor Task ◽  
Conditioning Stimulus ◽  
Motor Evoked Potential ◽  
Inhibitory Effect ◽  
Left Hand ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Small Targets ◽  
Healthy Participants

The role of primary motor cortex (M1) in the control of hand movements is still unclear. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies of unimanual performance reported a relationship between level of precision of a motor task and additional ipsilateral M1 (iM1) activation. In the present study, we determined whether the demand on accuracy of a movement influences the magnitude of the inhibitory effect between primary motor cortices (IHI). We used transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to measure active IHI (aIHI) of the iM1 on the contralateral M1 (cM1) in the premovement period of a left-hand motor task. Ten healthy participants manipulated a joystick to point to targets of two different sizes. For aIHI, the conditioning stimulus (CS) was applied to iM1, and the test stimulus (TS) to cM1, with an interstimulus interval of 10 ms. The amount of the inhibitory effect of the CS on the motor-evoked potential (MEP) of the subsequent TS was expressed as percentage of the mean MEP amplitude evoked by the single TS. Across different time points of aIHI measurements in the premovement period, there was a significant effect for target size on aIHI. Preparing to point to small targets was associated with weaker aIHI compared with pointing to large targets. The present findings suggest that, during the premovement period, aIHI from iM1 on cM1 is modulated by the demand on accuracy of the motor task. This is consistent with task fMRI findings showing bilateral M1 activation during high-precision movements but only unilateral M1 activity during low-precision movements.

The effect of transcranial magnetic stimulation on the excitability of the motor neuron pools of the muscles of the lower extremities

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
S.S. Ananiev ◽  
D.A. Pavlov ◽  
R.N. Yakupov ◽  
V.A. Golodnova ◽  
M.V. Balykin
Keyword(s):  
Spinal Cord ◽  
Electrical Stimulation ◽  
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation ◽  
Motor Cortex ◽  
Magnetic Stimulation ◽  
Primary Motor Cortex ◽  
Lower Extremities ◽  
Transcutaneous Electrical Stimulation ◽  
Stimulation Of

The study was conducted on 22 healthy men aged 18-23 years. The primary motor cortex innervating the lower limb was stimulated with transcranial magnetic stimulation. Using transcutaneous electrical stimulation of the spinal cord, evoked motor responses of the muscles of the lower extremities were initiated when electrodes were applied cutaneous between the spinous processes in the Th11-Th12 projection. Research protocol: Determination of the thresholds of BMO of the muscles of the lower extremities during TESCS; determination of the BMO threshold of the TA muscle in TMS; determination of the thresholds of the BMO of the muscles of the lower extremities during TESCS against the background of 80% and 90% TMS. It was found that magnetic stimulation of the motor cortex of the brain leads to an increase in the excitability of the neural structures of the lumbar thickening of the spinal cord and an improvement in neuromuscular interactions. Key words: transcranial magnetic stimulation, transcutaneous electrical stimulation of the spinal cord, neural networks, excitability, neuromuscular interactions.

scholarly journals Role of cutaneous and proprioceptive inputs in sensorimotor integration and plasticity occurring in the facial primary motor cortex

2020 ◽  
Vol 598 (4) ◽  
pp. 839-851 ◽  
Author(s):  
Giovanna Pilurzi ◽  
Francesca Ginatempo ◽  
Beniamina Mercante ◽  
Luigi Cattaneo ◽  
Giovanni Pavesi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Motor Cortex ◽  
Sensorimotor Integration ◽  
Primary Motor Cortex ◽  
Proprioceptive Inputs

Transcranial electrical stimulation through screw electrodes for intraoperative monitoring of motor evoked potentials

2004 ◽  
Vol 100 (1) ◽  
pp. 155-160 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katsushige Watanabe ◽  
Takashi Watanabe ◽  
Akio Takahashi ◽  
Nobuhito Saito ◽  
Masafumi Hirato ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Electrical Stimulation ◽  
Motor Cortex ◽  
Evoked Potentials ◽  
Intraoperative Monitoring ◽  
Primary Motor Cortex ◽  
Motor Evoked Potentials ◽  
Transcranial Electrical Stimulation ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Motor Pathways ◽  
Fine Print

✓ The feasibility of high-frequency transcranial electrical stimulation (TES) through screw electrodes placed in the skull was investigated for use in intraoperative monitoring of the motor pathways in patients who are in a state of general anesthesia during cerebral and spinal operations. Motor evoked potentials (MEPs) were elicited by TES with a train of five square-wave pulses (duration 400 µsec, intensity ≤ 200 mA, frequency 500 Hz) delivered through metal screw electrodes placed in the outer table of the skull over the primary motor cortex in 42 patients. Myogenic MEPs to anodal stimulation were recorded from the abductor pollicis brevis (APB) and tibialis anterior (TA) muscles. The mean threshold stimulation intensity was 48 ± 17 mA for the APB muscles, and 112 ± 35 mA for the TA muscles. The electrodes were firmly fixed at the site and were not dislodged by surgical manipulation throughout the operation. No adverse reactions attributable to the TES were observed. Passing current through the screw electrodes stimulates the motor cortex more effectively than conventional methods of TES. The method is safe and inexpensive, and it is convenient for intraoperative monitoring of motor pathways.

An Integrated, Multifactorial Approach to Periodization for Optimal Performance in Individual and Team Sports

2018 ◽  
Vol 13 (5) ◽  
pp. 538-561 ◽  
Author(s):  
Iñigo Mujika ◽  
Shona Halson ◽  
Louise M. Burke ◽  
Gloria Balagué ◽  
Damian Farrow
Keyword(s):  
Exercise Training ◽  
Skill Acquisition ◽  
Performance Enhancement ◽  
Team Sports ◽  
Central Component ◽  
Recent Criticism ◽  
Psychological Skills ◽  
Altitude Adaptation ◽  
And Performance ◽  
Multifactorial Approach

Sports periodization has traditionally focused on the exercise aspect of athletic preparation, while neglecting the integration of other elements that can impact an athlete’s readiness for peak competition performances. Integrated periodization allows the coordinated inclusion of multiple training components best suited for a given training phase into an athlete’s program. The aim of this article is to review the available evidence underpinning integrated periodization, focusing on exercise training, recovery, nutrition, psychological skills, and skill acquisition as key factors by which athletic preparation can be periodized. The periodization of heat and altitude adaptation, body composition, and physical therapy is also considered. Despite recent criticism, various methods of exercise training periodization can contribute to performance enhancement in a variety of elite individual and team sports, such as soccer. In the latter, both physical and strategic periodization are useful tools for managing the heavy travel schedule, fatigue, and injuries that occur throughout a competitive season. Recovery interventions should be periodized (ie, withheld or emphasized) to influence acute and chronic training adaptation and performance. Nutrient intake and timing in relation to exercise and as part of the periodization of an athlete’s training and competition calendar can also promote physiological adaptations and performance capacity. Psychological skills are a central component of athletic performance, and their periodization should cater to each athlete’s individual needs and the needs of the team. Skill acquisition can also be integrated into an athlete’s periodized training program to make a significant contribution to competition performance.

scholarly journals Target-specific M1 inputs to infragranular S1 pyramidal neurons

2016 ◽  
Vol 116 (3) ◽  
pp. 1261-1274 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amanda K. Kinnischtzke ◽  
Erika E. Fanselow ◽  
Daniel J. Simons
Keyword(s):  
Primary Motor Cortex ◽  
Pyramidal Neurons ◽  
Projection Neurons ◽  
Cell Type ◽  
Intrinsic Properties ◽  
Subcortical Structures ◽  
Medial Nucleus ◽  
Cell Type Specific ◽  
Posterior Medial Nucleus

The functional role of input from the primary motor cortex (M1) to primary somatosensory cortex (S1) is unclear; one key to understanding this pathway may lie in elucidating the cell-type specific microcircuits that connect S1 and M1. Recently, we discovered that a subset of pyramidal neurons in the infragranular layers of S1 receive especially strong input from M1 (Kinnischtzke AK, Simons DJ, Fanselow EE. Cereb Cortex 24: 2237–2248, 2014), suggesting that M1 may affect specific classes of pyramidal neurons differently. Here, using combined optogenetic and retrograde labeling approaches in the mouse, we examined the strengths of M1 inputs to five classes of infragranular S1 neurons categorized by their projections to particular cortical and subcortical targets. We found that the magnitude of M1 synaptic input to S1 pyramidal neurons varies greatly depending on the projection target of the postsynaptic neuron. Of the populations examined, M1-projecting corticocortical neurons in L6 received the strongest M1 inputs, whereas ventral posterior medial nucleus-projecting corticothalamic neurons, also located in L6, received the weakest. Each population also possessed distinct intrinsic properties. The results suggest that M1 differentially engages specific classes of S1 projection neurons, thereby regulating the motor-related influence S1 exerts over subcortical structures.

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