Tomotaka Suzuki

Time Course of Corticospinal Excitability and Intracortical Inhibition Just before Muscle Relaxation

Using transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), we investigated how short-interval intracortical inhibition (SICI) was involved with transient motor cortex (M1) excitability changes observed just before the transition from muscle contraction to muscle relaxation. Ten healthy participants performed a simultaneous relaxation task of the ipsilateral finger and foot, relaxing from 10% of their maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) force after the go signal. In the simple reaction time (RT) paradigm, single or paired TMS pulses were randomly delivered after the go signal, and motor evoked potentials (MEPs) were recorded from the right first dorsal interosseous (FDI) muscle. We analyzed the time course prior to the estimated relaxation reaction time (RRT), defined here as the onset of voluntary relaxation. SICI decreased in the 80–100 ms before RRT, and MEPs were significantly greater in amplitude in the 60–80 ms period before RRT than in the other intervals in single-pulse trials. TMS pulses did not effectively increase RRT. These results show that cortical excitability in the early stage, before muscle relaxation, plays an important role in muscle relaxation control. SICI circuits may vary between decreased and increased activation to continuously maintain muscle relaxation during or after a relaxation response. With regard to M1 excitability dynamics, we suggest that SICI also dynamically changes throughout the muscle relaxation process.

Excitability changes in primary motor cortex just prior to voluntary muscle relaxation

We postulated that primary motor cortex (M1) activity does not just decrease immediately prior to voluntary muscle relaxation; rather, it is dynamic and acts as an active cortical process. Thus we investigated the detailed time course of M1 excitability changes during muscle relaxation. Ten healthy participants performed a simple reaction time task. After the go signal, they rapidly terminated isometric abduction of the right index finger from a constant muscle force output of 20% of their maximal voluntary contraction force and performed voluntary muscle relaxation. Transcranial magnetic stimulation pulses were randomly delivered before and after the go signal, and motor evoked potentials (MEPs) were recorded from the right first dorsal interosseous muscle. We selected the time course relative to an appropriate reference point, the onset of voluntary relaxation, to detect excitability changes in M1. MEP amplitude from 80 to 60 ms before the estimated electromyographic offset was significantly greater than that in other intervals. Dynamic excitability changes in M1 just prior to quick voluntary muscle relaxation indicate that cortical control of muscle relaxation is established through active processing and not by simple cessation of activity. The cortical mechanisms underlying muscle relaxation need to be reconsidered in light of such dynamics.

Lumbar Extension during Stoop Lifting is Delayed by the Load and Hamstring Tightness.

[Purpose] This study investigated the relationship between lumbar pelvic rhythm and the physical characteristics of stoop lifting. [Subjects and Methods] Participants performed a stoop lifting task under two conditions: with and without load. We assessed the lumbar kyphosis and sacral inclination angles using the SpinalMouse® system, as well as hamstring flexibility. During stoop lifting, surface electromyograms and the lumbar and sacral motions were recorded using a multi-channel telemetry system and flexible electrogoniometers. [Results] In the initial phase of lifting, lumbar extension was delayed by load; the delay showed a negative correlation with sacral inclination angle at trunk flexion, whereas a positive correlation was observed with electromyogram activity of the lumbar multifidus. Additionally, a positive correlation was observed between sacral inclination angle and hip flexion range of motion during the straight leg raise test. [Conclusion] We found that a disorder of the lumbar pelvic rhythm can be caused by both load and hamstring tightness. In the initial phase of stoop lifting, delayed lumbar extension is likely to lead to an increase in spinal instability and stress on the posterior ligamentous system. This mechanism shows that stoop lifting of a load may be harmful to the lower back of people with hamstring tightness.

Functional plasticity of surround inhibition in the motor cortex during single finger contraction training.

We investigated the functional changes in short intracortical inhibitory (SICI) circuits to determine whether surround inhibition is altered during a simple finger movement training. Using an electromyographic (EMG) feedback system linked to a computer monitor, participants practiced sustained index finger abduction by 40% maximum voluntary contraction of the first dorsal interosseous (FDI) while decreasing overflow EMG activity of the abductor digiti minimi (ADM) to less than 5% maximum voluntary contraction. Single transcranial magnetic stimuli (TMS) and paired-pulse TMS were applied to the left primary motor cortex to elicit motor-evoked potentials (MEPs) in the right FDI and ADM before/after training. In addition to recording MEPs from both muscles during voluntary FDI contraction, MEPs were recorded during motor imagery. MEPs from the FDI were not altered by training, indicating no functional changes in SICI circuits associated with the FDI field. In contrast, SICI circuits associated with ADM were significantly strengthened by training, as indicated by reduced baseline EMG activity during both actual FDI contraction and motor imagery and by reduced MEPs in response to post-training TMS. We propose that SICI circuits show functional plasticity during motor training and that surround circuit inhibition of nontarget muscle groups increases in proportion to the acquisition of motor skills.

Hemispheric asymmetry of ipsilateral motor cortex activation in motor skill learning.

In this study, we investigated how ipsilateral motor cortex (M1) activation during unimanual hand movements and hemispheric asymmetry changed after motor skill learning. Eleven right-handed participants preformed a two-ball-rotation motor task with the right and the left hand, separately, in all experimental sessions. Before and after exercise sessions, the degree of ipsilateral M1 activation during brief execution of the motor task was measured as changes in the size of motor-evoked potentials (MEPs) of the thenar and the first dorsal interosseous muscle of the nontask hand using transcranial magnetic stimulation. Before exercise, MEPs of the nontask hand were significantly facilitated on both sides during the motor task. After exercise, facilitation of MEPs of the nontask hand during the motor task was significantly reduced for the right hand (thenar: P=0.014, first dorsal interosseous: P=0.022) but not for the left hand. We conclude that ipsilateral M1 activation, associated with a complex motor task, is first symmetrical in both hemispheres. However, on exercise, ipsilateral activation is reduced only in left M1, indicating a stronger learning-dependent modification of motor networks within the left hemisphere.

Time-dependent changes in motor cortical excitability by electrical stimulation combined with voluntary drive.

Prolonged changes in primary motor cortex excitability in response to combined neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) and voluntary contraction with motor evoked potentials (MEPs) were investigated by transcranial magnetic stimulation and recorded by mechanomyography. Participants included 22 healthy individuals. NMES was applied to the extensor carpi radialis (ECR) by voluntary ECR contraction with 20% maximum voluntary contraction (MVC) of wrist extension. MEPs were recorded from the flexor carpi radialis (FCR) and ECR at rest with NMES, at 20% MVC with NMES (combined), and at 20% MVC alone. Significant conditional effects were revealed in ECR and FCR. In the combined condition, MEPs showed gradual enhancement, and those in FCR were more inhibited than those in the control condition. Voluntary contraction with NMES increased primary motor cortex excitability in the agonist muscle, whereas the antagonist muscle might affect reciprocal modulation in the combined condition.

Modification of motor cortex excitability during muscle relaxation in motor learning.

We postulated that gradual muscle relaxation during motor learning would dynamically change activity in the primary motor cortex (M1) and modify short-interval intracortical inhibition (SICI). Thus, we compared changes in M1 excitability both pre and post motor learning during gradual muscle relaxation. Thirteen healthy participants were asked to gradually relax their muscles from an isometric right wrist extension (30% maximum voluntary contraction; MVC) using a tracking task for motor learning. Single or paired transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) was applied at either 20% or 80% of the downward force output during muscle release from 30% MVC, and we compared the effects of motor learning immediately after the 1st and 10th blocks. Motor-evoked potentials (MEPs) from the extensor and flexor carpi radialis (ECR and FCR) were then measured and compared to evaluate their relationship before and after motor learning. In both muscles and each downward force output, motor cortex excitability during muscle relaxation was significantly increased following motor learning. In the ECR, the SICI in the 10th block was significantly increased during the 80% waveform decline compared to the SICI in the 1st block. In the FCR, the SICI also exhibited a greater inhibitory effect when muscle relaxation was terminated following motor learning. During motor training, acquisition of the ability to control muscle relaxation increased the SICI in both the ECR and FCR during motor termination. This finding aids in our understanding of the cortical mechanisms that underlie muscle relaxation during motor learning.

Different motor learning effects on excitability changes of motor cortex in muscle contraction state

Abstract We aimed to investigate whether motor learning induces different excitability changes in the human motor cortex (M1) between two different muscle contraction states (before voluntary contraction [static] or during voluntary contraction [dynamic]). For the same, using motor evoked potentials (MEPs) obtained by transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), we compared excitability changes during these two states after pinch-grip motor skill learning. The participants performed a force output tracking task by pinch grip on a computer screen. TMS was applied prior to the pinch grip (static) and after initiation of voluntary contraction (dynamic). MEPs of the following muscles were recorded: first dorsal interosseous (FDI), thenar muscle (Thenar), flexor carpi radialis (FCR), and extensor carpi radialis (ECR) muscles. During both the states, motor skill training led to significant improvement of motor performance. During the static state, MEPs of the FDI muscle were significantly facilitated after motor learning; however, during the dynamic state, MEPs of the FDI, Thenar, and FCR muscles were significantly decreased. Based on the results of this study, we concluded that excitability changes in the human M1 are differentially influenced during different voluntary contraction states (static and dynamic) after motor learning.

Development of a smartphone application to measure reaction times during walking

Dual-task methodology is useful to assess walking ability. We developed a smartphone application to measure reaction times (RTs) during walking. We can assess the attentional demands for a task from the RTs. In experiment 1, the accuracy and precision of the RT application were evaluated in two subjects. We investigated the agreement between the RTs calculated based on the external inertial sensor and the RT application; the application was installed in two smartphone models with different levels of performance. Additionally, in experiment 2, we investigated the RTs under 4 conditions: sitting, overground walking, treadmill walking, and auditory cued overground walking (n=19). The constant systematic error and low standard deviation of the difference between the two methods was demonstrated; this depended on the sampling interval of each sensor. The RTs in overground walking were increased compared with sitting and decreased compared with treadmill walking and auditory cued overground walking. Overall, the RTs were more decreased in the smartphone model with the shorter sampling interval. The RT application would be valid within a smartphone with a similar level of performance, because bias and precision are strongly dependent on the sampling interval. In field tests under different walking conditions, the RT application obtained results similar to those seen in previous studies and could identify even slight differences if there were many trials. The developed RT application will be a simple tool that is able to assess attentional demands during dual-task walking.

Affordance effects in grasping actions for graspable objects: electromyographic reaction time study.

It is unclear whether affordance effects shorten the reaction time in the interaction between objects and actions. This study investigated affordance effects based on compatibility between perception of graspable objects and the act of grasping. The electromyographic reaction time (EMG–RT) was used as the response, and Go/NoGo (Experiment 1) and choice (Experiment 2) reaction-time tasks were performed using combinations of two types of stimulus image (tools and animals) and two types of response task (flexion and extension of all fingers). In Experiment 1, no interaction of stimulus images and response tasks occurred, but the EMG–RT for tools was statistically significantly delayed longer than that for animals. In Experiment 2, the EMG–RT of flexion of all fingers for tools was statistically significantly delayed compared with that for animals, showing interaction. Affordance effects based on compatibility of objects and actions are the basis on human-tool interaction. This interaction induces a goal-directed act and prolongs motor execution of grasping actions for them.