scholarly journals Dynamic Modulation of Beta Band Cortico-Muscular Coupling Induced by Audio–Visual Rhythms

2020 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Manuel Varlet ◽  
Sylvie Nozaradan ◽  
Laurel Trainor ◽  
Peter E Keller
Keyword(s):  
Muscular Activity ◽  
Force Sensor ◽  
Underlying Mechanism ◽  
Beta Band ◽  
Motor Systems ◽  
Dynamic Modulation ◽  
Behavioral Studies ◽  
Human Movements ◽  
Movement Frequency ◽  
Finger Pressure

Abstract Human movements often spontaneously fall into synchrony with auditory and visual environmental rhythms. Related behavioral studies have shown that motor responses are automatically and unintentionally coupled with external rhythmic stimuli. However, the neurophysiological processes underlying such motor entrainment remain largely unknown. Here, we investigated with electroencephalography (EEG) and electromyography (EMG) the modulation of neural and muscular activity induced by periodic audio and/or visual sequences. The sequences were presented at either 1 or 2 Hz, while participants maintained constant finger pressure on a force sensor. The results revealed that although there was no change of amplitude in participants’ EMG in response to the sequences, the synchronization between EMG and EEG recorded over motor areas in the beta (12–40 Hz) frequency band was dynamically modulated, with maximal coherence occurring about 100 ms before each stimulus. These modulations in beta EEG–EMG motor coherence were found for the 2-Hz audio–visual sequences, confirming at a neurophysiological level the enhancement of motor entrainment with multimodal rhythms that fall within preferred perceptual and movement frequency ranges. Our findings identify beta band cortico-muscular coupling as a potential underlying mechanism of motor entrainment, further elucidating the nature of the link between sensory and motor systems in humans.

scholarly journals Elastic kirigami patch for electromyographic analysis of the palm muscle during baseball pitching

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kento Yamagishi ◽  
Takenori Nakanishi ◽  
Sho Mihara ◽  
Masaru Azuma ◽  
Shinji Takeoka ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Conductive Polymer ◽  
Muscular Activity ◽  
Abductor Pollicis Brevis ◽  
Arm Swing ◽  
Skin Contact ◽  
Human Movements ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Swing Movement ◽  
Electromyographic Analysis ◽  
Analysis Of Motion

Abstract Surface electromyography (sEMG) is widely used to analyze human movements, including athletic performance. For baseball pitchers, a very precise movement is required to pitch the ball into the strike zone. The palm muscles appear to play a key role in this movement, and a real-time recording of sEMG from the palm muscle is useful in the analysis of motion during baseball pitching. However, the currently available devices with rigid and bulky electrodes (including connective wires) impede natural movements of the wearer and recording of sEMG from the palm muscles during vigorous action. Here, we describe a skin-contact patch consisting of kirigami-based stretchable wirings and conductive polymer nanosheet-based ultraconformable bioelectrodes, which address the challenge of mechanical mismatch between human skin and electrical devices. The key strategy is a kirigami-inspired wiring design and a mechanical gradient structure from nanosheet-based flexible bioelectrodes to a bulk wearable device. This approach would buffer the mechanical stress applied to the skin-contact bioelectrodes during an arm swing movement. With this patch, we precisely measure sEMG at the abductor pollicis brevis muscle (APBM) in a baseball player during ball pitching. We observe differences in the activity of the APBM between different types of pitches—fastball and curveball. This sEMG measurement system will enable the analysis of motion in unexplored muscle areas, such as on the palm and the sole, leading to a deeper understanding of muscular activity during performance in a wide range of sports and other movements.

scholarly journals Motor cortex can modulate somatosensory processing via cortico-thalamo-cortical pathway

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Lohse ◽  
Matthew Cooper ◽  
Elie Sader ◽  
Antonia Langfelder ◽  
Martin Kahn ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Motor Cortex ◽  
Primary Motor Cortex ◽  
Somatosensory Processing ◽  
Top Down ◽  
Motor Systems ◽  
Dynamic Modulation ◽  
Optogenetic Stimulation ◽  
Sensorimotor Interactions ◽  
Somatosensory Pathway ◽  
Layer Vi

AbstractThe somatosensory and motor systems are intricately linked, providing several routes for the sensorimotor interactions necessary for haptic processing. Here, we used electrical and optogenetic stimulation to study the circuits that enable primary motor cortex (M1) to exert top-down modulation of whisker-evoked responses, at the levels of brain stem, thalamus and somatosensory cortex (S1). We find that activation of M1 drives somatosensory responsive cells at all levels, and that this excitation is followed by a period of tactile suppression, which gradually increases in strength along the ascending somatosensory pathway. Using optogenetic stimulation in the layer-specific Cre driver lines, we find that activation of layer VI cortico-thalamic neurons is sufficient to drive spiking in higher order thalamus, and that this is reliably followed by excitation of S1, suggesting a cross-modal cortico-thalamo-cortical pathway. Cortico-thalamic excitation predicts the degree of subsequent tactile suppression, consistent with a strong role for thalamic circuits in the expression of inhibitory sensorimotor interactions. These results provide evidence of a role for M1 in dynamic modulation of S1, largely under cortico-thalamic control.

Studying the Mechanical Sensitivity of Human Colon Cancer Cells Through a Novel Bio-MEMS Force Sensor

2010 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xin Tang ◽  
Tony Cappa ◽  
Theresa B. Kuhlenschmidt ◽  
Mark S. Kuhlenschmidt ◽  
Taher A. Saif
Keyword(s):  
Cancer Cells ◽  
Cancer Cell ◽  
Circulatory System ◽  
Force Sensor ◽  
Human Colon ◽  
Underlying Mechanism ◽  
Mechanical Stiffness ◽  
Human Colon Cancer ◽  
Microscopy Imaging

Cancer deaths are primarily caused by metastases, not by the parent tumor. During the metastasis, malignant cancer cells detach from the parent tumor, and spread through the patient’s circulatory system to invade new tissues and organs [1]. To study the role played by the mechanical microenvironment on the cancer cell growth and malignancy promotion, we cultured human colon carcinoma (HCT-8) cells in vitro on substrates with varied mechanical stiffness, from the physiologically relevant 1 kPa, 20 kPa to very stiff 3.5 GPa. A novel and versatile micro-electromechanical systems (Bio-MEMS) force sensor [2] is developed to quantify the strength of non-specific adhesion between living cancer cells membrane and probe, an important hallmark of cancer cell malignancy level. Immunoflurescent staining and Confocal microscopy imaging are used to visualize the cellular organelle organization and cooperate to explore the underlying mechanism.

scholarly journals Alteration of the dynamic modulation of auditory beta-band oscillations by voice power during speech-in-noise

2014 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vander Ghinst Marc ◽  
Bourguignon Mathieu ◽  
Wens Vincent ◽  
Marty Brice ◽  
Op De Beeck Marc ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Beta Band ◽  
Dynamic Modulation ◽  
Speech In Noise

scholarly journals Assessing Language-Induced Motor Activity through Event Related Potentials and the Grip Force Sensor, an Exploratory Study

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fernanda Pérez-Gay Juárez ◽  
David Labrecque ◽  
Victor Frak
Keyword(s):  
Motor Activity ◽  
Language Processing ◽  
Cognitive Neuroscience ◽  
Grip Force ◽  
Event Related Potentials ◽  
Force Sensor ◽  
Motor Systems ◽  
Electrophysiological Activity ◽  
Sensorimotor Interaction ◽  
Related Potentials

The link between language processing and motor systems has been the focus of increasing interest to Cognitive Neuroscience. Some classical papers studying Event Related Potentials (ERPs) induced by linguistic stimuli have found differences in electrophysiological activity when comparing action and non-action words; more specifically, a bigger p200 for action words. On the other hand, a series of studies have validated the use of a grip force sensor (GFS) to measure language-induced motor activity during both isolated words and sentence listening, finding that action words induce an augmentation in the grip force around 250-300 ms after the onset of the stimulus. The purpose of the present study is to combine both techniques to assess if the p200 is related to the augmentation of the grip force measured by a GFS. We measured ERP and GFS changes elicited by listening to action and non-action words while maintaining an active grasping task in 10 healthy subjects. Our results show that the amplitude of the p200 in central electrodes is correlated to the augmentation in the GFS around 300 ms induced by linguistic stimuli. To our knowledge, this is the first study where the electrophysiological activity and the changes in the grip force induced by auditory language processing are put together, opening new venues of interpretation for the sensorimotor interaction in language processing.

Tactile Sensing Using Contact Resistance in MWNT/PDMS Composites

2012 ◽  
Vol 1410 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Ian McKelvey ◽  
Arpad Kormendy ◽  
L.P. Felipe Chibante
Keyword(s):  
Contact Resistance ◽  
Single Layer ◽  
Tactile Sensor ◽  
Force Sensor ◽  
Fast Response ◽  
Tactile Sensing ◽  
Polydimethyl Siloxane ◽  
Sensor Material ◽  
Sensing Systems ◽  
Finger Pressure

ABSTRACTA carbon nanotube polymer composite has been used to develop a flexible multi-touch tactile sensor device. Rather than employing the inherent bulk piezoresistive properties of the composite, the contact resistance between polymer and electrode was exploited to achieve finger pressure measurement with fast response. We have synthesized a series of multi-walled nanotube (MWNT) silicone composites to test the feasibility of a force sensor based on the change in surface contact resistance as a function of applied force. A single layer MWNT/polydimethyl-siloxane (PDMS) composite in the range of 1.5-3.0 % w/w nanotubes was employed as a force sensor material in an array of electrodes. It was determined that sensors based on these materials are viable as tactile sensing systems for finger-touch forces in the range of 1-100 N.

scholarly journals An Event-Related Study for Dynamic Analysis of Corticomuscular Connectivity

2010 ◽  
Vol 2 ◽  
pp. BECB.S5546
Author(s):  
Ou Bai ◽  
Dandan Huang ◽  
Peter Lin ◽  
Jinglong Wu ◽  
Xuedong Chen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Target Tracking ◽  
Time Course ◽  
Spectral Estimation ◽  
Muscular Activity ◽  
Dynamic Force ◽  
Beta Band ◽  
Spectral Parameters ◽  
New Device ◽  
Isometric Muscle Contraction ◽  
Visual Target Tracking

Corticomuscular coupling estimated by EEG-EMG coherence may reveal functional cortical driving of peripheral muscular activity. EEG-EMG coherence in the beta band (15–30 Hz) has been extensively studied under isometric muscle contraction tasks. We attempted to study the time-course of corticomuscular connectivity under a dynamic target tracking task. A new device was developed for the real-time measurement of dynamic force created by pinching thumb and index fingers. Four healthy subjects who participated in this study were asked to track visual targets with the feedback forces. Spectral parameters using FFT and complex wavelet were explored for reliable estimation of event-related coherence and EEG-EMG correlogram for representing corticomuscular connectivity. Clearly distinguishable FFT-based coherence and cross-correlogram during the visual target tracking were observed with appropriate hyper-parameters for spectral estimation. The system design and the exploration of signal processing methods in this study supports further exploration of corticomuscular connectivity associated with human motor control.

scholarly journals Spontaneous activity competes with externally evoked responses in sensory cortex

2021 ◽  
Vol 118 (25) ◽  
pp. e2023286118
Author(s):  
Golan Karvat ◽  
Mansour Alyahyay ◽  
Ilka Diester
Keyword(s):  
Real Time ◽  
Closed Loop ◽  
Underlying Mechanism ◽  
Dynamic State ◽  
Evoked Responses ◽  
Beta Band ◽  
Beta Power ◽  
Adjustment System ◽  
Sensory Evoked ◽  
External Stimuli

The interaction between spontaneous and externally evoked neuronal activity is fundamental for a functional brain. Increasing evidence suggests that bursts of high-power oscillations in the 15- to 30-Hz beta-band represent activation of internally generated events and mask perception of external cues. Yet demonstration of the effect of beta-power modulation on perception in real time is missing, and little is known about the underlying mechanism. Here, we used a closed-loop stimulus-intensity adjustment system based on online burst-occupancy analyses in rats involved in a forepaw vibrotactile detection task. We found that the masking influence of burst occupancy on perception can be counterbalanced in real time by adjusting the vibration amplitude. Offline analysis of firing rates (FRs) and local field potentials across cortical layers and frequency bands confirmed that beta-power in the somatosensory cortex anticorrelated with sensory evoked responses. Mechanistically, bursts in all bands were accompanied by transient synchronization of cell assemblies, but only beta-bursts were followed by a reduction of FR. Our closed loop approach reveals that spontaneous beta-bursts reflect a dynamic state that competes with external stimuli.

Face Inversion Effect Emerges Under Critical Configural Discrepancy

2010 ◽  
Vol 69 (3) ◽  
pp. 161-167 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jisien Yang ◽  
Adrian Schwaninger
Keyword(s):  
Face Recognition ◽  
Face Processing ◽  
Underlying Mechanism ◽  
Inversion Effect ◽  
Configural Processing ◽  
Major Contributor ◽  
Face Inversion Effect ◽  
Configural Information ◽  
Face Inversion ◽  
The Face

Configural processing has been considered the major contributor to the face inversion effect (FIE) in face recognition. However, most researchers have only obtained the FIE with one specific ratio of configural alteration. It remains unclear whether the ratio of configural alteration itself can mediate the occurrence of the FIE. We aimed to clarify this issue by manipulating the configural information parametrically using six different ratios, ranging from 4% to 24%. Participants were asked to judge whether a pair of faces were entirely identical or different. The paired faces that were to be compared were presented either simultaneously (Experiment 1) or sequentially (Experiment 2). Both experiments revealed that the FIE was observed only when the ratio of configural alteration was in the intermediate range. These results indicate that even though the FIE has been frequently adopted as an index to examine the underlying mechanism of face processing, the emergence of the FIE is not robust with any configural alteration but dependent on the ratio of configural alteration.

Focusing of Visuospatial Attention

2001 ◽  
Vol 15 (4) ◽  
pp. 256-274 ◽  
Author(s):  
Caterina Pesce ◽  
Rainer Bösel
Keyword(s):  
Reaction Times ◽  
Visual Space ◽  
Spatial Relation ◽  
Stimulus Onset ◽  
Visuospatial Attention ◽  
Task Demands ◽  
Time Interval ◽  
Behavioral Studies ◽  
Task Conditions ◽  
Simple Rt

Abstract In the present study we explored the focusing of visuospatial attention in subjects practicing and not practicing activities with high attentional demands. Similar to the studies of Castiello and Umiltà (e. g., 1990) , our experimental procedure was a variation of Posner's (1980) basic paradigm for exploring covert orienting of visuospatial attention. In a simple RT-task, a peripheral cue of varying size was presented unilaterally or bilaterally from a central fixation point and followed by a target at different stimulus-onset-asynchronies (SOAs). The target could occur validly inside the cue or invalidly outside the cue with varying spatial relation to its boundary. Event-related brain potentials (ERPs) and reaction times (RTs) were recorded to target stimuli under the different task conditions. RT and ERP findings showed converging aspects as well as dissociations. Electrophysiological results revealed an amplitude modulation of the ERPs in the early and late Nd time interval at both anterior and posterior scalp sites, which seems to be related to the effects of peripheral informative cues as well as to the attentional expertise. Results were: (1) shorter latency effects confirm the positive-going amplitude enhancement elicited by unilateral peripheral cues and strengthen the criticism against the neutrality of spatially nonpredictive peripheral cueing of all possible target locations which is often presumed in behavioral studies. (2) Longer latency effects show that subjects with attentional expertise modulate the distribution of the attentional resources in the visual space differently than nonexperienced subjects. Skilled practice may lead to minimizing attentional costs by automatizing the use of a span of attention that is adapted to the most frequent task demands and endogenously increases the allocation of resources to cope with less usual attending conditions.

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