scholarly journals Mechanisms and Dynamics of Cortical Motor Inhibition in the Stop-signal Paradigm: A TMS Study

2010 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 225-239 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wery P. M. van den Wildenberg ◽  
Borís Burle ◽  
Franck Vidal ◽  
Maurits W. van der Molen ◽  
K. Richard Ridderinkhof ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Time Course ◽  
Primary Motor Cortex ◽  
Motor Evoked Potential ◽  
Silent Period ◽  
Single Pulse ◽  
Stop Signal ◽  
Neural Basis ◽  
Manual Response ◽  
Inhibitory Circuits ◽  
Voluntary Behavior

The ability to stop ongoing motor responses in a split-second is a vital element of human cognitive control and flexibility that relies in large part on prefrontal cortex. We used the stop-signal paradigm to elucidate the engagement of primary motor cortex (M1) in inhibiting an ongoing voluntary motor response. The stop-signal paradigm taps the ability to flexibly countermand ongoing voluntary behavior upon presentation of a stop signal. We applied single-pulse TMS to M1 at several intervals following the stop signal to track the time course of excitability of the motor system related to generating and stopping a manual response. Electromyography recorded from the flexor pollicis brevis allowed quantification of the excitability of the corticospinal tract and the involvement of intracortical GABABergic circuits within M1, indexed respectively by the amplitude of the motor-evoked potential and the duration of the late part of the cortical silent period (SP). The results extend our knowledge of the neural basis of inhibitory control in three ways. First, the results revealed a dynamic interplay between response activation and stopping processes at M1 level during stop-signal inhibition of an ongoing response. Second, increased excitability of inhibitory interneurons that drives SP prolongation was evident as early as 134 msec following the instruction to stop. Third, this pattern was followed by a stop-related reduction of corticospinal excitability implemented around 180 after the stop signal. These findings point to the recruitment of GABABergic intracortical inhibitory circuits within M1 in stop-signal inhibition and support the notion of stopping as an active act of control.

Rapid prediction of biomechanical costs during action decisions

2014 ◽  
Vol 112 (6) ◽  
pp. 1256-1266 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ignasi Cos ◽  
Julie Duque ◽  
Paul Cisek
Keyword(s):  
Time Course ◽  
Primary Motor Cortex ◽  
Motor Evoked Potential ◽  
Single Pulse ◽  
Stimulus Presentation ◽  
Biomechanical Properties ◽  
Time Interval ◽  
Decision Task ◽  
Rapid Prediction ◽  
The One

When given a choice between actions that yield the same reward, we tend to prefer the one that requires the least effort. Recent studies have shown that humans are remarkably accurate at evaluating the effort of potential reaching actions and can predict the subtle energetic demand caused by the nonisotropic biomechanical properties of the arm. In the present study, we investigated the time course over which such information is computed and comes to influence decisions. Two independent approaches were used. First, subjects performed a reach decision task in which the time interval for deciding between two candidate reaching actions was varied from 200 to 800 ms. Second, we measured motor-evoked potential (MEPs) to single-pulse transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) over the primary motor cortex (M1) to probe the evolving decision at different times after stimulus presentation. Both studies yielded a consistent conclusion: that a prediction of the effort associated with candidate movements is computed very quickly and influences decisions within 200 ms after presentation of the candidate actions. Furthermore, whereas the MEPs measured 150 ms after stimulus presentation were well correlated with the choices that subjects ultimately made, later in the trial the MEP amplitudes were primarily related to the muscular requirements of the chosen movement. This suggests that corticospinal excitability (CSE) initially reflects a competition between candidate actions and later changes to reflect the processes of preparing to implement the winning action choice.

scholarly journals Cortical silent period reflects individual differences in action stopping performance

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mario Paci ◽  
Giulio Di Cosmo ◽  
Mauro Gianni Perrucci ◽  
Francesca Ferri ◽  
Marcello Costantini
Keyword(s):  
Individual Differences ◽  
Response Inhibition ◽  
Primary Motor Cortex ◽  
Silent Period ◽  
Intracortical Inhibition ◽  
Stop Signal ◽  
Stop Signal Task ◽  
Behavioral Differences ◽  
Cortical Silent Period ◽  
Stop Signal Reaction Time

AbstractInhibitory control is the ability to suppress inappropriate movements and unwanted actions, allowing to regulate impulses and responses. This ability can be measured via the Stop Signal Task, which provides a temporal index of response inhibition, namely the stop signal reaction time (SSRT). At the neural level, Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) allows to investigate motor inhibition within the primary motor cortex (M1), such as the cortical silent period (CSP) which is an index of GABAB-mediated intracortical inhibition within M1. Although there is strong evidence that intracortical inhibition varies during action stopping, it is still not clear whether differences in the neurophysiological markers of intracortical inhibition contribute to behavioral differences in actual inhibitory capacities. Hence, here we explored the relationship between intracortical inhibition within M1 and behavioral response inhibition. GABABergic-mediated inhibition in M1 was determined by the duration of CSP, while behavioral inhibition was assessed by the SSRT. We found a significant positive correlation between CSP’s duration and SSRT, namely that individuals with greater levels of GABABergic-mediated inhibition seem to perform overall worse in inhibiting behavioral responses. These results support the assumption that individual differences in intracortical inhibition are mirrored by individual differences in action stopping abilities.

scholarly journals Chronic low-frequency rTMS of primary motor cortex diminishes exercise training-induced gains in maximal voluntary force in humans

2009 ◽  
Vol 106 (2) ◽  
pp. 403-411 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tibor Hortobágyi ◽  
Sarah Pirio Richardson ◽  
Mikhael Lomarev ◽  
Ejaz Shamim ◽  
Sabine Meunier ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Motor Cortex ◽  
Primary Motor Cortex ◽  
Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation ◽  
Low Frequency ◽  
Motor Evoked Potential ◽  
Single Pulse ◽  
Compound Action Potential ◽  
Voluntary Contraction ◽  
Maximal Voluntary Force ◽  
Resting Motor Threshold

Although there is consensus that the central nervous system mediates the increases in maximal voluntary force (maximal voluntary contraction, MVC) produced by resistance exercise, the involvement of the primary motor cortex (M1) in these processes remains controversial. We hypothesized that 1-Hz repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) of M1 during resistance training would diminish strength gains. Forty subjects were divided equally into five groups. Subjects voluntarily (Vol) abducted the first dorsal interosseus (FDI) (5 bouts × 10 repetitions, 10 sessions, 4 wk) at 70–80% MVC. Another group also exercised but in the 1-min-long interbout rest intervals they received rTMS [Vol+rTMS, 1 Hz, FDI motor area, 300 pulses/session, 120% of the resting motor threshold (rMT)]. The third group also exercised and received sham rTMS (Vol+Sham). The fourth group received only rTMS (rTMS_only). The 37.5% and 33.3% gains in MVC in Vol and Vol+Sham groups, respectively, were greater ( P = 0.001) than the 18.9% gain in Vol+rTMS, 1.9% in rTMS_only, and 2.6% in unexercised control subjects who received no stimulation. Acutely, within sessions 5 and 10, single-pulse TMS revealed that motor-evoked potential size and recruitment curve slopes were reduced in Vol+rTMS and rTMS_only groups and accumulated to chronic reductions by session 10. There were no changes in rMT, maximum compound action potential amplitude (Mmax), and peripherally evoked twitch forces in the trained FDI and the untrained abductor digiti minimi. Although contributions from spinal sources cannot be excluded, the data suggest that M1 may play a role in mediating neural adaptations to strength training.

Stereotactic pallidotomy lengthens the transcranial magnetic cortical stimulation silent period in Parkinson's disease

Neurology ◽  
1997 ◽  
Vol 49 (5) ◽  
pp. 1278-1283 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. S. Young ◽  
W. J. Triggs ◽  
D. Bowers ◽  
M. Greer ◽  
W. A. Friedman
Keyword(s):  
Parkinson’S Disease ◽  
Parkinson's Disease ◽  
Globus Pallidus ◽  
Motor Evoked Potential ◽  
Silent Period ◽  
Cortical Stimulation ◽  
Abductor Pollicis Brevis ◽  
Inhibitory Circuits ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Transcranial Magnetic Cortical Stimulation

We compared the duration of the EMG cortical stimulation silent period(CSSP) elicited in abductor pollicis brevis using transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) before and after stereotactic unilateral globus pallidus internus pallidotomy (PAL) in 12 patients with Parkinson's disease. We used TMS stimulus intensities of 200, 150, 120, and 100% of motor evoked potential(MEP) threshold before and after (86 ± 25 days) PAL. PAL increased CSSP duration at stimulus intensities of 200% of MEP threshold in the hand contralateral to the stereotactic lesion. In a subset of five patients able to remain at rest during pre-PAL testing sessions, PAL decreased the resting MEP/M-wave area ratio in the hand contralateral to the lesion at a stimulus intensity of 120% of MEP threshold. PAL did not significantly modify the effects of TMS in the hand ipsilateral to the globus pallidus lesion. The results suggest that PAL improves the function of cortical motor inhibitory circuits in Parkinson's disease.

scholarly journals Effect of Paired Associative Stimulation on Corticomotor Excitability in Chronic Smokers

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 62 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew Lavender ◽  
Hiroki Obata ◽  
Noritaka Kawashima ◽  
Kimitaka Nakazawa
Keyword(s):  
Motor Learning ◽  
Cortical Excitability ◽  
Motor Evoked Potential ◽  
Silent Period ◽  
Single Pulse ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Paired Associative Stimulation ◽  
Negative Effect ◽  
Chronic Smoking

Chronic smoking has been shown to have deleterious effects on brain function and is an important risk factor for ischemic stroke. Reduced cortical excitability has been shown among chronic smokers compared with non-smokers to have a long-term effect and so far no study has assessed the effect of smoking on short-term motor learning. Paired associative stimulation (PAS) is a commonly used method for inducing changes in excitability of the motor cortex (M1) in a way that simulates short-term motor learning. This study employed PAS to investigate the effect of chronic cigarette smoking on plasticity of M1. Stimulator output required to elicit a motor-evoked potential (MEP) of approximately 1 mV was similar between the groups prior to PAS. MEP response to single pulse stimuli increased in the control group and remained above baseline level for at least 30 min after the intervention, but not in the smokers who showed no significant increase in MEP size. The silent period was similar between groups at all time points of the experiment. This study suggests that chronic smoking may have a negative effect on the response to PAS and infers that chronic smoking may have a deleterious effect on the adaptability of M1.

scholarly journals Determining the early corticospinal-motoneuronal responses to strength training: a systematic review and meta-analysis

2019 ◽  
Vol 30 (5) ◽  
pp. 463-476 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joel Mason ◽  
Ashlyn K. Frazer ◽  
Alan J. Pearce ◽  
Alicia M. Goodwill ◽  
Glyn Howatson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Strength Training ◽  
Primary Motor Cortex ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Short Interval ◽  
Silent Period ◽  
Intracortical Inhibition ◽  
Inhibitory Circuits ◽  
Intracortical Circuits ◽  
Meta Analyses

Abstract Several studies have used transcranial magnetic stimulation to probe the corticospinal-motoneuronal responses to a single session of strength training; however, the findings are inconsistent. This systematic review and meta-analysis examined whether a single bout of strength training affects the excitability and inhibition of intracortical circuits of the primary motor cortex (M1) and the corticospinal-motoneuronal pathway. A systematic review was completed, tracking studies between January 1990 and May 2018. The methodological quality of studies was determined using the Downs and Black quality index. Data were synthesised and interpreted from meta-analysis. Nine studies (n=107) investigating the acute corticospinal-motoneuronal responses to strength training met the inclusion criteria. Meta-analyses detected that after strength training compared to control, corticospinal excitability [standardised mean difference (SMD), 1.26; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.88, 1.63; p<0.0001] and intracortical facilitation (ICF) (SMD, 1.60; 95% CI, 0.18, 3.02; p=0.003) were increased. The duration of the corticospinal silent period was reduced (SMD, −17.57; 95% CI, −21.12, −14.01; p=0.00001), but strength training had no effect on the excitability of the intracortical inhibitory circuits [short-interval intracortical inhibition (SICI) SMD, 1.01; 95% CI, −1.67, 3.69; p=0.46; long-interval intracortical inhibition (LICI) SMD, 0.50; 95% CI, −1.13, 2.13; p=0.55]. Strength training increased the excitability of corticospinal axons (SMD, 4.47; 95% CI, 3.45, 5.49; p<0.0001). This systematic review and meta-analyses revealed that the acute neural changes to strength training involve subtle changes along the entire neuroaxis from the M1 to the spinal cord. These findings suggest that strength training is a clinically useful tool to modulate intracortical circuits involved in motor control.

scholarly journals Anatomo-Functional Origins of the Cortical Silent Period: Spotlight on the Basal Ganglia

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 705
Author(s):  
David Zeugin ◽  
Silvio Ionta
Keyword(s):  
Basal Ganglia ◽  
Primary Motor Cortex ◽  
Technological Development ◽  
Motor Evoked Potential ◽  
Silent Period ◽  
Cortical Silent Period ◽  
Relevant Evidence ◽  
Attentional Load ◽  
Fundamental Research ◽  
Future Work

The so-called cortical silent period (CSP) refers to the temporary interruption of electromyographic signal from a muscle following a motor-evoked potential (MEP) triggered by transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) over the primary motor cortex (M1). The neurophysiological origins of the CSP are debated. Previous evidence suggests that both spinal and cortical mechanisms may account for the duration of the CSP. However, contextual factors such as cortical fatigue, experimental procedures, attentional load, as well as neuropathology can also influence the CSP duration. The present paper summarizes the most relevant evidence on the mechanisms underlying the duration of the CSP, with a particular focus on the central role of the basal ganglia in the “direct” (excitatory), “indirect” (inhibitory), and “hyperdirect” cortico-subcortical pathways to manage cortical motor inhibition. We propose new methods of interpretation of the CSP related, at least partially, to the inhibitory hyperdirect and indirect pathways in the basal ganglia. This view may help to explain the respective shortening and lengthening of the CSP in various neurological disorders. Shedding light on the complexity of the CSP’s origins, the present review aims at constituting a reference for future work in fundamental research, technological development, and clinical settings.

scholarly journals A new measure of cortical inhibition by mechanomyography and paired-pulse transcranial magnetic stimulation in unanesthetized rats

2012 ◽  
Vol 107 (3) ◽  
pp. 966-972 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tsung-Hsun Hsieh ◽  
Sameer C. Dhamne ◽  
Jia-Jin J. Chen ◽  
Alvaro Pascual-Leone ◽  
Frances E. Jensen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation ◽  
Magnetic Stimulation ◽  
Time Course ◽  
Cortical Excitability ◽  
Motor Evoked Potential ◽  
Single Pulse ◽  
Cortical Inhibition ◽  
Testing Time ◽  
Paired Pulse ◽  
Awake Rats

Paired-pulse transcranial magnetic stimulation (ppTMS) is a safe and noninvasive tool for measuring cortical inhibition in humans, particularly in patients with disorders of cortical inhibition such as epilepsy. However, ppTMS protocols in rodent disease models, where mechanistic insight into the ppTMS physiology and into disease processes may be obtained, have been limited due to the requirement for anesthesia and needle electromyography. To eliminate the confounding factor of anesthesia and to approximate human ppTMS protocols in awake rats, we adapted the mechanomyogram (MMG) method to investigate the ppTMS inhibitory phenomenon in awake rats and then applied differential pharmacology to test the hypothesis that long-interval cortical inhibition is mediated by the GABAA receptor. Bilateral hindlimb-evoked MMGs were elicited in awake rats by long-interval ppTMS protocols with 50-, 100-, and 200-ms interstimulus intervals. Acute changes in ppTMS-MMG were measured before and after intraperitoneal injections of saline, the GABAA agonist pentobarbital (PB), and GABAA antagonist pentylenetetrazole (PTZ). An evoked MMG was obtained in 100% of animals by single-pulse stimulation, and ppTMS resulted in predictable inhibition of the test-evoked MMG. With increasing TMS intensity, MMG amplitudes increased in proportion to machine output to produce reliable input-output curves. Simultaneous recordings of electromyography and MMG showed a predictable latency discrepancy between the motor-evoked potential and the evoked MMG (7.55 ± 0.08 and 9.16 ± 0.14 ms, respectively). With pharmacological testing, time course observations showed that ppTMS-MMG inhibition was acutely reduced following PTZ ( P < 0.05), acutely enhanced after PB ( P < 0.01) injection, and then recovered to pretreatment baseline after 1 h. Our data support the application of the ppTMS-MMG technique for measuring the cortical excitability in awake rats and provide the evidence that GABAA receptor contributes to long-interval paired-pulse cortical inhibition. Thus ppTMS-MMG appears a well-tolerated biomarker for measuring GABAA-mediated cortical inhibition in rats.

scholarly journals Transcranial focused ultrasound neuromodulation of the human primary motor cortex

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wynn Legon ◽  
Priya Bansal ◽  
Roman Tyshynsky ◽  
Leo Ai ◽  
Jerel K. Mueller
Keyword(s):  
Motor Cortex ◽  
Focused Ultrasound ◽  
Primary Motor Cortex ◽  
Neuronal Excitability ◽  
Cortical Excitability ◽  
Silent Period ◽  
Single Pulse ◽  
Intracortical Inhibition ◽  
Stimulus Response ◽  
Non Invasive

AbstractTranscranial focused ultrasound is a form of non-invasive neuromodulation that uses acoustic energy to affect neuronal excitability. The effect of ultrasound on human motor cortical excitability is currently unknown. We apply ultrasound to the primary motor cortex in humans using a novel transcranial ultrasound and magnetic stimulation (TUMS) paradigm that allows for concurrent and concentric ultrasound stimulation with transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). This allows for non-invasive inspection of the effect of ultrasound on motor neuronal excitability using the motor evoked potential (MEP) generated by TMS. We test the effect of ultrasound on single pulse MEP recruitment curves and paired pulse protocols including short interval intracortical inhibition (SICI) and intracortical facilitation (ICF). We also test the longevity of the effect and the effect of ultrasound on the cortical silent period in a small sub-sample of participants. In addition, we test the effect of ultrasound to motor cortex on a stimulus response reaction time task. Results show ultrasound inhibits the amplitude of single-pulse MEPs and attenuates intracortical facilitation but does not affect intracortical inhibition. Early evidence suggests that ultrasound does not affect cortical silent period duration and that the duration of inhibition may be related to the duration of stimulation. Finally, ultrasound reduces reaction time on a simple stimulus response task. This is the first report of the effect of ultrasound on human motor cortical excitability and motor behavior and confirms previous results in the somatosensory cortex that ultrasound results in effective neuronal inhibition that confers a performance advantage.

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