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Borzelli D, Vieira TMM, Botter A, Gazzoni M, Lacquaniti F, d'Avella A. Synaptic inputs to motor neurons underlying muscle coactivation for functionally different tasks have different spectral characteristics. J Neurophysiol 2024; 131:1126-1142. [PMID: 38629162 DOI: 10.1152/jn.00199.2023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2023] [Revised: 04/11/2024] [Accepted: 04/11/2024] [Indexed: 06/01/2024] Open
Abstract
The central nervous system (CNS) may produce the same endpoint trajectory or torque profile with different muscle activation patterns. What differentiates these patterns is the presence of cocontraction, which does not contribute to effective torque generation but allows to modulate joints' mechanical stiffness. Although it has been suggested that the generation of force and the modulation of stiffness rely on separate pathways, a characterization of the differences between the synaptic inputs to motor neurons (MNs) underlying these tasks is still missing. In this study, participants coactivated the same pair of upper-limb muscles, i.e., the biceps brachii and the triceps brachii, to perform two functionally different tasks: limb stiffness modulation or endpoint force generation. Spike trains of MNs were identified through decomposition of high-density electromyograms (EMGs) collected from the two muscles. Cross-correlogram showed a higher synchronization between MNs recruited to modulate stiffness, whereas cross-muscle coherence analysis revealed peaks in the β-band, which is commonly ascribed to a cortical origin. These peaks did not appear during the coactivation for force generation, thus suggesting separate cortical inputs for stiffness modulation. Moreover, a within-muscle coherence analysis identified two subsets of MNs that were selectively recruited to generate force or regulate stiffness. This study is the first to highlight different characteristics, and probable different neural origins, of the synaptic inputs driving a pair of muscles under different functional conditions. We suggest that stiffness modulation is driven by cortical inputs that project to a separate set of MNs, supporting the existence of a separate pathway underlying the control of stiffness.NEW & NOTEWORTHY The characterization of the pathways underlying force generation or stiffness modulation are still unknown. In this study, we demonstrated that the common input to motor neurons of antagonist muscles shows a high-frequency component when muscles are coactivated to modulate stiffness but not to generate force. Our results provide novel insights on the neural strategies for the recruitment of multiple muscles by identifying specific spectral characteristics of the synaptic inputs underlying functionally different tasks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniele Borzelli
- Department of Biomedical, Dental, Morphological and Functional Imaging Sciences, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
- Laboratory of Neuromotor Physiology, IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, Rome, Italy
| | - Taian M M Vieira
- Laboratory for Engineering of the Neuromuscular System, Department of Electronics and Telecommunications, Politecnico di Torino, Turin, Italy
- PoliToBIOMed Lab, Politecnico di Torino, Turin, Italy
| | - Alberto Botter
- Laboratory for Engineering of the Neuromuscular System, Department of Electronics and Telecommunications, Politecnico di Torino, Turin, Italy
- PoliToBIOMed Lab, Politecnico di Torino, Turin, Italy
| | - Marco Gazzoni
- Laboratory for Engineering of the Neuromuscular System, Department of Electronics and Telecommunications, Politecnico di Torino, Turin, Italy
- PoliToBIOMed Lab, Politecnico di Torino, Turin, Italy
| | - Francesco Lacquaniti
- Laboratory of Neuromotor Physiology, IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, Rome, Italy
- Department of Systems Medicine and Center of Space BioMedicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Andrea d'Avella
- Department of Biomedical, Dental, Morphological and Functional Imaging Sciences, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
- Laboratory of Neuromotor Physiology, IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, Rome, Italy
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Wang T, Xia M, Wang J, Zhilenkov A, Wang J, Xi X, Li L. Delay estimation for cortical-muscular interaction with wavelet coherence time lag. J Neurosci Methods 2024; 405:110098. [PMID: 38423364 DOI: 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2024.110098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2023] [Revised: 02/09/2024] [Accepted: 02/23/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cortico-muscular coherence (CMC) between the cerebral cortex and muscle activity is an effective tool for studying neural communication in the motor control system. To accurately evaluate the coherence between electroencephalogram (EEG) and electromyogram (EMG) signals, it is necessary to accurately calculate the time delay between physiological signals to ensure signal synchronization. NEW METHOD We proposed a new delay estimation method, named wavelet coherence time lag (WCTL) and the significant increase areas (SIA) index as a measure of the specific region enhancement effect of the magnitude squared coherence (MSC) image. RESULTS The grip strength level had a small effect on the information transmission time from the cortex to the muscles, while the transmission time from the cortex to different muscle channels was different for the same task. A positive correlation was found between the grip strength level and the SIA index on the β band of C3-B and the α and β bands of C3-FDS. COMPARISON WITH EXISTING METHOD The WCTL method was found to accurately calculate the delay time even when the number of repeated segments was low in a simple motor control model, and the results were more accurate than the rate of voxels change (RVC) and CMC with time lag (CMCTL) methods. CONCLUSIONS The WCTL is an effective method for detecting the transmission time of information between the cortex and muscles, laying the foundation for future rehabilitation treatment for stroke patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ting Wang
- School of Automation, Hangzhou Dianzi University, Hangzhou 310018, China.
| | - Mingze Xia
- School of Automation, Hangzhou Dianzi University, Hangzhou 310018, China
| | - Junhong Wang
- School of Automation, Hangzhou Dianzi University, Hangzhou 310018, China
| | - Anton Zhilenkov
- Department of Cyber-Physical Systems, St. Petersburg State Marine Technical University, Saint-Petersburg 190121, Russia
| | - Jian Wang
- School of Automation, Hangzhou Dianzi University, Hangzhou 310018, China
| | - Xugang Xi
- School of Automation, Hangzhou Dianzi University, Hangzhou 310018, China
| | - Lihua Li
- School of Automation, Hangzhou Dianzi University, Hangzhou 310018, China
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Cano LA, Albarracín AL, Pizá AG, García-Cena CE, Fernández-Jover E, Farfán FD. Assessing Cognitive Workload in Motor Decision-Making through Functional Connectivity Analysis: Towards Early Detection and Monitoring of Neurodegenerative Diseases. SENSORS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2024; 24:1089. [PMID: 38400247 PMCID: PMC10893317 DOI: 10.3390/s24041089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2023] [Revised: 09/04/2023] [Accepted: 02/05/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024]
Abstract
Neurodegenerative diseases (NDs), such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and frontotemporal dementia, among others, are increasingly prevalent in the global population. The clinical diagnosis of these NDs is based on the detection and characterization of motor and non-motor symptoms. However, when these diagnoses are made, the subjects are often in advanced stages where neuromuscular alterations are frequently irreversible. In this context, we propose a methodology to evaluate the cognitive workload (CWL) of motor tasks involving decision-making processes. CWL is a concept widely used to address the balance between task demand and the subject's available resources to complete that task. In this study, multiple models for motor planning during a motor decision-making task were developed by recording EEG and EMG signals in n=17 healthy volunteers (9 males, 8 females, age 28.66±8.8 years). In the proposed test, volunteers have to make decisions about which hand should be moved based on the onset of a visual stimulus. We computed functional connectivity between the cortex and muscles, as well as among muscles using both corticomuscular and intermuscular coherence. Despite three models being generated, just one of them had strong performance. The results showed two types of motor decision-making processes depending on the hand to move. Moreover, the central processing of decision-making for the left hand movement can be accurately estimated using behavioral measures such as planning time combined with peripheral recordings like EMG signals. The models provided in this study could be considered as a methodological foundation to detect neuromuscular alterations in asymptomatic patients, as well as to monitor the process of a degenerative disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leonardo Ariel Cano
- Neuroscience and Applied Technologies Laboratory (LINTEC), Bioengineering Department, Faculty of Exact Sciences and Technology (FACET), National University of Tucuman, Superior Institute of Biological Research (INSIBIO), National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET), Av. Independencia 1800, San Miguel de Tucuman 4000, Argentina
| | - Ana Lía Albarracín
- Neuroscience and Applied Technologies Laboratory (LINTEC), Bioengineering Department, Faculty of Exact Sciences and Technology (FACET), National University of Tucuman, Superior Institute of Biological Research (INSIBIO), National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET), Av. Independencia 1800, San Miguel de Tucuman 4000, Argentina
| | - Alvaro Gabriel Pizá
- Neuroscience and Applied Technologies Laboratory (LINTEC), Bioengineering Department, Faculty of Exact Sciences and Technology (FACET), National University of Tucuman, Superior Institute of Biological Research (INSIBIO), National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET), Av. Independencia 1800, San Miguel de Tucuman 4000, Argentina
| | - Cecilia Elisabet García-Cena
- ETSIDI-Center for Automation and Robotics, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Ronda de Valencia 3, 28012 Madrid, Spain
| | - Eduardo Fernández-Jover
- Institute of Bioengineering, Universidad Miguel Hernández of Elche, 03202 Elche, Spain
- Research Networking Center in Bioengineering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine (CIBER-BBN), 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Fernando Daniel Farfán
- Neuroscience and Applied Technologies Laboratory (LINTEC), Bioengineering Department, Faculty of Exact Sciences and Technology (FACET), National University of Tucuman, Superior Institute of Biological Research (INSIBIO), National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET), Av. Independencia 1800, San Miguel de Tucuman 4000, Argentina
- Institute of Bioengineering, Universidad Miguel Hernández of Elche, 03202 Elche, Spain
- Research Networking Center in Bioengineering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine (CIBER-BBN), 28029 Madrid, Spain
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Riehm CD, Bonnette S, Rush JL, Diekfuss JA, Koohestani M, Myer GD, Norte GE, Sherman DA. Corticomuscular cross-recurrence analysis reveals between-limb differences in motor control among individuals with ACL reconstruction. Exp Brain Res 2024; 242:355-365. [PMID: 38092900 PMCID: PMC10872341 DOI: 10.1007/s00221-023-06751-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2023] [Accepted: 11/16/2023] [Indexed: 01/04/2024]
Abstract
Surgical reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and subsequent physical therapy can help athletes return to competition; however, re-injury rates remain disproportionately high due, in part, to lingering biomechanical and neurological factors that are not fully addressed during rehabilitation. Prior reports indicate that individuals exhibit altered electrical activity in both brain and muscle after ACL reconstruction (ACLR). In this investigation, we aimed to extend existing approaches by introducing a novel non-linear analysis of corticomuscular dynamics, which does not assume oscillatory coupling between brain and muscle: Corticomuscular cross-recurrence analysis (CM-cRQA). Our findings indicate that corticomuscular dynamics vary significantly between involved (injured) and uninvolved legs of participants with ACLR during voluntary isometric contractions between the brain and both the vastus medialis and lateralis. This finding points to a potential lingering neural deficit underlying re-injury for athletes after surgical reconstruction, namely the dynamical structure of neuromuscular (brain to quad muscle) coordination, which is significantly asymmetric, between limbs, in those who have ACLR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher D Riehm
- Emory Sports Performance And Research Center (SPARC), Flowery Branch, GA, USA.
- Emory Sports Medicine Center, Atlanta, GA, USA.
- Department of Orthopaedics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA.
| | - Scott Bonnette
- Division of Sports Medicine, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Justin L Rush
- Division of Physical Therapy, School of Rehabilitation Sciences, Ohio University, Athens, OH, USA
| | - Jed A Diekfuss
- Emory Sports Performance And Research Center (SPARC), Flowery Branch, GA, USA
- Emory Sports Medicine Center, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Department of Orthopaedics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Moein Koohestani
- Neuroplasticity, & Sarcopenia (CNS) Lab, Institute of Exercise Physiology and Rehabilitation Science, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, USA
| | - Gregory D Myer
- Emory Sports Performance And Research Center (SPARC), Flowery Branch, GA, USA
- Emory Sports Medicine Center, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Department of Orthopaedics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
- The Micheli Center for Sports Injury Prevention, Waltham, MA, USA
- Youth Physical Development Centre, Cardiff Metropolitan University, Wales, UK
| | - Grant E Norte
- Neuroplasticity, & Sarcopenia (CNS) Lab, Institute of Exercise Physiology and Rehabilitation Science, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, USA
| | - David A Sherman
- Live4 Physical Therapy and Wellness, Acton, MA, USA
- Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
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Ke W, Luo Z. Analysis of Cortico-Muscular Coupling and Functional Brain Network under Different Standing Balance Paradigms. Brain Sci 2024; 14:81. [PMID: 38248296 PMCID: PMC10813745 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci14010081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2023] [Revised: 01/04/2024] [Accepted: 01/12/2024] [Indexed: 01/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Maintaining standing balance is essential for people to engage in productive activities in daily life. However, the process of interaction between the cortex and the muscles during balance regulation is understudied. Four balance paradigms of different difficulty were designed by closing eyes and laying sponge pad under feet. Ten healthy subjects were recruited to stand for ten 15 s trials in each paradigm. This study used simultaneously acquired electroencephalography (EEG) and electromyography (EMG) to investigate changes in the human cortico-muscular coupling relationship and functional brain network characteristics during balance control. The coherence and causality of EEG and EMG signals were calculated by magnitude-squared coherence (MSC) and transfer entropy (TE). It was found that changes in balance strategies may lead to a shift in cortico-muscular coherence (CMC) from the beta band to the gamma band when the difficulty of balance increased. As subjects performed the four standing balance paradigms, the causality of the beta band and the gamma band was stronger in the descending neural pathway than that in the ascending neural pathway. A multi-rhythmic functional brain network with 19 EEG channels was constructed and analyzed based on graph theory, showing that its topology also changed with changes in balance difficulty. These results show an active adjustment of the sensorimotor system under different balance paradigms and provide new insights into the endogenous physiological mechanisms underlying the control of standing balance.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Zhizeng Luo
- Institute of Intelligent Control and Robotics, Hangzhou Dianzi University, Hangzhou 310018, China;
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Santos PDG, Vaz JR, Correia J, Neto T, Pezarat-Correia P. Long-Term Neurophysiological Adaptations to Strength Training: A Systematic Review With Cross-Sectional Studies. J Strength Cond Res 2023; 37:2091-2105. [PMID: 37369087 DOI: 10.1519/jsc.0000000000004543] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/29/2023]
Abstract
ABSTRACT Santos, PDG, Vaz, JR, Correia, J, Neto, T, and Pezarat-Correia, P. Long-term neurophysiological adaptations to strength training: a systematic review with cross-sectional studies. J Strength Cond Res 37(10): 2091-2105, 2023-Neuromuscular adaptations to strength training are an extensively studied topic in sports sciences. However, there is scarce information about how neural mechanisms during force production differ between trained and untrained individuals. The purpose of this systematic review is to better understand the differences between highly trained and untrained individuals to establish the long-term neural adaptations to strength training. Three databases were used for the article search (PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus). Studies were included if they compared groups of resistance-trained with untrained people, aged 18-40 year, and acquired electromyography (EMG) signals during strength tasks. Twenty articles met the eligibility criteria. Generally, strength-trained individuals produced greater maximal voluntary activation, while reducing muscle activity in submaximal tasks, which may affect the acute response to strength training. These individuals also presented lower co-contraction of the antagonist muscles, although it depends on the specific training background. Global intermuscular coordination may be another important mechanism of adaptation in response to long-term strength training; however, further research is necessary to understand how it develops over time. Although these results should be carefully interpreted because of the great disparity of analyzed variables and methods of EMG processing, chronic neural adaptations seem to be decisive to greater force production. It is crucial to know the timings at which these adaptations stagnate and need to be stimulated with advanced training methods. Thus, training programs should be adapted to training status because the same stimulus in different training stages will lead to different responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paulo D G Santos
- Neuromuscular Research Lab, Faculty of Human Kinetics, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - João R Vaz
- Neuromuscular Research Lab, Faculty of Human Kinetics, Lisbon, Portugal
- CIPER, Faculty of Human Kinetics, Lisbon, Portugal
- Centro de Investigação Interdisciplinar Egas Moniz (CiiEM), Egas Moniz-Cooperativa de Ensino Superior, Monte da Caparica, Portugal; and
| | - Joana Correia
- Neuromuscular Research Lab, Faculty of Human Kinetics, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Tiago Neto
- Department of Physiotherapy, LUNEX International University of Health, Exercise and Sports, Differdange, Luxembourg
| | - Pedro Pezarat-Correia
- Neuromuscular Research Lab, Faculty of Human Kinetics, Lisbon, Portugal
- CIPER, Faculty of Human Kinetics, Lisbon, Portugal
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Sherman DA, Baumeister J, Stock MS, Murray AM, Bazett-Jones DM, Norte GE. Weaker Quadriceps Corticomuscular Coherence in Individuals after ACL Reconstruction during Force Tracing. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2023; 55:625-632. [PMID: 36730761 DOI: 10.1249/mss.0000000000003080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE This study aimed to compare quadriceps corticomuscular coherence (CMC) and force steadiness between individuals with anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) and uninjured controls during a force tracing task. METHODS Individuals with ACLR ( n = 20) and controls ( n = 20) performed a knee extension force-control task at 50% of maximal voluntary effort. Electrocortical activity, electromyographic activity, and torque output were recorded concurrently. CMC in beta (13-30 Hz) and gamma (31-80 Hz) frequency bands was assessed using partial directed coherence between the contralateral motor cortex (e.g., C4-C2-Cz electrodes) and the ipsilateral quadriceps muscles (e.g., left vastus medialis and lateralis). Force steadiness was quantified using root-mean-square error and coefficient of variation. Active motor threshold was determined using transcranial magnetic stimulation. Differences between groups (ACLR vs control) and limbs (involved vs uninvolved) were assessed using peak knee extension strength and active motor threshold as a priori covariates. RESULTS Participants with ACLR had lower gamma band connectivity bilaterally when compared with controls (vastus medialis: d = 0.8; vastus lateralis: d = 0.7). Further, the ACLR group demonstrated worse quadriceps force steadiness (root-mean-square error, d = 0.5), lower involved limb quadriceps strength ( d = 1.1), and higher active motor threshold ( d = 1.0) compared with controls. CONCLUSIONS Lower quadriceps gamma band CMC in the ACLR group suggests lower cortical drive (e.g., corticomotor decoupling) to the quadriceps compared with matched controls. Further, the ACLR group demonstrated worse quadriceps force steadiness, suggesting impaired ability to modulate quadriceps neuromuscular control. Notably, CMC differences were present only in the gamma frequency band, suggesting impairments may be specific to multisensory integration and force modulation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jochen Baumeister
- Exercise Science and Neuroscience Unit, Department of Exercise and Health, Faculty of Science, Paderborn University, Paderborn, GERMANY
| | - Matt S Stock
- Neuromuscular Plasticity Laboratory, Institute of Exercise Physiology and Rehabilitation Science, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL
| | - Amanda M Murray
- School of Exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences, College of Health and Human Services, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH
| | - David M Bazett-Jones
- School of Exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences, College of Health and Human Services, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH
| | - Grant E Norte
- School of Exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences, College of Health and Human Services, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH
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Stokkermans M, Solis-Escalante T, Cohen MX, Weerdesteyn V. Distinct cortico-muscular coupling between step and stance leg during reactive stepping responses. Front Neurol 2023; 14:1124773. [PMID: 36998772 PMCID: PMC10043329 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2023.1124773] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2022] [Accepted: 02/20/2023] [Indexed: 03/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Balance recovery often relies on successful stepping responses, which presumably require precise and rapid interactions between the cerebral cortex and the leg muscles. Yet, little is known about how cortico-muscular coupling (CMC) supports the execution of reactive stepping. We conducted an exploratory analysis investigating time-dependent CMC with specific leg muscles in a reactive stepping task. We analyzed high density EEG, EMG, and kinematics of 18 healthy young participants while exposing them to balance perturbations at different intensities, in the forward and backward directions. Participants were instructed to maintain their feet in place, unless stepping was unavoidable. Muscle-specific Granger causality analysis was conducted on single step- and stance-leg muscles over 13 EEG electrodes with a midfrontal scalp distribution. Time-frequency Granger causality analysis was used to identify CMC from cortex to muscles around perturbation onset, foot-off and foot strike events. We hypothesized that CMC would increase compared to baseline. In addition, we expected to observe different CMC between step and stance leg because of their functional role during the step response. In particular, we expected that CMC would be most evident for the agonist muscles while stepping, and that CMC would precede upregulation in EMG activity in these muscles. We observed distinct Granger gain dynamics over theta, alpha, beta, and low/high-gamma frequencies during the reactive balance response for all leg muscles in each step direction. Interestingly, between-leg differences in Granger gain were almost exclusively observed following the divergence of EMG activity. Our results demonstrate cortical involvement in the reactive balance response and provide insights into its temporal and spectral characteristics. Overall, our findings suggest that higher levels of CMC do not facilitate leg-specific EMG activity. Our work is relevant for clinical populations with impaired balance control, where CMC analysis may elucidate the underlying pathophysiological mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mitchel Stokkermans
- Department of Rehabilitation, Radboud University Medical Center for Medical Neuroscience, Nijmegen, Netherlands
- Department of Synchronisation in Neural Systems, Donders Institute for Brain Cognition and Behavior, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Teodoro Solis-Escalante
- Department of Rehabilitation, Radboud University Medical Center for Medical Neuroscience, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Michael X. Cohen
- Department of Synchronisation in Neural Systems, Donders Institute for Brain Cognition and Behavior, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Vivian Weerdesteyn
- Department of Rehabilitation, Radboud University Medical Center for Medical Neuroscience, Nijmegen, Netherlands
- Sint Maartenskliniek Research, Nijmegen, Netherlands
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Glories D, Soulhol M, Amarantini D, Duclay J. Combined effect of contraction type and intensity on corticomuscular coherence during isokinetic plantar flexions. Eur J Appl Physiol 2023; 123:609-621. [PMID: 36352055 DOI: 10.1007/s00421-022-05087-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2022] [Accepted: 11/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
During isometric contractions, corticomuscular coherence (CMC) may be modulated along with the contraction intensity. Furthermore, CMC may also vary between contraction types due to the contribution of spinal inhibitory mechanisms. However, the interaction between the effect of the contraction intensity and of the contraction type on CMC remains hitherto unknown. Therefore, CMC and spinal excitability modulations were compared during submaximal isometric, shortening and lengthening contractions of plantar flexor muscles at 25, 50, and 70% of the maximal soleus (SOL) EMG activity. CMC was computed in the time-frequency domain between the Cz EEG electrode signal and the SOL or medial gastrocnemius (MG) EMG signals. The results indicated that beta-band CMC was decreased in the SOL only between 25 and 50-70% contractions for both isometric and anisometric contractions, but remained similar for all contraction intensities in the MG. Spinal excitability was similar for all contraction intensities in both muscles. Meanwhile a divergence of the EEG and the EMG signals mean frequency was observed only in the SOL and only between 25 and 50-70% contractions, independently from the contraction type. Collectively, these findings confirm an effect of the contraction intensity on beta-band CMC, although it was only measured in the SOL, between low-level and high-level contraction intensities. Furthermore, the current findings provide new evidence that the observed modulations of beta-band CMC with the contraction intensity does not depend on the contraction type or on spinal excitability variations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dorian Glories
- Toulouse NeuroImaging Center, Université de Toulouse, Inserm, UPS, 118 Route de Narbonne, 3062, Toulouse Cedex 9, France
| | - Mathias Soulhol
- Toulouse NeuroImaging Center, Université de Toulouse, Inserm, UPS, 118 Route de Narbonne, 3062, Toulouse Cedex 9, France
| | - David Amarantini
- Toulouse NeuroImaging Center, Université de Toulouse, Inserm, UPS, 118 Route de Narbonne, 3062, Toulouse Cedex 9, France
| | - Julien Duclay
- Toulouse NeuroImaging Center, Université de Toulouse, Inserm, UPS, 118 Route de Narbonne, 3062, Toulouse Cedex 9, France.
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Dos Anjos T, Guillot A, Kerautret Y, Daligault S, Di Rienzo F. Corticomotor Plasticity Underlying Priming Effects of Motor Imagery on Force Performance. Brain Sci 2022; 12:brainsci12111537. [PMID: 36421861 PMCID: PMC9688534 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci12111537] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2022] [Revised: 11/08/2022] [Accepted: 11/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The neurophysiological processes underlying the priming effects of motor imagery (MI) on force performance remain poorly understood. Here, we tested whether the priming effects of embedded MI practice involved short-term changes in corticomotor connectivity. In a within-subjects counterbalanced experimental design, participants (n = 20) underwent a series of experimental sessions consisting of successive maximal isometric contractions of elbow flexor muscles. During inter-trial rest periods, we administered MI, action observation (AO), and a control passive recovery condition. We collected electromyograms (EMG) from both agonists and antagonists of the force task, in addition to electroencephalographic (EEG) brain potentials during force trials. Force output was higher during MI compared to AO and control conditions (both p < 0.01), although fatigability was similar across experimental conditions. We also found a weaker relationship between triceps brachii activation and force output during MI and AO compared to the control condition. Imaginary coherence topographies of alpha (8−12 Hz) oscillations revealed increased connectivity between EEG sensors from central scalp regions and EMG signals from agonists during MI, compared to AO and control. Present results suggest that the priming effects of MI on force performance are mediated by a more efficient cortical drive to motor units yielding reduced agonist/antagonist coactivation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Typhanie Dos Anjos
- Laboratoire Interuniversitaire de Biologie de la Motricité, Univ Lyon, Université de Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, EA 7424, CEDEX, F-69622 Villeurbanne, France
- Allyane, 84 quai Joseph Gillet, 69004 Lyon, France
| | - Aymeric Guillot
- Laboratoire Interuniversitaire de Biologie de la Motricité, Univ Lyon, Université de Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, EA 7424, CEDEX, F-69622 Villeurbanne, France
- Institut Universitaire de France, F-75000 Paris, France
| | - Yann Kerautret
- Laboratoire Interuniversitaire de Biologie de la Motricité, Univ Lyon, Université de Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, EA 7424, CEDEX, F-69622 Villeurbanne, France
- CAPSIX, 69100 Villeurbanne, France
| | - Sébastien Daligault
- Centre de Recherche Multimodal et Pluridisciplinaire en Imagerie du Vivant (CERMEP), Department of Magnetoencephalography, F-69500 Bron, France
| | - Franck Di Rienzo
- Laboratoire Interuniversitaire de Biologie de la Motricité, Univ Lyon, Université de Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, EA 7424, CEDEX, F-69622 Villeurbanne, France
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +33-(0)4-7243-1625
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Investigation of Corticomuscular Functional Coupling during Hand Movements Using Vine Copula. Brain Sci 2022; 12:brainsci12060754. [PMID: 35741639 PMCID: PMC9221488 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci12060754] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2022] [Revised: 05/30/2022] [Accepted: 06/06/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Corticomuscular functional coupling reflects the neuronal communication between cortical oscillations and muscle activity. Although the motor cortex is significantly involved in complex motor tasks, there is still no detailed understanding of the cortical contribution during such tasks. In this paper, we first propose a vine copula model to describe corticomuscular functional coupling and we construct the brain muscle function network. First, we recorded surface electromyography (sEMG) and electroencephalography (EEG) signals corresponding to the hand open, hand close, wrist flexion, and wrist extension motions of 12 participants during the initial experiments. The pre-processed signals were translated into the marginal density functions of different channels through the generalized autoregressive conditional heteroscedasticity model. Subsequently, we calculated the Kendall rank correlation coefficient, and used the R-vine model to decompose the multi-dimensional marginal density function into two-dimensional copula coefficient to determine the structure of the R-vine. Finally, we used the normalized adjacency matrix to structure the corticomuscular network for each hand motion considered. Based on the adjacency matrix, we found that the Kendall rank correlation coefficient between EEG and EMG was low. Moreover, a significant difference was observed in the correlation between the C3 and EMG signals for the different hand-motion activities. We also observed two core nodes in the networks corresponding to the four activities when the vine copula model was applied. Moreover, there was a large difference in the connections of the network models corresponding to the different hand-motion activities. Therefore, we believe that our approach is sufficiently accurate in identifying and classifying motor tasks.
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12
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Delcamp C, Cormier C, Chalard A, Amarantini D, Gasq D. Botulinum toxin injections combined with rehabilitation decrease corticomuscular coherence in stroke patients. Clin Neurophysiol 2022; 136:49-57. [DOI: 10.1016/j.clinph.2021.12.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2021] [Revised: 12/20/2021] [Accepted: 12/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
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13
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Bao SC, Chen C, Yuan K, Yang Y, Tong RKY. Disrupted cortico-peripheral interactions in motor disorders. Clin Neurophysiol 2021; 132:3136-3151. [PMID: 34749233 DOI: 10.1016/j.clinph.2021.09.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2021] [Revised: 08/08/2021] [Accepted: 09/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Motor disorders may arise from neurological damage or diseases at different levels of the hierarchical motor control system and side-loops. Altered cortico-peripheral interactions might be essential characteristics indicating motor dysfunctions. By integrating cortical and peripheral responses, top-down and bottom-up cortico-peripheral coupling measures could provide new insights into the motor control and recovery process. This review first discusses the neural bases of cortico-peripheral interactions, and corticomuscular coupling and corticokinematic coupling measures are addressed. Subsequently, methodological efforts are summarized to enhance the modeling reliability of neural coupling measures, both linear and nonlinear approaches are introduced. The latest progress, limitations, and future directions are discussed. Finally, we emphasize clinical applications of cortico-peripheral interactions in different motor disorders, including stroke, neurodegenerative diseases, tremor, and other motor-related disorders. The modified interaction patterns and potential changes following rehabilitation interventions are illustrated. Altered coupling strength, modified coupling directionality, and reorganized cortico-peripheral activation patterns are pivotal attributes after motor dysfunction. More robust coupling estimation methodologies and combination with other neurophysiological modalities might more efficiently shed light on motor control and recovery mechanisms. Future studies with large sample sizes might be necessary to determine the reliabilities of cortico-peripheral interaction measures in clinical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shi-Chun Bao
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Cheng Chen
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Kai Yuan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Yuan Yang
- Stephenson School of Biomedical Engineering, University of Oklahoma, Tulsa, OK, USA; Laureate Institute for Brain Research, Tulsa, OK, USA; Department of Physical Therapy and Human Movement Sciences, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Raymond Kai-Yu Tong
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
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14
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Liu J, Tan G, Sheng Y, Wei Y, Liu H. A novel delay estimation method for improving corticomuscular coherence in continuous synchronization events. IEEE Trans Biomed Eng 2021; 69:1328-1339. [PMID: 34559633 DOI: 10.1109/tbme.2021.3115386] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE While the corticomuscular coupling between motor cortex and muscle tissue has received considerable attention, which is typically quantitative measure to evaluate neural signals synchronization in the motor control system, little work has been published regarding the effect of underlying delay of two coupled physiological signals on coherence. METHODS In this study, we developed a novel delay estimation method, named rate of voxels change (RVC), detecting time delay in two coupled physiological signals. Based on RVC framework, delay compensation was used to adjust magnitude squared coherence (MSC) image. To illustrate the effectiveness of the RVC method, we compared the estimated delays and the adjusted MSC results based on RVC method and corticomuscular coherence with time lag (CMCTL) method. RESULTS The simulation results suggested that RVC method was not only superior to the CMCTL method in estimating different time delays, but also has better optimization effect on MSC image. The experimental results further confirmed that delay estimated by the proposed RVC method was more in line with the underlying physiology (controls: 22.8 ms vs patients: 34.5 ms). Meanwhile, RVC-based delay compensation could significantly optimize the MSC of specific regions. SIGNIFICANCE This study proved that RVC has remarkably higher reliability in detecting time delay between coupled neurophysiological signals, and the application of RVC was an improvement on the previous studies that mainly focused on biased MSC estimation.
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15
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Fauvet M, Gasq D, Chalard A, Tisseyre J, Amarantini D. Temporal Dynamics of Corticomuscular Coherence Reflects Alteration of the Central Mechanisms of Neural Motor Control in Post-Stroke Patients. Front Hum Neurosci 2021; 15:682080. [PMID: 34366811 PMCID: PMC8342994 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2021.682080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2021] [Accepted: 06/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The neural control of muscular activity during a voluntary movement implies a continuous updating of a mix of afferent and efferent information. Corticomuscular coherence (CMC) is a powerful tool to explore the interactions between the motor cortex and the muscles involved in movement realization. The comparison of the temporal dynamics of CMC between healthy subjects and post-stroke patients could provide new insights into the question of how agonist and antagonist muscles are controlled related to motor performance during active voluntary movements. We recorded scalp electroencephalography activity, electromyography signals from agonist and antagonist muscles, and upper limb kinematics in eight healthy subjects and seventeen chronic post-stroke patients during twenty repeated voluntary elbow extensions and explored whether the modulation of the temporal dynamics of CMC could contribute to motor function impairment. Concomitantly with the alteration of elbow extension kinematics in post-stroke patients, dynamic CMC analysis showed a continuous CMC in both agonist and antagonist muscles during movement and highlighted that instantaneous CMC in antagonist muscles was higher for post-stroke patients compared to controls during the acceleration phase of elbow extension movement. In relation to motor control theories, our findings suggest that CMC could be involved in the online control of voluntary movement through the continuous integration of sensorimotor information. Moreover, specific alterations of CMC in antagonist muscles could reflect central command alterations of the selectivity in post-stroke patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maxime Fauvet
- ToNIC-Toulouse NeuroImaging Center, Université de Toulouse, Inserm, UPS, Toulouse, France
| | - David Gasq
- ToNIC-Toulouse NeuroImaging Center, Université de Toulouse, Inserm, UPS, Toulouse, France.,Department of Functional Physiological Explorations, University Hospital of Toulouse, Hôpital Rangueil, Toulouse, France
| | - Alexandre Chalard
- ToNIC-Toulouse NeuroImaging Center, Université de Toulouse, Inserm, UPS, Toulouse, France.,Department of Neurology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States.,California Rehabilitation Institute, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Joseph Tisseyre
- ToNIC-Toulouse NeuroImaging Center, Université de Toulouse, Inserm, UPS, Toulouse, France
| | - David Amarantini
- ToNIC-Toulouse NeuroImaging Center, Université de Toulouse, Inserm, UPS, Toulouse, France
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16
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Tun NN, Sanuki F, Iramina K. Electroencephalogram-Electromyogram Functional Coupling and Delay Time Change Based on Motor Task Performance. SENSORS 2021; 21:s21134380. [PMID: 34206753 PMCID: PMC8271984 DOI: 10.3390/s21134380] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2021] [Revised: 06/17/2021] [Accepted: 06/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Synchronous correlation brain and muscle oscillations during motor task execution is termed as functional coupling. Functional coupling between two signals appears with a delay time which can be used to infer the directionality of information flow. Functional coupling of brain and muscle depends on the type of muscle contraction and motor task performance. Although there have been many studies of functional coupling with types of muscle contraction and force level, there has been a lack of investigation with various motor task performances. Motor task types play an essential role that can reflect the amount of functional interaction. Thus, we examined functional coupling under four different motor tasks: real movement, intention, motor imagery and movement observation tasks. We explored interaction of two signals with linear and nonlinear information flow. The aim of this study is to investigate the synchronization between brain and muscle signals in terms of functional coupling and delay time. The results proved that brain–muscle functional coupling and delay time change according to motor tasks. Quick synchronization of localized cortical activity and motor unit firing causes good functional coupling and this can lead to short delay time to oscillate between signals. Signals can flow with bidirectionality between efferent and afferent pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nyi Nyi Tun
- Graduate School of Information Science and Electrical Engineering, Kyushu University, 744 Motooka, Nishi-ku, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan
- Correspondence: (N.N.T.); (K.I.); Tel.: +81-80-9392-9429 (N.N.T.); Fax: +81-92-802-3581 (N.N.T.)
| | - Fumiya Sanuki
- Graduate School of Systems Life Sciences, Kyushu University, 744 Motooka, Nishi-ku, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan;
| | - Keiji Iramina
- Faulty of Information Science and Electrical Engineering, Kyushu University, 744 Motooka, Nishi-ku, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan
- Correspondence: (N.N.T.); (K.I.); Tel.: +81-80-9392-9429 (N.N.T.); Fax: +81-92-802-3581 (N.N.T.)
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17
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Glories D, Soulhol M, Amarantini D, Duclay J. Specific modulation of corticomuscular coherence during submaximal voluntary isometric, shortening and lengthening contractions. Sci Rep 2021; 11:6322. [PMID: 33737659 PMCID: PMC7973785 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-85851-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2020] [Accepted: 03/03/2021] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
During voluntary contractions, corticomuscular coherence (CMC) is thought to reflect a mutual interaction between cortical and muscle oscillatory activities, respectively measured by electroencephalography (EEG) and electromyography (EMG). However, it remains unclear whether CMC modulation would depend on the contribution of neural mechanisms acting at the spinal level. To this purpose, modulations of CMC were compared during submaximal isometric, shortening and lengthening contractions of the soleus (SOL) and the medial gastrocnemius (MG) with a concurrent analysis of changes in spinal excitability that may be reduced during lengthening contractions. Submaximal contractions intensity was set at 50% of the maximal SOL EMG activity. CMC was computed in the time-frequency domain between the Cz EEG electrode signal and the unrectified SOL or MG EMG signal. Spinal excitability was quantified through normalized Hoffmann (H) reflex amplitude. The results indicate that beta-band CMC and normalized H-reflex were significantly lower in SOL during lengthening compared with isometric contractions, but were similar in MG for all three muscle contraction types. Collectively, these results highlight an effect of contraction type on beta-band CMC, although it may differ between agonist synergist muscles. These novel findings also provide new evidence that beta-band CMC modulation may involve spinal regulatory mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dorian Glories
- grid.15781.3a0000 0001 0723 035XToNIC, Université de Toulouse, Inserm, UPS, Toulouse, France ,grid.15781.3a0000 0001 0723 035XFaculty of Sport Science, University Paul Sabatier, Toulouse, France
| | - Mathias Soulhol
- grid.15781.3a0000 0001 0723 035XToNIC, Université de Toulouse, Inserm, UPS, Toulouse, France ,grid.15781.3a0000 0001 0723 035XFaculty of Sport Science, University Paul Sabatier, Toulouse, France
| | - David Amarantini
- grid.15781.3a0000 0001 0723 035XToNIC, Université de Toulouse, Inserm, UPS, Toulouse, France ,grid.15781.3a0000 0001 0723 035XFaculty of Sport Science, University Paul Sabatier, Toulouse, France
| | - Julien Duclay
- grid.15781.3a0000 0001 0723 035XToNIC, Université de Toulouse, Inserm, UPS, Toulouse, France ,grid.15781.3a0000 0001 0723 035XFaculty of Sport Science, University Paul Sabatier, Toulouse, France
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18
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Corticomuscular Coherence and Motor Control Adaptations after Isometric Maximal Strength Training. Brain Sci 2021; 11:brainsci11020254. [PMID: 33670532 PMCID: PMC7922221 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci11020254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2021] [Revised: 02/05/2021] [Accepted: 02/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Strength training (ST) induces corticomuscular adaptations leading to enhanced strength. ST alters the agonist and antagonist muscle activations, which changes the motor control, i.e., force production stability and accuracy. This study evaluated the alteration of corticomuscular communication and motor control through the quantification of corticomuscular coherence (CMC) and absolute (AE) and variable error (VE) of the force production throughout a 3 week Maximal Strength Training (MST) intervention specifically designed to strengthen ankle plantarflexion (PF). Evaluation sessions with electroencephalography, electromyography, and torque recordings were conducted pre-training, 1 week after the training initiation, then post-training. Training effect was evaluated over the maximal voluntary isometric contractions (MVIC), the submaximal torque production, AE and VE, muscle activation, and CMC changes during submaximal contractions at 20% of the initial and daily MVIC. MVIC increased significantly throughout the training completion. For submaximal contractions, agonist muscle activation decreased over time only for the initial torque level while antagonist muscle activation, AE, and VE decreased over time for each torque level. CMC remained unaltered by the MST. Our results revealed that neurophysiological adaptations are noticeable as soon as 1 week post-training. However, CMC remained unaltered by MST, suggesting that central motor adaptations may take longer to be translated into CMC alteration.
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19
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Hortobágyi T, Granacher U, Fernandez-Del-Olmo M, Howatson G, Manca A, Deriu F, Taube W, Gruber M, Márquez G, Lundbye-Jensen J, Colomer-Poveda D. Functional relevance of resistance training-induced neuroplasticity in health and disease. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2020; 122:79-91. [PMID: 33383071 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2020.12.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2020] [Revised: 12/18/2020] [Accepted: 12/19/2020] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Repetitive, monotonic, and effortful voluntary muscle contractions performed for just a few weeks, i.e., resistance training, can substantially increase maximal voluntary force in the practiced task and can also increase gross motor performance. The increase in motor performance is often accompanied by neuroplastic adaptations in the central nervous system. While historical data assigned functional relevance to such adaptations induced by resistance training, this claim has not yet been systematically and critically examined in the context of motor performance across the lifespan in health and disease. A review of muscle activation, brain and peripheral nerve stimulation, and imaging data revealed that increases in motor performance and neuroplasticity tend to be uncoupled, making a mechanistic link between neuroplasticity and motor performance inconclusive. We recommend new approaches, including causal mediation analytical and hypothesis-driven models to substantiate the functional relevance of resistance training-induced neuroplasticity in the improvements of gross motor function across the lifespan in health and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tibor Hortobágyi
- Center for Human Movement Sciences, University of Groningen, University Medical CenterGroningen, Groningen, Netherlands.
| | - Urs Granacher
- Division of Training and Movement Sciences, Research Focus Cognition Sciences, University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Miguel Fernandez-Del-Olmo
- Area of Sport Sciences, Faculty of Sports Sciences and Physical Education, Center for Sport Studies, King Juan Carlos University, Madrid, Spain
| | - Glyn Howatson
- Department of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation, Northumbria University, Newcastle, UK; Water Research Group, North West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa
| | - Andrea Manca
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy
| | - Franca Deriu
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy
| | - Wolfgang Taube
- Department of Neurosciences and Movement Sciences, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Markus Gruber
- Human Performance Research Centre, Department of Sport Science, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Gonzalo Márquez
- Department of Physical Education and Sport, Faculty of Sports Sciences and Physical Education, University of A Coruña, A Coruña, Spain
| | - Jesper Lundbye-Jensen
- Movement & Neuroscience, Department of Nutrition, Exercise & Sports Department of Neuroscience, University of Copenhagenk, Faculty of Health Science, Universidad Isabel I, Burgos, Spain
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20
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Chalard A, Amarantini D, Tisseyre J, Marque P, Gasq D. Spastic co-contraction is directly associated with altered cortical beta oscillations after stroke. Clin Neurophysiol 2020; 131:1345-1353. [PMID: 32304849 DOI: 10.1016/j.clinph.2020.02.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2019] [Revised: 01/16/2020] [Accepted: 02/12/2020] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Spastic co-contraction is a motor-disabling form of muscle overactivity occurring after a stroke, contributing to a limitation in active movement and a certain level of motor impairment. The cortical mechanisms underlying spastic co-contraction remain to be more fully elucidated, the present study aimed to investigate the role of the cortical beta oscillations in spastic co-contraction after a stroke. METHOD We recruited fifteen post-stroke participants and nine healthy controls. The participants were asked to perform active elbow extensions. In the study, multimodal analysis was performed to combine the evaluation of three-dimensional elbow kinematics, the elbow muscles electromyographic activations, and the cortical oscillatory activity. RESULTS The movement-related beta desynchronization was significantly decreased in post-stroke participants compared to healthy participants. We found a significant correlation between the movement-related beta desynchronization and the elbow flexors activation during the active elbow extension in post-stroke participants. When compared to healthy participants, post-stroke participants exhibited significant alterations in the elbow kinematics and greater muscle activation levels. CONCLUSIONS Cortical beta oscillation alterations may reflect an important neural mechanism underlying spastic co-contraction after a stroke. SIGNIFICANCE Measuring the cortical oscillatory activity could be useful to further characterize neuromuscular plasticity induced by recovery or therapeutic interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandre Chalard
- ToNIC, Toulouse NeuroImaging Center, Université de Toulouse, Inserm, UPS, France; Ipsen Innovation, Les Ulis, France
| | - David Amarantini
- ToNIC, Toulouse NeuroImaging Center, Université de Toulouse, Inserm, UPS, France
| | - Joseph Tisseyre
- ToNIC, Toulouse NeuroImaging Center, Université de Toulouse, Inserm, UPS, France
| | - Philippe Marque
- ToNIC, Toulouse NeuroImaging Center, Université de Toulouse, Inserm, UPS, France; Department of Neurological Rehabilitation, University Hospital of Toulouse, Hôpital de Rangueil, Toulouse, France
| | - David Gasq
- ToNIC, Toulouse NeuroImaging Center, Université de Toulouse, Inserm, UPS, France; Department of Functional Physiological Explorations, University Hospital of Toulouse, Hôpital de Rangueil, Toulouse, France.
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21
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Coupling between human brain activity and body movements: Insights from non-invasive electromagnetic recordings. Neuroimage 2019; 203:116177. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2019.116177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2019] [Revised: 08/28/2019] [Accepted: 09/06/2019] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
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22
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Mason J, Howatson G, Frazer AK, Pearce AJ, Jaberzadeh S, Avela J, Kidgell DJ. Modulation of intracortical inhibition and excitation in agonist and antagonist muscles following acute strength training. Eur J Appl Physiol 2019; 119:2185-2199. [DOI: 10.1007/s00421-019-04203-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2019] [Accepted: 07/31/2019] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
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23
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McManus L, Flood MW, Lowery MM. Beta-band motor unit coherence and nonlinear surface EMG features of the first dorsal interosseous muscle vary with force. J Neurophysiol 2019; 122:1147-1162. [PMID: 31365308 DOI: 10.1152/jn.00228.2019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Motor unit firing times are weakly coupled across a range of frequencies during voluntary contractions. Coherent activity within the beta-band (15-35 Hz) has been linked to oscillatory cortical processes, providing evidence of functional connectivity between the motoneuron pool and motor cortex. The aim of this study was to investigate whether beta-band motor unit coherence is altered with increasing abduction force in the first dorsal interosseous muscle. Coherence between motor unit firing times, extracted from decomposed surface electromyography (EMG) signals, was investigated in 17 subjects at 10, 20, 30, and 40% of maximum voluntary contraction. Corresponding changes in nonlinear surface EMG features (specifically sample entropy and determinism, which are sensitive to motor unit synchronization) were also examined. A reduction in beta-band and alpha-band coherence was observed as force increased [F(3, 151) = 32, P < 0.001 and F(3, 151) = 27, P < 0.001, respectively], accompanied by corresponding changes in nonlinear surface EMG features. A significant relationship between the nonlinear features and motor unit coherence was also detected (r = -0.43 ± 0.1 and r = 0.45 ± 0.1 for sample entropy and determinism, respectively; both P < 0.001). The reduction in beta-band coherence suggests a change in the relative contribution of correlated and uncorrelated presynaptic inputs to the motoneuron pool, and/or a decrease in the responsiveness of the motoneuron pool to synchronous inputs at higher forces. The study highlights the importance of considering muscle activation when investigating changes in motor unit coherence or nonlinear EMG features and examines other factors that can influence coherence estimation.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Intramuscular alpha- and beta-band coherence decreased as muscle contraction force increased. Beta-band coherence was higher in groups of high-threshold motor units than in simultaneously active lower threshold units. Alterations in motor unit coherence with increases or decreases in force and with the onset of fatigue were accompanied by corresponding changes in surface electromyography sample entropy and determinism. Mixed-model analysis indicated mean firing rate and number of motor units also influenced the coherence estimate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lara McManus
- School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Matthew W Flood
- School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Madeleine M Lowery
- School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin, Ireland
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24
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Liu J, Sheng Y, Zeng J, Liu H. Corticomuscular Coherence for Upper Arm Flexor and Extensor Muscles During Isometric Exercise and Cyclically Isokinetic Movement. Front Neurosci 2019; 13:522. [PMID: 31178688 PMCID: PMC6538811 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2019.00522] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2019] [Accepted: 05/06/2019] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Cortical-muscular functional coupling reflects the interaction between the cerebral cortex and the muscle activities. Corticomuscular coherence (CMC) has been extensively revealed in sustained contractions of various upper- and lower-limb muscles during static and dynamic force outputs. However, it is not well-understood that the CMC modulation mechanisms, i.e., the relation between a cerebral hemisphere and dynamic motor controlling limbs at constant speeds, such as isokinetic movement. In this paper, we explore the CMC between upper arm flexors/extensors movement and motor cortex during isometric exercise and cyclically isokinetic movement. We also provide further insights of frequency-shift and the neural pathway mechanisms in isokinetic movement by evaluating the coherence between motor cortex and agonistic or antagonistic muscles. This study is the first to investigate the relationship between cortical-muscular functional connections in elbow flexion-extension movement with constant speeds. The result shows that gamma-range coherence for isokinetic movement is greatly increased compared with isometric exercise, and significant CMC is observed in the entire flexion-extension stage regardless the nature of muscles contraction, although dominant synchronization of cortical oscillation and muscular activity resonated in sustained contraction stage principally. Besides, the CMC for extensors and flexors are explicitly consistent in contraction stage during cyclically isokinetic elbow movement. It is concluded that cortical-muscular coherence can be dynamically modulated as well as selective by cognitive demands of the body, and the time-varying mechanisms of the synchronous motor oscillation exist in healthy individuals during dynamic movement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinbiao Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Mechanical System and Vibration, School of Mechanical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yixuan Sheng
- State Key Laboratory of Mechanical System and Vibration, School of Mechanical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jia Zeng
- State Key Laboratory of Mechanical System and Vibration, School of Mechanical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Honghai Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Mechanical System and Vibration, School of Mechanical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
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25
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Liu J, Sheng Y, Liu H. Corticomuscular Coherence and Its Applications: A Review. Front Hum Neurosci 2019; 13:100. [PMID: 30949041 PMCID: PMC6435838 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2019.00100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2018] [Accepted: 03/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Corticomuscular coherence (CMC) is an index utilized to indicate coherence between brain motor cortex and associated body muscles, conventionally. As an index of functional connections between the cortex and muscles, CMC research is the focus of neurophysiology in recent years. Although CMC has been extensively studied in healthy subjects and sports disorders, the purpose of its applications is still ambiguous, and the magnitude of CMC varies among individuals. Here, we aim to investigate factors that modulate the variation of CMC amplitude and compare significant CMC between these factors to find a well-developed research prospect. In the present review, we discuss the mechanism of CMC and propose a general definition of CMC. Factors affecting CMC are also summarized as follows: experimental design, band frequencies and force levels, age correlation, and difference between healthy controls and patients. In addition, we provide a detailed overview of the current CMC applications for various motor disorders. Further recognition of the factors affecting CMC amplitude can clarify the physiological mechanism and is beneficial to the implementation of CMC clinical methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinbiao Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Mechanical System and Vibration, School of Mechanical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yixuan Sheng
- State Key Laboratory of Mechanical System and Vibration, School of Mechanical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Honghai Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Mechanical System and Vibration, School of Mechanical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
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Desmyttere G, Mathieu E, Begon M, Simoneau‐Buessinger E, Cremoux S. Effect of the phase of force production on corticomuscular coherence with agonist and antagonist muscles. Eur J Neurosci 2018; 48:3288-3298. [DOI: 10.1111/ejn.14126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2018] [Revised: 08/08/2018] [Accepted: 08/17/2018] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Gauthier Desmyttere
- École de Kinésiologie et des Sciences de l’Activité PhysiqueUniversité de Montréal Montréal Canada
- LAMIH, UMR CNRS 8201Université de Valenciennes et du Hainaut Cambrésis Valenciennes France
| | - Emilie Mathieu
- LAMIH, UMR CNRS 8201Université de Valenciennes et du Hainaut Cambrésis Valenciennes France
| | - Mickael Begon
- École de Kinésiologie et des Sciences de l’Activité PhysiqueUniversité de Montréal Montréal Canada
| | | | - Sylvain Cremoux
- LAMIH, UMR CNRS 8201Université de Valenciennes et du Hainaut Cambrésis Valenciennes France
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Acute cardiovascular exercise promotes functional changes in cortico-motor networks during the early stages of motor memory consolidation. Neuroimage 2018; 174:380-392. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2018.03.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2017] [Revised: 03/06/2018] [Accepted: 03/14/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
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