EEG correlates of finger movements as a function of range of motion and pre-loading conditions

Linking motor-related brain potentials and velocity profiles in multi-joint arm reaching movements

The study of the movement related brain potentials (MRPBs) needs accurate technical approaches to disentangle the specific patterns of bran activity during the preparation and execution of movements. During the last forty years, synchronizing the electromyographic activation (EMG) of the muscle with electrophysiological recordings (EEG) has been commonly ussed for these purposes. However, new clinical approaches in the study of motor diseases and rehabilitation suggest the demand of new paradigms that might go further into the study of the brain activity associated with the kinematics of movements. As a response to this call, we have used a 3-D hand-tracking system with the aim to record continuously the position of an ultrasonic sender attached to the hand during the performance of multi-joint self-paced movements. We synchronized time-series of position and velocity of the sender with the EEG recordings, obtaining specific patterns of brain activity as a function of the fluctuations of the kinematics during natural movement performance. Additionally, the distribution of the brain activity during the preparation and execution phases of movements was similar that reported previously using the EMG, suggesting the validity of our technique. We claim that this paradigm could be usable in patients because of its simplicity and the potential knowledge that can be extracted from clinical protocols.

A behavior study of the effects of visual feedback on motor output

Visual feedback is a crucial factor that impacts the motor function, and a number of parameters, such as gain, delay and frequency, all play a role in regulating the motor output. In this paper, we conduct a behavioral study on 12 volunteers to determine the effects of visual feedback in the physical movement by measuring the grasp force output under different visual feedback gain levels. To this end, two force tracking tasks with different incremental/decremental rates of the force have been designed, and the force deviation and the error rate from the 12 participants are recorded when they are exposed to different visual gains. Further statistical analysis on the experimental data reveals that the gain of visual stimuli has a significant influence on the force output. For the same force tracking task, visual feedback with high gain tends to enhance the regulation of force production. The results also suggest that different visual feedback gains may be mapped onto different cortex function areas governing different motor tasks.

Movement-related parameters modulate cortical activity during imaginary isometric plantar-flexions

A multitude of studies have demonstrated a clear activation of the motor cortex during imagination of various motor tasks; however, it is still unclear if movement-related parameters (movement direction, range of motion, speed, force level and rate of force development) specifically modulate cortical activation as they do during the execution of actual motor tasks. Accordingly, this study examined whether the rate of torque development (RTD) and/or the torque amplitude modulates cortical potentials generated during imaginary motor tasks. Fifteen subjects imagined four different left-sided isometric plantar-flexion tasks, while EEG and EMG recordings were being performed. The averaged EEG activity was analyzed in terms of movement-related potentials (MRPs), consisting of readiness potential (RP), motor potential (MP) and movement-monitoring potential (MMP). It was demonstrated that RTD and torque amplitude indeed modulate cortical activity during imaginary motor tasks. Information concerning movement-related parameters for imaginary plantar-flexion tasks seems to be encoded in the supplementary motor area (SMA) and the primary motor cortex (M1). A comparison between MRPs of imaginary and actual motor tasks revealed that early MRPs were morphologically similar, but differed significantly in amplitude. One of the possible suggestions to explain such a difference may be an "abortion" of ongoing motor programs.

On the effects of adaptation to changing loads on movement-related EEG potentials

Movement-related potentials (MRP), a component of the electroencephalogram (EEG) generated during voluntary movements, are known to vary during adaptation to changing loads and to different load types. This study attempts to reveal these changes. A novel denoising algorithm based on iterative approximation was applied to the MRPs recorded from four subjects while performing simple movements against changing loads. The results show that when subjects perform a repetitive task under a constant load there appears a significant peak in the activity of several MRP components recorded over the prefrontal cortex during the third and fourth repetition of the task. Furthermore, different types of loads do not affect the shape of the MRP but different force intensities do.

Movement related potentials in acutely induced weakness and stroke

Weakness is a common symptom of neurological illness, and recovery may occur via restorative or compensatory mechanisms. Functional imaging studies have shown varied patterns of activity in motor areas following recovery from stroke. Movement related potentials (MRP) reflect the activity in primary and non-primary motor areas. We recorded MRPs in association with index finger abduction in six normal volunteers before and after induced weakness of a hand muscle and in six stroke patients with subcortical lesions and weakness affecting the arm. In both groups of subjects the greatest change was observed in the motor potential component of the MRP. On average, the motor potential had its greatest amplitude and duration at the time of the greatest weakness and became smaller with recovery. In artificially-induced weakness, the MRP had an earlier onset latency (P=0.042) and a greater early BP component (P=0.05) for the weakened finger. For the stroke subjects overall, the peak and NS' amplitudes were largest for the initial study and declined thereafter. Similar but smaller changes were present for movements of the clinically unaffected side. The increased motor potential is therefore consistent with increased activity in the motor cortex, and this may occur as compensation for weakness in both normals and after stroke.

Perceived effort in force production as reflected in motor-related cortical potentials

OBJECTIVE

The perceived effort in force production was investigated in a series of experiments where subjects performed isometric force tasks with the index finger while the nominal force, the rate of force development and signal gain were controlled and rating of effort for each task was obtained. The hypotheses tested were that: (1) force-related perceived effort may selectively influence the amplitude of motor-related cortical potentials (MRCP); and (2) the MRCP may directly reflect the intensity of perceived effort associated with force production.

METHODS

The force trace was displayed on a computer monitor using various control-gains so that the perceived effort matched or was at odds with actual muscular effort applied to the load cell to accomplish the task. The MRCP were extracted from continuous EEG records using averaging techniques.

RESULTS

The findings showed that: (1) perceived effort proportionally increased with the increment of rate of force development and force error, but not with the actual force level; (2) the amplitude of the MRCP increased when a large amount of force was accompanied by an increased rate of force development; (3) the amplitude of early components of MRCP preceding the force initiation (MP-100 to 0) increased as a function of anticipated effort, whereas, the amplitude movement-monitoring potentials (MMP) accompanying the force production increased as a function of actual force level.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings from this study provide additional insight clarifying the distinct patterns of EEG activity exhibited under various degrees of perceived effort associated with force output. The findings support the hypothesis that the early components of MRCP may reflect the perceived effort associated with achieving the required force level.

SIGNIFICANCE

The results from this study may be considered in the larger context of physical activity in terms of importance of perceived effort during prescribed exercise in rehabilitation programs.

Relationship between plantar-flexor torque generation and the magnitude of the movement-related potentials

This study investigates whether rate of torque development (RTD) and/or torque amplitude are reflected in the movement-related potentials (MRPs) preceding and accompanying isometric activation of plantar flexor muscles. Subjects were asked to perform six different tasks involving the left ankle joint. The tasks consisted of voluntary isometric plantar flexions at three different RTDs (two fixed rates and a 'ballistic' task) ending at two different torque amplitudes. The main observations from the analysis of the MRPs were: 1) the readiness potentials (RP) demonstrated a statistically significant discrimination between low and high torque amplitudes; 2) the RP, the motor potentials (MP) and the movement-monitoring potentials (MMP) could be statistically differentiated among the different RTDs; and 3) in general the MRPs demonstrated an ipsilateral tendency in relation to the involved limb. The results indicate that RP is a suitable parameter for differentiation between levels of isometric plantar flexion torque and MP and MMP are sensitive to a differentiation between RTDs. The correlation between MRPs and motor tasks involving different rates of torque development and levels of torque suggests that MRPs may comprise a potential solution for programming of intended movements to be executed by systems based on neural rehabilitation technology.

The role of sub-maximal force production in the enslaving phenomenon

When individuals perform a force task involving only one finger, they involuntarily move other fingers as well. This phenomenon is referred to as the enslaving force or the interdependency of fingers. Given that previous literature on the enslaving force has focused on maximal isometric force production, the present research was designed to study the role of sub-maximal force production in the enslaving phenomenon. To this end, we examined behaviorally three levels of force production with a constant rate of force development. We also examined the temporal organization of enslaving separating the achievement of the desired force (ramp phase) and its maintenance (static phase). During the static phase we found: (i) the amount of enslaving increased with the increment of nominal force level whether the index, middle, ring or little fingers were used as the master finger; (ii) enslaving is strongest in the finger directly adjacent to the master finger; and (iii) in terms of enslaving, the index finger was more 'independent' than the other three fingers, regardless of nominal force produced, followed by the little, middle, and ring fingers. In terms of temporal organization, we found that the time-lag of activation of 'slave fingers' during the ramp phase was reduced as the amount of force level increased. Overall, our data suggest that enslaving effect is a task specific phenomenon and depends on the amount of force produced by the master finger.

Motor-related cortical potentials accompanying enslaving effect in single versus combination of fingers force production tasks

OBJECTIVES

This study examined behavioral indices and motor-related cortical potentials (MRCP) of the enslaving phenomenon (i.e. interdependency of finger movement) during isometric force production tasks using each of the four fingers separately and in combination. We examined MRCP preceding force production and those during the achievement of the desired force (ramp phase) and its maintenance (static phase).

METHODS

Our experimental design systematically controlled the isometric force output, including both ramp and static phases of force production. We applied time-domain averaging of electroencephalographic single trials in order to extract 3 components of MRCP (Bereitshaftspotential, motor potentials, and motor monitoring potentials) preceding and accompanying force responses.

RESULTS

We report two major findings. First, we found the index finger to be more independent, accurate, and to display the larger MRCP amplitude whereas the ring finger was more dependent, less accurate, and displayed smaller MRCP amplitude. Second, adding the neighboring finger when the ring finger produced the task significantly reduced its dependency on uninvolved fingers and increased the accuracy of both ramp and static phases which was not the case with the index finger. The amplitude of MRCP was increased when the ring finger produced the task in combination as compared to when the ring finger performed the task in isolation. In contrast, the amplitude of MRCP was significantly reduced when the index finger produced the task in combination with other fingers when compared to when the index finger performed the task in isolation.

CONCLUSIONS

Overall, the amount of the fingers' dependency on the uninvolved fingers (e.g. amount of enslaving) during isometric force production tasks was inversely related with the amplitude of MRCP indicating the contribution of central mechanisms to the enslaving phenomenon.

Neurophysiological and behavioral concomitants of mild brain injury in collegiate athletes

OBJECTIVES

There is still limited understanding regarding the effect of mild brain injury (MBI) on normal functioning of the human brain with respect to motor control and coordination. To our knowledge, no research exists on how both the accuracy of force production and underlying neurophysiological concomitants are interactively affected by MBI. The aim of this study is to provide empirical evidence that there are at least transient functional changes in the brain associated with motor control and coordination in collegiate athletes suffering from MBI as reflected in alterations of force trajectory patterns and electroencephalogram (EEG) potentials both in time and frequency domains.

METHODS

Comparisons of the performance and concomitant EEG waveforms both in time and frequency domains of 6 collegiate athletes with MBI and 6 normal subjects in a series of isometric force production tasks were made. The traditional averaging techniques to obtain the slow-wave movement-related potentials (MRP) and Morlet wavelet transform to obtain EEG time-frequency (TF) profiles associated with task performance were used. Subjects performed isometric force production tasks when the level of nominal force was experimentally manipulated. EEG recordings from the frontal-central areas were analyzed with respect to the accuracy of force production during the ramp phase.

RESULTS

Behaviorally, the accuracy of force trajectory performance was considerably impaired in MBI subjects even when the amount of task force was only increased from 25 to 50% maximum voluntary contraction (MVC) within a given subject. Electro-cortically, impaired performance in MBI subjects was associated with alterations in EEG waveforms, amplitude of MRP and TF profiles of EEG.

CONCLUSIONS

Both behavioral and electro-cortical data of control subjects generally were comparable with those from subjects with MBI when small amounts of force were regulated. However, differences become apparent as the amount of task force production was increased. Overall our findings identify the presence of transient functional changes in the brain associated with motor control and coordination in subjects suffering from MBI.

Feedback-dependent modulation of isometric force control: an EEG study in visuomotor integration

The primary purpose of this investigation was to examine the cortical mechanisms underlying visuomotor integration in an experiment directly manipulating visual feedback (control-signal gain) as participants executed a grasping task. This was accomplished by assessing human electroencephalograms in both time and frequency domains and relating these measures to the performance accuracy of isometric force control. The basic experimental manipulation consisted of subjects controlling a grip dynamometer and the subsequent force trace displayed on a computer monitor at various magnitudes of force output and control-signal gain. Several findings from this study were of interest. First, the effects of control-signal gain and its interplay with the magnitude of force were most evident across the parietal and frontocentral electrode locations--areas specifically related to multi-modal sensory evaluation (parietal lobe) and higher-order movement control (supplementary and mesial premotor areas). Second, electroencephalography (EEG) measures in the time domain, i.e., slow-wave potentials, were sensitive to control-signal gain only during the ramp phase of force production (period of reaching the target force), not the static phase (period of maintaining the target force level). Third, EEG measures within the frequency domain (event-related desynchronization), unlike the slow-wave potential measures, were sensitive to control-signal gain during the static phase of force production--a sensitivity that was directly related to improvements in the accuracy of isometric force control. The findings of this investigation are described in relation to the existent literature on human visuomotor integration with special attention paid to the distinct spatial and temporal electrocortical patterns exhibited under varying degrees of visual feedback and magnitudes of force output during grasping.