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Spectral properties of physiological mirror activity: an investigation of frequency features and common input between homologous muscles. Sci Rep 2022; 12:15965. [PMID: 36153347 PMCID: PMC9509371 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-20413-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2022] [Accepted: 09/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
During unilateral contractions, muscular activation can be detected in both active and resting limbs. In healthy populations, the latter is referred to as physiological mirror activity (pMA). The study of pMA holds implications for clinical applications as well as the understanding of bilateral motor control. However, the underlying mechanisms of pMA remain to be fully resolved. A commonality of prevailing explanatory approaches is the concept of shared neural input. With this study, we, therefore, aimed to investigate neural input in the form of multiple analyses of surface electromyography (sEMG) recordings in the frequency domain. For this purpose, 14 healthy, right-handed males aged 18–35 years were recruited. All participants performed a pinch-force task with the dominant hand in a blockwise manner. In total, 9 blocks of 5 contractions each were completed at 80% of maximum force output. Muscle activity was recorded via sEMG of the first dorsal interosseous muscle of the active and resting hand. We analyzed (1) spectral features as well as (2) intermuscular coherence (IMC). Our results demonstrate a blockwise increase in median frequency, mean frequency, and peak frequency in both hands. Frequency ratio analyses revealed a higher low-frequency component in the resting hand. Although we were able to demonstrate IMC on an individual level, results varied greatly and grand-averaged IMC failed to reach significance. Taken together, our findings imply an overlap of spectral properties between active and passive hands during repeated unilateral contractions. Combined with evidence from previous studies, this suggests a common neural origin between active and resting hands during unilateral contractions possibly resulting from a reduction in interhemispheric inhibition due to high force demands. Nevertheless, the exploratory nature of this study necessitates the classification of our results through follow-up studies.
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Tisseyre J, Cremoux S, Amarantini D, Tallet J. Increased intensity of unintended mirror muscle contractions after cervical spinal cord injury is associated with changes in interhemispheric and corticomuscular coherences. Behav Brain Res 2022; 417:113563. [PMID: 34499938 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2021.113563] [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: 10/22/2020] [Revised: 08/02/2021] [Accepted: 08/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Mirror contractions refer to unintended contractions of the contralateral homologous muscles during voluntary unilateral contractions or movements. Exaggerated mirror contractions have been found in several neurological diseases and indicate dysfunction or lesion of the cortico-spinal pathway. The present study investigates mirror contractions and the associated interhemispheric and corticomuscular interactions in adults with spinal cord injury (SCI) - who present a lesion of the cortico-spinal tract - compared to able-bodied participants (AB). Eight right-handed adults with chronic cervical SCI and ten age-matched right-handed able-bodied volunteers performed sets of right elbow extensions at 20% of maximal voluntary contraction. Electromyographic activity (EMG) of the right and left elbow extensors, interhemispheric coherence over cerebral sensorimotor regions evaluated by electroencephalography (EEG) and corticomuscular coherence between signals over the cerebral sensorimotor regions and each extensor were quantified. Overall, results revealed that participants with SCI exhibited (1) increased EMG activity of both active and unintended active limbs, suggesting more mirror contractions, (2) reduced corticomuscular coherence between signals over the left sensorimotor region and the right active limb and increased corticomuscular coherence between the right sensorimotor region and the left unintended active limb, (3) decreased interhemispheric coherence between signals over the two sensorimotor regions. The increased corticomuscular communication and decreased interhemispheric communication may reflect a reduced inhibition leading to increased communication with the unintended active limb, possibly resulting to exacerbated mirror contractions in SCI. Finally, mirror contractions could represent changes of neural and neuromuscular communication after SCI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph Tisseyre
- Toulouse NeuroImaging Center, Université de Toulouse, Inserm, UPS, Toulouse, France.
| | - Sylvain Cremoux
- CerCo, CNRS, UMR5549, Université de Toulouse, 31052 Toulouse, France
| | - David Amarantini
- Toulouse NeuroImaging Center, Université de Toulouse, Inserm, UPS, Toulouse, France
| | - Jessica Tallet
- Toulouse NeuroImaging Center, Université de Toulouse, Inserm, UPS, Toulouse, France
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Colomer-Poveda D, Zijdewind I, Dolstra J, Márquez G, Hortobágyi T. Voluntary suppression of associated activity decreases force steadiness in the active hand. Eur J Neurosci 2021; 54:5075-5091. [PMID: 34184345 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.15371] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2021] [Accepted: 06/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Unilateral muscle contractions are often accompanied by the activation of the ipsilateral hemisphere, producing associated activity (AA) in the contralateral homologous muscles. However, the functional role of AA is not fully understood. We determined the effects of voluntary suppression of AA in the first dorsal interosseous (FDI), on force steadiness during a constant force isometric contraction of the contralateral FDI. Participants (n = 17, 25.5 years) performed two trials of isometric FDI contractions as steadily as possible. In Trial 1, they did not receive feedback or explicit instructions for suppressing the AA in the contralateral homologous FDI. In Trial 2, participants received feedback and were asked to voluntarily suppress the AA in the contralateral nontarget FDI. During both trials, corticospinal excitability and motor cortical inhibition were measured. The results show that participants effectively suppressed the AA in the nontarget contralateral FDI (-71%), which correlated with reductions in corticospinal excitability (-57%), and the suppression was also accompanied by increases in inhibition (27%) in the ipsilateral motor cortex. The suppression of AA impaired force steadiness, but the decrease in force steadiness did not correlate with the magnitude of suppression. The results show that voluntary suppression of AA decreases force steadiness in the active hand. However, due to the lack of association between suppression and decreased steadiness, we interpret these data to mean that specific elements of the ipsilateral brain activation producing AA in younger adults are neither contributing nor detrimental to unilateral motor control during a steady isometric contraction.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Inge Zijdewind
- Department of Biomedical Sciences of Cells and Systems, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Jurian Dolstra
- Department of Human Movement Sciences, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Gonzalo Márquez
- Department of Physical Education and Sport, Faculty of Sports Sciences and Physical Education, University of A Coruna, A Coruna, Spain
| | - Tibor Hortobágyi
- Department of Human Movement Sciences, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.,Institute of Sport Sciences and Physical Education, Faculty of Sciences, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary.,Somogy County Kaposi Mór Teaching Hospital, Kaposvár, Hungary
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Tisseyre J, Amarantini D, Tallet J. Behavioural and cerebral asymmetries of mirror movements are specific to rhythmic task and related to higher attentional and executive control. Behav Brain Res 2021; 412:113429. [PMID: 34175358 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2021.113429] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2020] [Revised: 05/31/2021] [Accepted: 06/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Mirror movements (MM) refer to the involuntary movements or contractions occurring in homologous muscles contralateral to the unilateral voluntary movements. This behavioural manifestation increases in elderly. In right-handed adults, some studies report asymmetry in MM production, with greater MM in the right dominant hand during voluntary movements of the left non-dominant hand than the opposite. However, other studies report contradictory results, suggesting that MM asymmetry could depend on the characteristics of the task. The present study investigates the behavioural asymmetry of MM and its associated cerebral correlates during a rhythmic task and a non-rhythmic task using low-force contractions (i.e., 25 % MVC). We determined the quantity and the intensity of MM using electromyography (EMG) and cerebral correlates through electroencephalography (EEG) in right-handed healthy young and middle-aged adults during unimanual rhythmic vs. non-rhythmic tasks. Overall, results revealed (1) behavioural asymmetry of MM specific to the rhythmic task and irrespective of age, (2) cerebral asymmetry of motor activations specific to the rhythmic task and irrespective of age and (3) greater attentional and executive activations in the rhythmic task compared to the non-rhythmic task. In line with our hypotheses, behavioural and cerebral motor asymmetries of MM seem to be specific to the rhythmic task. Results are discussed in terms of cognitive-motor interactions: greater attentional and executive control required in the rhythmic tasks could contribute to the increased occurrence of involuntary movements in both young and middle-aged adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph Tisseyre
- Toulouse NeuroImaging Center, Université de Toulouse, Inserm, UPS, Toulouse, France.
| | - David Amarantini
- Toulouse NeuroImaging Center, Université de Toulouse, Inserm, UPS, Toulouse, France
| | - Jessica Tallet
- Toulouse NeuroImaging Center, Université de Toulouse, Inserm, UPS, Toulouse, France
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Voluntary Inhibition of Physiological Mirror Activity: An EEG-EMG Study. eNeuro 2020; 7:ENEURO.0326-20.2020. [PMID: 33055200 PMCID: PMC7598909 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0326-20.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2020] [Revised: 09/14/2020] [Accepted: 09/24/2020] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Physiological mirror activity (pMA), observed in healthy human adults, describes the involuntary co-activation of contralateral homologous muscles during unilateral limb movements. Here we provide novel evidence, using neuromuscular measurements (electromyography; EMG), that the amplitude of pMA can be voluntarily inhibited during unilateral isometric contractions of intrinsic hand muscles after informing human participants (10 male, 10 female) about its presence and establishing a basic understanding of pMA mechanisms through a standardized protocol. Importantly, significant suppression of pMA was observed immediately after participants were asked to inhibit it, despite the absence of any online feedback during task execution and without special training. Moreover, we observed that the decrease of pMA was specifically accompanied by an increase in relative frontal δ power recorded with electroencephalography (EEG). Correlation analysis further revealed an inverse association between the individual amplitude of pMA and frontal δ power that reached significance once participants started to inhibit. Taken together, these results suggest that δ power in frontal regions might reflect executive processes exerting inhibitory control over unintentional motor output, in this case pMA. Our results provide an initial reference point for the development of therapeutic applications related to the neurorehabilitation of involuntary movements which could be realized through the suppression of pMA observed in the elderly before it would fully manifest in undesirable overt movement patterns.
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Seidel O, Carius D, Roediger J, Rumpf S, Ragert P. Changes in neurovascular coupling during cycling exercise measured by multi-distance fNIRS: a comparison between endurance athletes and physically active controls. Exp Brain Res 2019; 237:2957-2972. [PMID: 31506708 PMCID: PMC6794243 DOI: 10.1007/s00221-019-05646-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2019] [Accepted: 09/03/2019] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
It is well known that endurance exercise modulates the cardiovascular, pulmonary, and musculoskeletal system. However, knowledge about its effects on brain function and structure is rather sparse. Hence, the present study aimed to investigate exercise-dependent adaptations in neurovascular coupling to different intensity levels in motor-related brain regions. Moreover, expertise effects between trained endurance athletes (EA) and active control participants (ACP) during a cycling test were investigated using multi-distance functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). Initially, participants performed an incremental cycling test (ICT) to assess peak values of power output (PPO) and cardiorespiratory parameters such as oxygen consumption volume (VO2max) and heart rate (HRmax). In a second session, participants cycled individual intensity levels of 20, 40, and 60% of PPO while measuring cardiorespiratory responses and neurovascular coupling. Our results revealed exercise-induced decreases of deoxygenated hemoglobin (HHb), indicating an increased activation in motor-related brain areas such as primary motor cortex (M1) and premotor cortex (PMC). However, we could not find any differential effects in brain activation between EA and ACP. Future studies should extend this approach using whole-brain configurations and systemic physiological augmented fNIRS measurements, which seems to be of pivotal interest in studies aiming to assess neural activation in a sports-related context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oliver Seidel
- Institute for General Kinesiology and Exercise Science, Faculty of Sport Science, University of Leipzig, Jahnallee 59, 04109, Leipzig, Germany.
- Department of Neurology, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany.
| | - Daniel Carius
- Institute for General Kinesiology and Exercise Science, Faculty of Sport Science, University of Leipzig, Jahnallee 59, 04109, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Julia Roediger
- Institute for General Kinesiology and Exercise Science, Faculty of Sport Science, University of Leipzig, Jahnallee 59, 04109, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Sebastian Rumpf
- Institute for General Kinesiology and Exercise Science, Faculty of Sport Science, University of Leipzig, Jahnallee 59, 04109, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Patrick Ragert
- Institute for General Kinesiology and Exercise Science, Faculty of Sport Science, University of Leipzig, Jahnallee 59, 04109, Leipzig, Germany
- Department of Neurology, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
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Anders JPV, Smith CM, Keller JL, Hill EC, Housh TJ, Schmidt RJ, Johnson GO. Inter- and Intra-Individual Differences in EMG and MMG during Maximal, Bilateral, Dynamic Leg Extensions. Sports (Basel) 2019; 7:sports7070175. [PMID: 31323817 PMCID: PMC6681382 DOI: 10.3390/sports7070175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2019] [Revised: 07/04/2019] [Accepted: 07/16/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to compare the composite, inter-individual, and intra-individual differences in the patterns of responses for electromyographic (EMG) and mechanomyographic (MMG) amplitude (AMP) and mean power frequency (MPF) during fatiguing, maximal, bilateral, and isokinetic leg extension muscle actions. Thirteen recreationally active men (age = 21.7 ± 2.6 years; body mass = 79.8 ± 11.5 kg; height = 174.2 ± 12.7 cm) performed maximal, bilateral leg extensions at 180°·s−1 until the torque values dropped to 50% of peak torque for two consecutive repetitions. The EMG and MMG signals from the vastus lateralis (VL) muscles of both limbs were recorded. Four 2(Leg) × 19(time) repeated measures ANOVAs were conducted to examine mean differences for EMG AMP, EMG MPF, MMG AMP, and MMG MPF between limbs, and polynomial regression analyses were performed to identify the patterns of neuromuscular responses. The results indicated no significant differences between limbs for EMG AMP (p = 0.44), EMG MPF (p = 0.33), MMG AMP (p = 0.89), or MMG MPF (p = 0.52). Polynomial regression analyses demonstrated substantial inter-individual variability. Inferences made regarding the patterns of neuromuscular responses to fatiguing and bilateral muscle actions should be considered on a subject-by-subject basis.
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Affiliation(s)
- John Paul V Anders
- Department of Nutrition and Human Sciences, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE 68510, USA.
| | - Cory M Smith
- College of Health Sciences, Kinesiology, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX 79968, USA
| | - Joshua L Keller
- Department of Nutrition and Human Sciences, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE 68510, USA
| | - Ethan C Hill
- School of Kinesiology & Physical Therapy, Division of Kinesiology, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL 32816, USA
| | - Terry J Housh
- Department of Nutrition and Human Sciences, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE 68510, USA
| | - Richard J Schmidt
- Department of Nutrition and Human Sciences, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE 68510, USA
| | - Glen O Johnson
- Department of Nutrition and Human Sciences, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE 68510, USA
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Maudrich T, Kenville R, Nikulin VV, Maudrich D, Villringer A, Ragert P. Inverse relationship between amplitude and latency of physiological mirror activity during repetitive isometric contractions. Neuroscience 2019; 406:300-313. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2019.03.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2018] [Revised: 03/11/2019] [Accepted: 03/12/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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Tisseyre J, Marquet-Doléac J, Barral J, Amarantini D, Tallet J. Lateralized inhibition of symmetric contractions is associated with motor, attentional and executive processes. Behav Brain Res 2019; 361:65-73. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2018.12.034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2018] [Revised: 11/23/2018] [Accepted: 12/17/2018] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
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