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Related Experiment Videos

Modulation of practice-dependent plasticity in human motor cortex.

U Ziemann1, W Muellbacher, M Hallett

  • 1Clinic of Neurology, J. W. Goethe University, Schleusenweg 2-16, D-60590 Frankfurt am Main, Germany. ziemann@codon.nih.gov

Brain : a Journal of Neurology
|May 17, 2001
PubMed
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Reducing GABA inhibition enhances motor cortex plasticity during practice, while increasing it depresses plasticity. This suggests GABA activity can be modulated to improve motor learning and recovery after injury.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Motor Control
  • Neuroplasticity

Background:

  • Motor practice induces changes in motor cortex representations.
  • GABA-related cortical inhibition influences the extent of practice-dependent plasticity.
  • Modulating GABA activity could offer a way to control neuroplasticity.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of GABA in modulating practice-dependent plasticity in the human motor cortex.
  • To determine if GABA inhibition can be decreased or increased to enhance or depress motor learning.
  • To explore potential therapeutic applications for enhancing recovery of function.

Main Methods:

  • Used ischaemic nerve block (INB) to decrease GABA inhibition and lorazepam (a GABA(A) receptor agonist) to increase it.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Assessed changes in motor cortex representation of the biceps muscle using transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS).
  • Measured behavioral changes in elbow flexion movement speed and acceleration.

    • Main Results:

    • Decreasing GABA inhibition via INB significantly enhanced motor cortex representation expansion and motor evoked potential (MEP) size during motor practice.
    • Increasing GABA inhibition with lorazepam prevented or reversed the practice-induced expansion of motor representation.
    • Behavioral improvements in movement acceleration paralleled the TMS-assessed changes in motor cortex representation.

    Conclusions:

    • Reduced GABA-related inhibition facilitates practice-dependent motor cortex plasticity in humans.
    • Increased GABA-related inhibition depresses this plasticity.
    • Targeting GABA activity presents a potential strategy for enhancing motor learning and facilitating neurological recovery.