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EMG-EMG coherence in writer's cramp
Carla Cordivari1, Andrew J Lees, V Peter Misra
1Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, The National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, London, United Kingdom.
Summary
This study found no significant differences in motor cortex oscillatory drives between writer's cramp patients and healthy individuals. Peripheral nerve stimulation did not reveal abnormal responses in those with writer's cramp.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Motor Control
- Clinical Neurology
Background:
- Writer's cramp is a focal dystonia affecting hand function.
- Oscillatory drives from the motor cortex are implicated in muscle control.
- Abnormal cortical outflow may contribute to writer's cramp pathophysiology.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate oscillatory drives to forearm and hand muscles in writer's cramp.
- To assess the response of these drives to peripheral digital nerve stimulation.
- To determine if exaggerated or abnormal cortical motor outflow underlies writer's cramp.
Main Methods:
- Coherence analysis between forearm and hand muscles.
- Measurement of oscillatory drives before and after digital nerve stimulation.
- Comparison between 8 writer's cramp patients and 8 healthy controls.
Main Results:
- No significant difference in intermuscular coherence strength between groups.
- No significant difference in the modulation of coherence by cutaneous stimulation.
- Cortical motor outflow did not show pervasive disturbances in writer's cramp.
Conclusions:
- The study did not find evidence supporting abnormal oscillatory cortical motor outflow in writer's cramp.
- Findings suggest writer's cramp may not stem from a pervasive disturbance in motor cortex drives.
- Further research is needed to understand the mechanisms of writer's cramp.