Related Experiment Videos
A functional magnetic resonance imaging study of paced finger tapping in children
Michael J Rivkin1, Sridhar Vajapeyam, Chloe Hutton
1Department of Neurology, Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
Insights
Children
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Neuroscience
- Motor Control
Background:
- Understanding the neural basis of motor control in children is crucial for developmental neuroscience.
- Paced finger tapping tasks are commonly used to study motor sequencing and timing in the brain.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify the specific brain regions involved in performing bimanual alternating paced finger tapping in typically developing children.
- To differentiate the neural networks engaged during externally paced (metronome) versus self-paced finger tapping.
Main Methods:
- Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was used to scan 14 typically developing children (ages 7.9-11.3 years).
- Participants performed two tasks: metronome-paced finger tapping and self-paced finger tapping at 3 Hz.
- Statistical parametric mapping (SPM) was employed for analyzing brain activation data.
Main Results:
- Metronome tapping activated the superior temporal gyri, primary sensorimotor cortices, supplementary motor area, and cerebellum.
- Self-paced tapping additionally recruited the pre-supplementary motor area and midline cerebellum.
- Both tasks engaged a network including the primary motor cortex, supplementary motor area, and cerebellum.
Conclusions:
- Bimanual alternating paced finger tapping in children involves a distributed neural network.
- The posterior superior temporal gyrus is implicated in processing auditory pacing cues.
- The pre-supplementary motor area and midline cerebellum are key for self-paced motor control.
Abstract:
Fourteen typically developing children from 7.9-11.3 years in age were studied with functional magnetic resonance imaging to identify the cerebral loci involved in performance of paced finger tapping by children. Each child performed two bimanual alternating paced finger-tapping tasks. In the first, paced finger tapping was conducted to external 3-Hz pacing provided by a metronome. In the second, the metronome was turned off and finger tapping continued while each child tried to maintain the 3-Hz rhythm by self pacing. Individual and group data were analyzed with statistical parametric mapping techniques that resulted in activation maps for the two tasks. Metronome tapping produced activation of the posterior regions of both superior temporal gyri, both primary sensorimotor cortices, anterodorsomedial cerebellum and supplementary motor area. Self-tapping resulted in recruitment of pre-supplementary motor area and cerebellum in addition to bilateral supplementary motor area and primary sensorimotor cortical activation. Bimanual alternating paced finger tapping performed by children activates a neural network involving primary motor cortex, supplementary motor area, and cerebellum. Posterior superior temporal gyrus may be important for encoding auditory information, and presupplementary motor area and midline cerebellum play an important role in self-paced finger tapping.