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Motor control of rapid sequential finger tapping in humans
R Arunachalam1, V S Weerasinghe, K R Mills
1Academic Unit of Clinical Neurophysiology, Guy's, King's and St. Thomas' School of Medicine, King's College Hospital, London, United Kingdom.
Journal of Neurophysiology
|June 2, 2005
Summary
Finger tapping speed differs based on direction, with faster movements from the little to the ring finger. This directional difference in finger tapping suggests distinct cortical programming for hand movements.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Motor Control
- Human Physiology
Background:
- Rapid sequential finger tapping is a fundamental motor skill.
- Understanding the neural mechanisms underlying finger coordination is crucial for rehabilitation and prosthetics.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate directional differences in rapid sequential finger tapping.
- To explore the underlying cortical mechanisms influencing finger movement timing and coordination.
Main Methods:
- Measured inter-tap intervals (ITI) for adjacent finger pairs in both directions (ulnar-to-radial and radial-to-ulnar).
- Recorded surface electromyography (EMG) from finger muscles.
- Utilized transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to probe cortical excitability and motor pathways.
Main Results:
- Inter-tap intervals were significantly shorter in the ulnar-to-radial direction compared to the radial-to-ulnar direction.
- A distinct gradient of tapping speed was observed across the hand, varying with direction.
- Transcranial magnetic stimulation revealed direction-dependent differences in cortical processing and motor output, suggesting altered neural control.
Conclusions:
- Finger tapping speed and coordination are influenced by the direction of movement.
- Cortical programming for finger tapping exhibits order-dependent differences, potentially reflecting mechanisms involved in grasping.
- These findings highlight the complex neural control underlying fine motor skills of the hand.
