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Updated: Aug 14, 2026

Measuring and Manipulating Functionally Specific Neural Pathways in the Human Motor System with Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation
Published on: February 23, 2020
Effects of motor activity on the organization of primary somatosensory cortex
Anja D Wühle1, Jasmin J Fahlbusch, Christoph Braun
1Institute of Medical Psychology and Behavioral Neurobiology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.
Abstract:
Recent studies have shown that adaptation of representational maps within the primary somatosensory cortex can be induced by task-related motor activity. Here, we explore the relationship between the complexity of the motor task and the extent of task-specific adaptation within the primary somatosensory cortex. We hypothesized that the extent of adaptation increases with the complexity of the motor task. Using neuromagnetic source imaging based on electrical stimulation of the thumb and ring finger, we demonstrate that cortical finger representations are more distant during performance of the pinch finger grip than in a rest condition. Our data suggest that somatosensory cortical maps undergo rapid modulation depending on the task-specific involvement of somatosensory feedback in movements.
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