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Published on: April 26, 2018
An extended motor network generates beta and gamma oscillatory perturbations during development
Tony W Wilson1, Erin Slason, Ryan Asherin
1Center for Magnetoencephalography, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA. Tony.W.Wilson@gmail.com
Brain and Cognition
|April 27, 2010
Summary
Children
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Neuroscience
- Motor Control
Background:
- Understanding motor control development in children is crucial.
- Oscillatory brain activity, including beta and gamma responses, plays a key role in motor control.
- Previous research has primarily focused on adult motor responses.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the timing and brain regions responsible for beta and gamma motor responses in children.
- To compare these responses to those observed in adults.
- To identify potential neural markers for basic motor control during development.
Main Methods:
- Whole-head magnetoencephalography (MEG) was used to record brain activity.
- Participants performed unilateral index finger flexion-extension tasks.
- Frequency-domain analysis with spatial filtering and voxel-wise statistics identified event-related synchronizations and desynchronizations (ERS/ERD).
Main Results:
- Children showed pre-movement event-related desynchronization (ERD) over the post-central gyrus.
- A post-movement event-related synchronization (ERS) was observed in the precentral gyrus, similar to adults.
- A distinct high-frequency gamma ERS response near movement onset was identified, originating from the primary motor cortex.
Conclusions:
- Children's motor responses share similarities with adult patterns.
- Gamma synchronization appears to be a strong indicator of basic cortical motor control in development.
- The supplementary motor areas (SMA) and cerebellum are also involved in motor control during childhood development.
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