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Human supplementary motor area contribution to predictive motor planning
Ziyad Makoshi1, Gregory Kroliczak, Paul van Donkelaar
1College of Medicine, King Khalid University Hospital, Kind Saud University, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Journal of Motor Behavior
|July 8, 2011
Summary
The supplementary motor area (SMA) aids in predicting movement outcomes. Disrupting the SMA before action execution impaired participants' ability to handle predicted loads, suggesting its role in motor planning.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Motor Control
- Cognitive Neuroscience
Background:
- The supplementary motor area (SMA) is crucial for planning limb movements.
- Predicting sensory consequences of actions is a key aspect of motor planning.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the SMA's role in predicting sensory consequences during motor planning.
- To probe SMA function using transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) in a predictive task.
Main Methods:
- Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) applied over the SMA.
- A predictive load-bearing task involving supporting a 2 kg mass.
- TMS delivered at varying intervals before a cued motor response.
Main Results:
- Participants were less successful in bearing the load when TMS was applied 400-500 ms before the response.
- This disruption indicates a critical period for SMA involvement in predictive motor planning.
Conclusions:
- The SMA contributes to predicting the sensory consequences of movement.
- SMA's role in prediction occurs significantly before the actual movement onset.
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