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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 25, 2026

Stimulating the Lip Motor Cortex with Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation

Stimulating the Lip Motor Cortex with Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation

Published on: June 14, 2014

Driving oscillatory activity in the human cortex enhances motor performance.

Raed A Joundi¹, Ned Jenkinson, John-Stuart Brittain

¹Functional Neurosurgery and Experimental Neurology Group, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 9DU, UK.

Current Biology : CB

|February 7, 2012

Summary

Brain oscillations in beta and gamma frequencies are mechanistically involved in voluntary movement. Noninvasive stimulation revealed that modulating these brain rhythms can alter motor behavior and even enhance performance.

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Last Updated: May 25, 2026

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Published on: June 19, 2016

Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Motor Control
Brain Oscillations

Background:

Neuronal synchronization in specific frequency bands accompanies voluntary movement.
Beta activity (15-30 Hz) is linked to tonic contractions and may impede new movements when not attenuated.
Gamma activity (60-90 Hz) increases during movement, suggesting a role in motor processing and faster reaction times.

Purpose of the Study:

To provide mechanistic evidence for the role of cortical oscillations in motor behavior.
To investigate the causal relationship between beta and gamma oscillations and motor performance.
To demonstrate that noninvasive stimulation of brain rhythms can improve motor task execution.

Main Methods:

Utilized noninvasive electrical stimulation to drive cortical oscillations.
Investigated the effects of stimulating beta and gamma frequency bands.
Examined the interaction between stimulated oscillations and motor tasks.

Main Results:

Demonstrated opposing effects of stimulating beta and gamma oscillations on motor behavior.
Showed that driving cortical oscillations can mechanistically influence motor control.
Provided evidence that noninvasive stimulation of brain rhythms can enhance motor performance.

Conclusions:

Cortical oscillations are not merely epiphenomenal but are mechanistically involved in determining motor behavior.
Modulating beta and gamma brain rhythms through noninvasive stimulation offers a potential avenue for improving motor control and performance.
The findings highlight the quantitative importance of brain oscillations in motor functions.