Increased motor cortex excitability during motor imagery in brain-computer interface trained subjects.

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Motor Control
• Brain-Computer Interfaces

Background:

• Motor imagery (MI) involves mentally rehearsing movements without physical action.
• MI and actual motor performance share similar underlying physiological mechanisms.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine cortical motor area activity and excitability during MI.
• To compare these effects in individuals trained with an MI-based brain-computer interface (BCI) versus untrained controls.

Main Methods:

• Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and navigated transcranial magnetic stimulation (nTMS) were employed.
• Participants (n=11) included a BCI-trained group (n=5) and a control group (n=6).
• Subjects performed a grasping motor imagery task.

Main Results:

• fMRI showed activation in Brodmann areas 3 and 6, cerebellum, and thalamus in all subjects.
• The primary motor cortex activated only in the BCI-trained group.
• BCI training led to increased motor evoked potentials and a decreased motor threshold during MI.

Conclusions:

• Prior BCI training significantly enhances motor cortex excitability during MI.
• These results suggest potential improvements for BCI applications in neurorehabilitation, such as for cerebral palsy patients.