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Updated: Apr 19, 2026

Assessing Corticospinal Excitability During Goal-Directed Reaching Behavior
Published on: December 2, 2022
Evolution of cerebral cortico-cortical communication during visuomotor adaptation to a cognitive-motor executive
Rodolphe J Gentili1, Trent J Bradberry2, Hyuk Oh3
1Department of Kinesiology, School of Public Health, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA; Graduate Program in Neuroscience and Cognitive Science, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA; Maryland Robotics Center, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA.
Abstract:
Cortical dynamics were examined during a cognitive-motor adaptation task that required inhibition of a familiar motor plan. EEG coherence between the motor planning (Fz) and left hemispheric region was progressively reduced over trials (low-beta, high-beta, gamma bands) along with faster, straighter reaching movements during both planning and execution. The major reduction in coherence (delta, low/high-theta, low/high-alpha bands) between Fz and the left prefrontal region during both movement planning and execution suggests gradual disengagement of frontal executive following its initial role in the suppression of established visuomotor maps. Also, change in the directionality of phase lags (delta, high-alpha, high-beta, gamma bands) reflects a progressive shift from feedback to feedforward motor control. The reduction of cortico-cortical communication, particularly in the frontal region, and the strategic feedback/feedforward mode shift translated as higher quality motor performance. This study extends our understanding of the role of frontal executive beyond purely cognitive tasks to cognitive-motor tasks.
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