Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Dissociating the behavioral and computational features of implicit motor learning and explicit perturbation detection.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2026
Same author

Dissociating variability from error-based processes in observational learning.

Human movement science·2026
Same author

What Is the StartReact Effect?

Acta physiologica (Oxford, England)·2026
Same author

Imitation performance biases are moderated by perceived accuracy in golf putting.

Scientific reports·2025
Same author

Rapid goal-directed arm movements attenuate vestibular control of standing balance.

Journal of neurophysiology·2025
Same author

Dual agonist and antagonist muscle vibration produces a bias in end point with no change in variability.

Experimental brain research·2025

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Mar 22, 2026

A Modified Lean and Release Technique to Emphasize Response Inhibition and Action Selection in Reactive Balance
07:19

A Modified Lean and Release Technique to Emphasize Response Inhibition and Action Selection in Reactive Balance

Published on: March 19, 2020

6.4K

Corticospinal excitability is reduced in a simple reaction time task requiring complex timing.

Michael Kennefick1, Dana Maslovat2, Romeo Chua3

  • 1School of Health and Exercise Sciences, University of British Columbia, 1147 Research Road, Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada V1V 1V7.

Brain Research
|April 12, 2016
PubMed
Summary

Movement complexity impacts reaction time (RT). Simple movements show faster RT and greater corticospinal excitability (CE) compared to complex movements, suggesting reduced neural activation for complex tasks.

Keywords:
Neural activationResponse complexityTranscranial magnetic stimulation

More Related Videos

The 5-Choice Serial Reaction Time Task: A Task of Attention and Impulse Control for Rodents
09:43

The 5-Choice Serial Reaction Time Task: A Task of Attention and Impulse Control for Rodents

Published on: August 10, 2014

47.2K
Corticospinal Excitability Modulation During Action Observation
12:33

Corticospinal Excitability Modulation During Action Observation

Published on: December 31, 2013

9.5K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Mar 22, 2026

A Modified Lean and Release Technique to Emphasize Response Inhibition and Action Selection in Reactive Balance
07:19

A Modified Lean and Release Technique to Emphasize Response Inhibition and Action Selection in Reactive Balance

Published on: March 19, 2020

6.4K
The 5-Choice Serial Reaction Time Task: A Task of Attention and Impulse Control for Rodents
09:43

The 5-Choice Serial Reaction Time Task: A Task of Attention and Impulse Control for Rodents

Published on: August 10, 2014

47.2K
Corticospinal Excitability Modulation During Action Observation
12:33

Corticospinal Excitability Modulation During Action Observation

Published on: December 31, 2013

9.5K

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Motor Control
  • Human Movement Science

Background:

  • Movement complexity is linked to longer simple reaction time (RT), often attributed to motor sequencing demands.
  • Previous research suggests altered corticospinal excitability (CE) in more complex motor tasks.
  • The precise neural mechanisms underlying RT differences based on movement complexity remain unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of corticospinal excitability (CE) during the reaction time interval.
  • To compare CE during simple (single key press) versus complex (multiple key press) responses.
  • To determine if differences in CE contribute to reaction time variations with movement complexity.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to measure corticospinal excitability (CE).
  • Probed motor pathway excitability during the simple reaction time (RT) interval.
  • Compared CE during single-key (simple) versus multiple-key (complex) press responses.

Main Results:

  • Premotor RT data confirmed faster responses in the simple task (p<.001) versus the complex task.
  • Motor evoked potential (MEP) amplitudes increased over time post-go-signal in both conditions.
  • MEP amplitudes were significantly larger in the simple task compared to the complex task within 75ms of movement onset (p=.009).

Conclusions:

  • Movement complexity influences corticospinal excitability (CE) during response preparation.
  • The rate of neural activation for movement initiation appears reduced in complex tasks.
  • These CE differences may partially explain the observed reaction time variations between simple and complex movements.