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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Mar 17, 2026

Intracortical Inhibition Within the Primary Motor Cortex Can Be Modulated by Changing the Focus of Attention
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Does intrinsic motivation enhance motor cortex excitability?

Rémi Radel1, Dusan Pjevac2, Karen Davranche3

  • 1Laboratoire LAMHESS (EA 6312), Université de Nice Sophia Antipolis and Université de Toulon, France. remi.radel@gmail.com.

Psychophysiology
|August 2, 2016
PubMed
Summary

Intrinsic motivation (IM) did not increase motor cortex excitability compared to extrinsic motivation (EM) or neutral stimuli. Further research is needed to understand IM's effects on the motor system.

Keywords:
Cortical excitabilityIntrinsic motivationMotor cortexSingle-pulse TMS

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Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Psychology
  • Motor Control

Background:

  • Intrinsic motivation (IM) is characterized as a spontaneous drive for action.
  • Previous studies suggest IM engages the motor system more than extrinsic motivation (EM).

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate if intrinsic motivation (IM) enhances motor cortex excitability compared to extrinsic motivation (EM).
  • To examine the neural underpinnings of motivational states on motor control.

Main Methods:

  • Two tasks were used to induce IM and EM using words or associated pictures.
  • Single-pulse transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) assessed corticospinal excitability via motor-evoked potentials and cortical silent periods.
  • Electromyography recorded muscle activity in the first dorsal interosseous muscle.

Main Results:

  • Exposure to IM stimuli did not result in significantly greater corticospinal excitability than EM or neutral stimuli.
  • No significant differences in motor cortex excitability were observed across motivational conditions (p > .20).

Conclusions:

  • The study did not find evidence supporting the hypothesis that IM provides an advantage in activating the motor cortex.
  • Alternative explanations for the lack of observed effect are proposed, warranting further investigation into IM and motor system interactions.