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Updated: Mar 16, 2026
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Corticospinal Excitability Modulation During Action Observation
Published on: December 31, 2013
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Human area 5 modulates corticospinal output during movement preparation.
Tanner N Mackenzie1, Aaron Z Bailey, Peter Y Mi
1Department of Kinesiology, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
Neuroreport
|August 11, 2016
Summary
Human Brodmann area 5 (BA5) influences motor cortex activity during movement preparation. This brain region helps differentiate between executing a movement and withholding it in a task-specific manner.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Motor Control
- Cognitive Neuroscience
Background:
- Neuroimaging implicates human Brodmann area 5 (BA5) in movement planning.
- A causal role for BA5 in preparatory processes remains unconfirmed.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the causal influence of BA5 on corticospinal excitability during movement preparation.
- To examine functional connectivity between BA5 and the ipsilateral primary motor cortex (M1).
Main Methods:
- Paired-pulse transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) was used to probe BA5.
- Corticospinal excitability was measured via motor-evoked potentials in the first dorsal interosseous muscle.
- A GO/NO-GO task was employed to assess movement preparation.
Main Results:
- BA5 significantly influences M1 excitability during movement preparation.
- Motor-evoked potentials were suppressed during the NO-GO condition compared to the GO condition.
- This suppression indicates a task-specific role for BA5.
Conclusions:
- Human BA5 plays a causal role in movement preparation.
- BA5 contributes to differentiating between movement execution and inhibition.
- Findings elucidate the neural mechanisms underlying motor control and decision-making.
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