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Intracortical Inhibition Within the Primary Motor Cortex Can Be Modulated by Changing the Focus of Attention
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Attention directed to proprioceptive stimulation alters its cortical processing in the primary sensorimotor cortex
Harri Piitulainen1,2,3, Timo Nurmi1,2, Maria Hakonen1,2
1Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland.
The European Journal of Neuroscience
|May 6, 2021
Summary
Directed attention to proprioceptive stimulation modulates sensorimotor cortex processing. Focused attention suppressed beta power, enhanced movement-evoked fields, and reduced corticokinematic coherence in healthy adults.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Human Motor Control
- Somatosensation
Background:
- Movement-evoked fields and corticokinematic coherence quantify proprioceptive processing in the primary sensorimotor cortex.
- Understanding attentional modulation of proprioception is crucial for interpreting neurophysiological measures.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate whether attention directed towards proprioceptive stimulation influences its processing in the primary sensorimotor cortex.
- To examine the effects of inter-modal attention on movement-evoked fields and corticokinematic coherence.
Main Methods:
- 20 healthy volunteers received continuous passive index finger movement (3 Hz) via a pneumatic actuator.
- Participants performed alternating visual or movement detection tasks to direct attention.
- Magnetoencephalography (MEG) signals were recorded, and coherence was computed between finger acceleration and MEG.
- Movement-evoked fields were averaged relative to movement onsets.
Main Results:
- Attention to proprioceptive stimulation significantly suppressed sensorimotor beta power (~12%).
- Movement-evoked field amplitude was enhanced (~16%) during focused proprioceptive attention.
- Corticokinematic coherence strength decreased (~9%) when attention was directed to proprioception.
Conclusions:
- Early processing of proprioceptive afference in the primary sensorimotor cortex is modulated by directed, inter-modal attention.
- Attentional state variations must be considered when utilizing movement-evoked fields and corticokinematic coherence to study cortical proprioception.
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