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Frequency-Dependent Effects on Coordination and Prefrontal Hemodynamics During Finger Force Production Tasks
Dayuan Xu1,2, Narae Shin1,2, Sungjun Lee1
1Department of Physical Education, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea.
Frontiers in Human Neuroscience
|November 4, 2021
Summary
Behavioral stability relies on coordinated finger forces. Higher frequencies of cyclic force production decrease performance accuracy and prefrontal cortex functional connectivity, but not oxy-hemoglobin concentration.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Motor Control
- Human Performance
Background:
- Behavioral stability is influenced by the variability of net outcomes and the co-adjustment of individual elements like multi-finger forces.
- Cyclic actions' properties impact performance stability, variability, and prefrontal cortex activation, crucial for coordinative actions.
- Limited research exists on the relationship between motor control stability and neural responses.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate changes in neural responses, specifically in the prefrontal cortex, during isometric cyclic finger force production at varying frequencies.
- To explore the relationship between performance accuracy, motor synergy, and hemodynamic responses in the prefrontal cortex.
Main Methods:
- Participants performed isometric cyclic finger force tasks matching sine-wave templates at 0.1, 1, and 2 Hz.
- Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) measured prefrontal cortex hemodynamics (oxy-hemoglobin concentration - ΔHbO) and functional connectivity.
- Uncontrolled manifold (UCM) approach and statistical parametric mapping (SPM) analyzed synergy indices, while relative phase (RP) and coefficient of variation (CV) assessed performance accuracy.
Main Results:
- Performance accuracy decreased at higher frequencies, primarily due to inconsistent peak force values (CV), not relative phase.
- Synergy indices were significantly larger in low-frequency conditions compared to high-frequency conditions.
- While ΔHbO remained constant, functional connectivity in the prefrontal cortex decreased as the frequency of cyclic force production increased.
Conclusions:
- Prefrontal cortex activation during cyclic force production is frequency-dependent, correlating with stability indices and performance errors.
- This study is the first to demonstrate the effect of frequency on multi-finger synergies and prefrontal cortex hemodynamic responses.
- Findings offer insights into the neural mechanisms underlying motor synergy formation and adaptation.
