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Behavior-Dependent Corticocortical Contributions to Imagined Grasping: A BCI-Triggered TMS Study
Summary
Imagining precision grips and index finger abduction increases cortical excitability. Conversely, imagining power grips may involve specific neural pathways, as indicated by transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) findings.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Motor Control
- Brain-Computer Interfaces
Background:
- Corticocortical neural mechanisms vary across different grasping behaviors.
- Limited research exists on corticocortical contributions to imagined grasping behaviors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate corticocortical mechanisms during imagined grasping behaviors using transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS).
- To compare neural excitability during imagined power grip, precision grip, and index finger abduction.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a brain-computer interface (BCI) system to detect event-related desynchronization during imagined grasping.
- Employed TMS to elicit motor evoked potentials (MEPs) over the primary motor cortex.
- Analyzed MEP amplitudes and latencies across different imagined grips and TMS coil orientations (LM, PA, AP).
Main Results:
- Imagined power grip showed larger MEP amplitudes and shorter latencies compared to resting.
- MEP amplitudes were lower during imagined power grip but similar for imagined precision grip and index finger abduction.
- Latency differences (AP-LM) were longer for imagined power grip than for precision grip or index finger abduction.
Conclusions:
- Higher cortical excitability is suggested during imagined precision grip and index finger abduction.
- Imagined power grip may preferentially recruit late synaptic inputs to corticospinal neurons.
