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Sensorimotor integration is affected by acute whole-body vibration: a coherence study
E Lecce1, S Nuccio1, A Del Vecchio2
1Department of Movement, Human, and Health Sciences, Laboratory of Exercise Physiology, University of Rome "Foro Italico", Rome, Italy.
Frontiers in Physiology
|September 29, 2023
Summary
Whole-body vibration (WBV) may enhance performance by altering sensorimotor integration, not direct neural drive. This study found decreased motor unit coherence in alpha and low-beta bands after WBV, suggesting changes in neural pathways.
Area of Science:
- Exercise Physiology
- Neuroscience
- Biomechanics
Background:
- Whole-body vibration (WBV) is known to influence neuromuscular performance.
- Potential mechanisms include changes in neural drive, motor unit firing rate, and sensorimotor integration.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the neural mechanisms underlying WBV effects on performance.
- To analyze motor unit coherence to identify sources of neural modulation in the frequency domain.
Main Methods:
- Thirteen men performed sustained Tibialis Anterior (TA) contractions at 10% maximal voluntary force (MVF) before and after acute WBV.
- High-Density surface Electromyography (HDsEMG) recorded TA activity.
- Motor unit coherence was evaluated from cumulative spike-trains (CSTs).
Main Results:
- Mean motor unit coherence significantly decreased in the alpha (p=0.035) and low-beta (p=0.0001) bandwidths.
- No significant changes were observed in other bandwidths (p>0.05).
- Discharge rate (DR) and Force Covariance (CovF%) remained unaffected by WBV (p>0.05).
Conclusions:
- Acute WBV likely enhances performance through modulation of sensorimotor integration.
- The findings suggest that improvements are not primarily due to direct neural drive modulation.
- WBV's impact on alpha and low-beta coherence highlights its role in sensorimotor processing.
