Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 11, 2026
05:05
Assessing Corticospinal Excitability During Goal-Directed Reaching Behavior
Published on: December 2, 2022
2.0K
Optimized Sensorimotor Activation Enhances the Control of Goal-Directed Aiming Mediated by Real-Time Visuomotor
Roberto Panichi1, Samuele Contemori2, Jacqueline A Sullivan3
1Department of Medicine and Surgery, Section of Human Physiology and Biochemistry, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy.
The European Journal of Neuroscience
|November 19, 2025
Summary
Optimized focal muscle vibration (o-fmv) enhances motor control for goal-directed movements using real-time visual feedback. These improvements in movement speed, smoothness, and accuracy are sustained for at least one week.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Motor Control
- Biomechanics
Background:
- Sensory-motor stimulation, particularly repetitive mechanical vibratory applications on muscles or tendons, can improve motor abilities by activating the proprioceptive pathway.
- Optimized focal muscle vibration (o-fmv) paradigms show potential for enhancing motor control in goal-directed movements.
- Proprioception plays a critical role in visual-proprioceptive integration during movement planning and execution.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effects of o-fmv on goal-directed upper limb movements.
- To determine if o-fmv influences motor control differently when visual information is available in real-time versus when it is memorized.
- To assess the immediate and long-term (1-week) effects of o-fmv on motor performance.
Main Methods:
- o-fmv was applied to the shoulder muscles of healthy participants.
- Participants performed upper limb aiming movements toward visual targets.
- Movement execution was assessed under two conditions: real-time visual information and memorized visual information.
Main Results:
- o-fmv significantly improved movement speed, smoothness, and accuracy, particularly when movements were guided by real-time visual information.
- These performance enhancements were observed immediately after stimulation and showed further increases after 1 week.
- Minimal improvements in motor control were noted when movements relied solely on memorized visual information.
Conclusions:
- o-fmv application to shoulder muscles leads to lasting improvements in the motor control of goal-directed movements that utilize real-time visual information.
- The findings suggest that o-fmv enhances the brain's processing of proprioceptive information during motor planning and execution, potentially inducing long-term neural adaptations.
- These effects may involve neural pathways that integrate real-time visual input with proprioceptive signals for coordinated action.
