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Published on: September 18, 2020
Disrupted Corticomuscular Coherence and Force Steadiness During Acute Low Back Pain
Franciele Parolini1,2, Klaus Becker2,3, Ulysses F Ervilha2,4
1Center for Rehabilitation Research (CIR), ESS, Polytechnic of Porto, Rua Dr. António Bernardino de Almeida, 4249-015 Porto, Portugal.
Background:
Acute low back pain can impair motor control, yet its effects on force steadiness and cortical activity remain unclear.
Methods:
Thirty-three healthy adults (25 men, 8 women) performed a sustained spinal extension task at 20% of their maximum voluntary contraction under pre- and during-pain conditions induced by a hypertonic saline injection, as well as pre- and post-isotonic injection. Electromyography was recorded from the right and left longissimus muscles, and electroencephalography was collected from motor cortical areas. Spectral power in the alpha, beta, and gamma bands, along with corticomuscular and cortico-cortical coherence, was analyzed.
Results:
Acute pain reduced force steadiness and altered cortical activity, with increased beta and gamma band power in the prefrontal cortex and decreased alpha power in the motor cortex. Localized changes in corticomuscular coherence were observed in the Cz region (beta and gamma bands) during pain, suggesting nociceptive modulation of corticomuscular coupling.
Conclusions:
Experimentally induced acute low back pain disrupts motor control by reducing force steadiness and modifying cortical activation patterns, highlighting the interplay between pain and neuromuscular regulation.
