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Skeletal Motor Unit Recruitment During Periodic Auditory Cueing: A Simultaneous Behavioral and Motor Unit Magnetic
Ao Wang1, Ian Schofield1, Matthew G Birkbeck1,2
1Newcastle University, Translational and Clinical Research Institute (NUTCRI), Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.
NMR in Biomedicine
|July 6, 2026
Summary
This study introduces a new method combining rhythmic foot tapping with motor unit MRI (MUMRI) to visualize muscle activity. The technique reliably measures peripheral neuromuscular responses during sensorimotor timing tasks.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Biomedical Engineering
- Kinesiology
Background:
- Sensorimotor timing research often overlooks peripheral neuromuscular mechanisms, focusing primarily on central nervous system processes.
- Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has limitations in visualizing muscle activity during dynamic tasks.
- Motor unit MRI (MUMRI) offers a novel approach to visualize muscle contraction in vivo.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and validate a combined behavioral-MUMRI paradigm for characterizing muscle recruitment during rhythmic motor tasks.
- To investigate peripheral neuromuscular mechanisms underlying sensorimotor timing.
- To establish a reproducible method for linking motor behavior to peripheral neuromuscular dynamics.
Main Methods:
- Healthy participants performed an auditory-paced rhythmic foot tapping task within an MRI scanner.
- Behavioral data (timing accuracy) were collected using an MRI-compatible force transducer.
- Muscle activity was measured using single-slice MUMRI with a variable-latency cueing design to optimize signal detection.
Main Results:
- Participants demonstrated stable tapping performance with low variability (CoV ≈0.078).
- MUMRI detected transient, localized signal reductions in anterior lower leg muscles during dorsiflexion, consistent with muscle contraction.
- High within-condition reproducibility and latency-dependent spatial patterns were observed, with optimal consistency when tapping aligned with scanner rhythm (r ≈0.68).
Conclusions:
- The developed behavioral-MUMRI paradigm provides a robust and reproducible framework for studying peripheral neuromuscular activity during rhythmic motor tasks.
- Precise temporal alignment between motor execution and MRI acquisition is crucial for reliable measurement of muscle activity.
- This approach advances the integration of basic and clinical MRI research by linking motor behavior to peripheral neuromuscular dynamics.
