EEG alpha activity reflects motor preparation rather than the mode of action selection
Alpha-band activity (8-13 Hz) is suppressed by sensory stimulation and movements, modulated by attention, working memory and mental tasks and may be sensitive to higher motor control functions. The aim of the present study was to examine alpha oscillatory activity during the preparation of simple le...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2012-08-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Integrative Neuroscience |
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| Online Access: | http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fnint.2012.00059/full |
| _version_ | 1819177794823782400 |
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| author | Marie-Pierre eDeiber Marie-Pierre eDeiber Etienne eSallard Catherine eLudwig Catherine eLudwig Catherine eGhezzi Jerome eBarral Vicente eIbanez |
| author_facet | Marie-Pierre eDeiber Marie-Pierre eDeiber Etienne eSallard Catherine eLudwig Catherine eLudwig Catherine eGhezzi Jerome eBarral Vicente eIbanez |
| author_sort | Marie-Pierre eDeiber |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Alpha-band activity (8-13 Hz) is suppressed by sensory stimulation and movements, modulated by attention, working memory and mental tasks and may be sensitive to higher motor control functions. The aim of the present study was to examine alpha oscillatory activity during the preparation of simple left or right finger movements, contrasting the external and internal mode of action selection. Three preparation conditions were examined using a precueing paradigm with S1 as the preparatory and S2 as the imperative cue: Full, laterality instructed by S1; Free, laterality freely selected and None, laterality instructed by S2. Time-frequency analysis was performed in the alpha frequency range during the S1-S2 interval, and alpha motor-related amplitude asymmetries (MRAA) were also calculated. The significant MRAA during the Full and Free conditions indicated effective external and internal motor response preparation. In the absence of specific motor preparation (None), a posterior alpha power decrease (event-related desynchronization, ERD) dominated, reflecting the main engagement of attentional resources. In Full and Free motor preparation, posterior alpha ERD was accompanied by a midparietal alpha power increase (event-related synchronization, ERS), suggesting a concomitant inhibition of task-irrelevant visual activity. In both Full and Free motor preparation, analysis of alpha power according to MRAA amplitude revealed two types of functional activation patterns: 1) a motor alpha pattern, with predominantly midparietal alpha ERS and large MRAA corresponding to lateralized motor activation/visual inhibition and 2) an attentional alpha pattern, with dominating right posterior alpha ERD and small MRAA reflecting visuospatial attention. The present results suggest that alpha oscillatory patterns do not resolve the selection mode of action, but rather distinguish separate functional strategies of motor preparation. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-22T21:32:19Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-2c75122258b84cc6b4a3dfb3a65bb449 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1662-5145 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-22T21:32:19Z |
| publishDate | 2012-08-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Integrative Neuroscience |
| spelling | doaj.art-2c75122258b84cc6b4a3dfb3a65bb4492022-12-21T18:11:53ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Integrative Neuroscience1662-51452012-08-01610.3389/fnint.2012.0005930235EEG alpha activity reflects motor preparation rather than the mode of action selectionMarie-Pierre eDeiber0Marie-Pierre eDeiber1Etienne eSallard2Catherine eLudwig3Catherine eLudwig4Catherine eGhezzi5Jerome eBarral6Vicente eIbanez7National Institute of Health and Medical Research (INSERM)University Hospitals of GenevaUniversity of LausanneUniversity of GenevaUniversity of GenevaNational Institute of Health and Medical Research (INSERM)University of LausanneUniversity Hospitals of GenevaAlpha-band activity (8-13 Hz) is suppressed by sensory stimulation and movements, modulated by attention, working memory and mental tasks and may be sensitive to higher motor control functions. The aim of the present study was to examine alpha oscillatory activity during the preparation of simple left or right finger movements, contrasting the external and internal mode of action selection. Three preparation conditions were examined using a precueing paradigm with S1 as the preparatory and S2 as the imperative cue: Full, laterality instructed by S1; Free, laterality freely selected and None, laterality instructed by S2. Time-frequency analysis was performed in the alpha frequency range during the S1-S2 interval, and alpha motor-related amplitude asymmetries (MRAA) were also calculated. The significant MRAA during the Full and Free conditions indicated effective external and internal motor response preparation. In the absence of specific motor preparation (None), a posterior alpha power decrease (event-related desynchronization, ERD) dominated, reflecting the main engagement of attentional resources. In Full and Free motor preparation, posterior alpha ERD was accompanied by a midparietal alpha power increase (event-related synchronization, ERS), suggesting a concomitant inhibition of task-irrelevant visual activity. In both Full and Free motor preparation, analysis of alpha power according to MRAA amplitude revealed two types of functional activation patterns: 1) a motor alpha pattern, with predominantly midparietal alpha ERS and large MRAA corresponding to lateralized motor activation/visual inhibition and 2) an attentional alpha pattern, with dominating right posterior alpha ERD and small MRAA reflecting visuospatial attention. The present results suggest that alpha oscillatory patterns do not resolve the selection mode of action, but rather distinguish separate functional strategies of motor preparation.http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fnint.2012.00059/fullmotor preparationAlpha-band activityExternally-cued actionInternally-cued actionMotor selectionMotor-related amplitude asymmetry |
| spellingShingle | Marie-Pierre eDeiber Marie-Pierre eDeiber Etienne eSallard Catherine eLudwig Catherine eLudwig Catherine eGhezzi Jerome eBarral Vicente eIbanez EEG alpha activity reflects motor preparation rather than the mode of action selection Frontiers in Integrative Neuroscience motor preparation Alpha-band activity Externally-cued action Internally-cued action Motor selection Motor-related amplitude asymmetry |
| title | EEG alpha activity reflects motor preparation rather than the mode of action selection |
| title_full | EEG alpha activity reflects motor preparation rather than the mode of action selection |
| title_fullStr | EEG alpha activity reflects motor preparation rather than the mode of action selection |
| title_full_unstemmed | EEG alpha activity reflects motor preparation rather than the mode of action selection |
| title_short | EEG alpha activity reflects motor preparation rather than the mode of action selection |
| title_sort | eeg alpha activity reflects motor preparation rather than the mode of action selection |
| topic | motor preparation Alpha-band activity Externally-cued action Internally-cued action Motor selection Motor-related amplitude asymmetry |
| url | http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fnint.2012.00059/full |
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