Veldman, M.P. (Menno) (2014) Somatosensory electrical stimulation to augment interlimb transfer of a visuomotor skill. thesis, Human Movement Sciences.
Full text available on request.Abstract
Purpose: Sensory inputs can modify motor output. Sensory input in the form of somatosensory electrical stimulation (SES) can have ‘direct’ and ‘crossed’ effects on brain activity, neuronal excitability, and motor performance. The aim of the present study was to examine the hypothesis that SES combined with motor practice could enhance the learning of a visuomotor skill in the practicing and also in the resting contralateral hand. Methods: Participants were randomly assigned to the visuomotor practice (VMP) only, VMP+SES or SES only group. During VMP, participants performed 300, 5-s-long movement trials and followed a pre-programmed template as accurately as possible using wrist flexions and extensions. Mean absolute error between the template and participants’ performance was calculated as a measure of motor performance. Using transcranial magnetic brain stimulation, neuronal excitability was assessed before and after the intervention. Results: Visuomotor performance in the trained right hand increased in all groups, as did motor performance in the resting left hand resulting in a significant transfer effect. VMP and SES increased corticospinal excitability in the trained right but not in the untrained left hand. The three interventions modified the duration of the ipsilateral silent period and the contralateral facilitation differently. Discussion: In agreement with previous results, current study shows that unilateral training can result in transfer of a motor skill to the untrained limb. Against the hypothesis, SES did not further facilitate motor learning in either hand, possibly because motor learning has reached a maximal level that SES could not further augment Conclusion: Unilateral VMP produced in interlimb transfer of a visuomotor skill accompanied by changes in neuronal excitability but SES could not further increase motor learning. Future experiments are needed to identify the optimal stimulation parameters to induce changes in motor performance in healthy participants. A better understanding of how SES facilitates motor performance in healthy adults could increase rehabilitation efficacy of patients suffering from movement disorders. Running head: Somatosensory stimulation and interlimb transfer Keywords: Sensory input; Interlimb transfer; Primary motor cortex; visuomotor training; plasticity
| Item Type: | Thesis (UNSPECIFIED) |
|---|---|
| Supervisor name: | Hortobágyi, T. |
| Faculty: | Medical Sciences |
| Date Deposited: | 06 Apr 2022 09:06 |
| Last Modified: | 06 Apr 2022 09:06 |
| URI: | https://umcg.studenttheses.ub.rug.nl/id/eprint/3055 |
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