Motor Cortex Plasticity during Unilateral Finger Movement with Mirror Visual Feedback

Abstract

Plasticity is one of the most important physiological mechanisms underlying motor recovery from brain lesions. Rehabilitation methods, such as mirror visual feedback therapy, which are based on multisensory integration of motor, cognitive, and perceptual processes, are considered effective methods to induce cortical reorganization. The present study investigated 3 different types of visual feedback (direct, mirrored, and blocked visual feedback: DVF, MVF, and BVF, resp.) on M1 cortex excitability and intracortical inhibition/facilitation at rest and during phasic unimanual motor task in 11 healthy individuals. The excitability of the ipsilateral M1 cortex and the intracortical facilitation increased during motor task performance in the DVF and MVF but not in the BVF condition. In addition, MVF induced cortical disinhibition of the ipsilateral hemisphere to the index finger performing the motor task, which was greater when compared to the BVF and restricted to the homologue first dorsal interosseous muscle. The visual feedback is relevant to M1 cortex excitability modulation but the MVF plays a crucial role in promoting changes in intracortical inhibition in comparison to BVF. Altogether, it can be concluded that a combination of motor training with MVF therapy may induce more robust neuroplastic changes through multisensory integration that is relevant to motor rehabilitation.

Effects of mirror training on motor performance in healthy individuals: a systematic review and meta-analysis

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HRV Regulation by Calligraphic Finger-writing and Guqin Music: A Pilot Case Study

“…Recent results indicate that a combination of motor training with mirrored visual feedback (MVF) therapy can induce significant neuroplasticity changes through multisensory integration. The findings of this finger movement therapy lend support to the application of finger calligraphy writing for inducing cortex plasticity in the course of treatment (Kumru et al, 2016). We have made initial attempts to develop finger writing as a new mode for calligraphy therapy.…”

Comparison of Corticospinal Excitability between Observations of Tonic Contraction and Rhythmic Movement: a TMS Study

“…Our results indicate that visual feedback of movement affects corticospinal excitability in a manner similar to actual movement. In a study using paired-pulse TMS, Kumru et al [8] reported that visual feedback plays an important role in modulating motor cortex excitability. Our results indicate that dynamic visual feedback elicits greater changes in corticospinal excitability than static visual feedback (Fig.…”

“…Visual information from motor imagery reduced MEP latency or facilitated corticospinal excitability [6,7]. In experiments using a mirror, Kumru et al [8] reported that visual feedback played an important role in modulating motor cortex excitability. Since the subjects in those experiments moved their own nger, it is possible that both somatosensory information and motor commands were associated with changes in corticospinal excitability of the target muscle.…”