Neural Correlates of Attentional Focusing during Finger Movements: A fMRI Study

Zentgraf, Karen; Lorey, Britta; Bischoff, Matthias; Zimmermann, Kristin; Stark, Rudolf; Munzert, Jörn

doi:10.3200/35-08-091

Cited by 53 publications

(69 citation statements)

References 27 publications

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“…Greater activation of the primary somatosensory, motor, and insular cortices were observed when externally compared to internally focused instructions were utilized during the acquisition of a simple motor skill (key press sequence; Zentgraf et al, 2009). Whilst an external focus enhanced task-relevant tactile information processing necessary for the effective execution of environmental-outcome movements, internally focused instructions disrupted the efficient neural flow between sensory and motor areas.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Attentional Focusing Instructions and Force Production

Marchant¹

2011

Front. Psychology

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Research progress assessing the role of attentional focusing instructions on skill acquisition and performance has lead researchers to apply this approach to force production tasks. Initial converging evidence indicates that force production tasks are sensitive to verbal instruction; externally focused instructions (onto movement outcomes, or onto the object force is being exerted against) are shown to be more beneficial than internally focused instructions (focusing attention onto the movements being executed). These benefits are observed for maximal and accurate force production, as well as the maintenance of force production in prolonged tasks. A range of mechanisms are identified supporting the proposal that an external focus promotes movement efficiency in line with energy and effort conservation. Future research is required to assess how this developing body of work interacts with the broader understanding of psychological and physiological factors implicated in the effective production, maintenance, and limitation of maximal or sub-maximal forces.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Attentional Focusing Instructions and Force Production

Marchant¹

2011

Front. Psychology

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“…computer work and playing music. Furthermore, the task is widely applied in studies of both healthy individuals (Hammond & Gunasekera, 2008;Hansen & Ohnstad, 2008;Sundqvist, Johnels, Lindh, Laakso, & Hartelius, 2015;Wing & Kristoffersen, 1973;Zentgraf et al, 2009) and in patients with e.g. Parkinson's disease (Shima, Tamura, Tsuji, Kandori, & Sakoda, 2011;Teo, Rodrigues, Mastaglia, & Thickbroom, 2013).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Vertical Finger Displacement Is Reduced in Index Finger Tapping During Repeated Bout Rate Enhancement

2017

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. (2017). Vertical finger displacement is reduced in index finger tapping during repeated bout rate enhancement. Motor Control, 21(4), 457-467. https://doi.org/10.1123/mc.2016-0037 General rightsCopyright and moral rights for the publications made accessible in the public portal are retained by the authors and/or other copyright owners and it is a condition of accessing publications that users recognise and abide by the legal requirements associated with these rights.? Users may download and print one copy of any publication from the public portal for the purpose of private study or research. ? You may not further distribute the material or use it for any profit-making activity or commercial gain ? You may freely distribute the URL identifying the publication in the public portal ? Take down policyIf you believe that this document breaches copyright please contact us at vbn@aub.aau.dk providing details, and we will remove access to the work immediately and investigate your claim. , corresponding to 6.0±11.0%, p=.033) was accompanied by reduced vertical displacement (1.6±2.9 mm, corresponding to 6.3±14.9%, p=.012) of the fingertip. Concurrently, peak force was unchanged. The present study points at separate control mechanisms governing kinematics and kinetics during finger tapping.

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“…To address this question, research has started to elucidate the underlying mechanisms mediating the effects of these two attentional foci (e.g., Zentgraf and Munzert, 2009; Wulf and Lewthwaite, 2010). Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), Zentgraf et al (2009), for example, explored the brain structures involved in finger movements by comparing the two distinct attentional foci in a between-subject design. They observed an increase in blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) response under an external focus of attention in the primary motor cortex, primary somatosensory cortex, and the insular region of the left hemisphere.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…They suggested that these findings reflected augmented sensory processing of tactile information when focusing externally on the buttons, which had to be pressed without visual control in the finger-moving task. Further, Zentgraf et al (2009) propose more specifically that this augmented sensory processing had led to a modulation of integration mechanisms in neural sensorimotor systems. To our knowledge, however, the brain regions involved in switching from an internal attentional focus on movement to an external or vice versa have yet to be examined.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Neural Correlates of Switching Attentional Focus during Finger Movements: An fMRI Study

Zimmermann¹,

Bischoff²,

Lorey³

et al. 2012

Front. Psychology

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Research on motor-related attentional foci suggests that switching from an internal to an external focus of attention has advantageous effects on motor performance whereas switching from an external to an internal focus has disadvantageous effects. We used functional magnetic resonance imaging to investigate the neural correlates of switching the focus of attention. Two experimental groups were trained to apply one focus direction – internal or external – on a previously learned finger tapping sequence. Participants with an internal focus training were instructed to attend to their moving fingers; those with an external focus training were instructed to attend to the response buttons. In the first half of the experiment, participants performed with their trained focus, in the second half, they were unexpectedly asked to switch to the untrained attentional focus. Our data showed that the switch from a trained internal to an unfamiliar external focus of attention elicited increased activation of the left lateral premotor cortex (PMC). We propose that this activation can be linked to the role of the PMC in action planning – probably indicating a facilitation effect on selectional motor processes. Switching from a trained external to an unfamiliar internal focus of attention revealed enhanced activation of the left primary somatosensory cortex and intraparietal lobule. We interpret these modulations as a result of the amplifying influence of afferent information on motor processing when asked to attend internally in a motor task after being trained with an external focus.

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Neural Correlates of Attentional Focusing during Finger Movements: A fMRI Study

Cited by 53 publications

References 27 publications

Attentional Focusing Instructions and Force Production

Attentional Focusing Instructions and Force Production

Vertical Finger Displacement Is Reduced in Index Finger Tapping During Repeated Bout Rate Enhancement

Neural Correlates of Switching Attentional Focus during Finger Movements: An fMRI Study

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