Non-dominant hand movement facilitates the frontal N30 somatosensory evoked potential

Abstract

BackgroundPrevious literature has shown that the frontal N30 is increased during movement of the hand contralateral to median nerve stimulation. This finding was a result of non-dominant left hand movement in right-handed participants. It is unclear however if the effect depends upon non-dominant hand movement or if this is a generalized phenomenon across the upper-limbs. This study tests the effect of dominant and non-dominant hand movement upon contralateral frontal and parietal somatosensory evoked potentials (SEPs) and further tests if this relationship persists in left hand dominant participants. Median nerve SEPs were elicited from the wrist contralateral to movement in both right hand and left hand dominant participants alternating the movement hand in separate blocks. Participants were required to volitionally squeeze (~ 20% of a maximal voluntary contraction) a pressure-sensitive bulb every ~3 seconds with the hand contralateral to median nerve stimulation. SEPs were continuously collected during the task and individual traces were grouped into time bins relative to movement according to the timing of components of the Bereitschaftspotential. SEPs were then averaged and quantified from both FCZ and CP3/4 scalp electrode sites during both the squeeze task and at rest.ResultsThe N30 is facilitated during non-dominant hand movement in both right and left hand dominant individuals. There was no effect for dominant hand movement in either group.ConclusionsN30 amplitude increase may be a result of altered sensory gating from motor areas known to be specifically active during non-dominant hand movement.

Somatosensory input to non-primary motor areas is enhanced during preparation of cued contraterlateral finger sequence movements

“…In contrast, previous research has also shown that N30 peaks are enhanced during the execution of contralateral repetitive finger-to-thumb opposition movements [15] and during self-paced gripping [8]. Furthermore, it was revealed that the facilitation of the N30 peaks occur predominantly during contralateral non-dominant rather than dominant limb self-paced gripping [7]. It was hypothesized that these facilitatory effects on N30 peaks during non-dominant hand movements resulted from increased activity in supplementary motor area (SMA), primary motor cortex (M1) and basal ganglia (BG) [7].…”

“…Importantly, abnormal sensory gating has been N30 is gated during preparation, execution or imagination of movements to the same limb as MN stimulation (i.e. ipsilateral movements) [3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14]. In contrast, previous research has also shown that N30 peaks are enhanced during the execution of contralateral repetitive finger-to-thumb opposition movements [15] and during self-paced gripping [8].…”

“…Previous research has demonstrated that frontal N30 peaks are enhanced during the execution but not during the preparation of contralateral movements [7,8,15]. Specifically, Rossini et al [15] found an enhancement of frontal N30 peaks during the execution of repetitive finger-to-thumb opposition movements with the left hand while Legon et al [8] found that both frontal N30 and N60 peak amplitudes were increased during self-initiated contralateral repetitive gripping movements.…”

“…Furthermore, it was revealed that the facilitation of the N30 peaks occur predominantly during contralateral non-dominant rather than dominant limb self-paced gripping [7]. It was hypothesized that these facilitatory effects on N30 peaks during non-dominant hand movements resulted from increased activity in supplementary motor area (SMA), primary motor cortex (M1) and basal ganglia (BG) [7]. However, it is currently unclear if this mechanism (i.e.…”

Brain mechanisms that underlie the effects of motivational audiovisual stimuli on psychophysiological responses during exercise

“…Due to the potential confound of hand dominance 4 on brain electrical activity (see Legon, Dionne, Meehan, & Staines, 2010), only right-handed 5 participants were recruited. Furthermore, participants were questioned regarding their 6 auditory and visual faculties.…”