Proximal Upper Limb Sensorimotor Integration in Response to Novel Motor Skill Acquisition

Abstract

Previous studies have shown significant changes in cortical and subcortical evoked potential activity levels in response to motor training with the distal upper-limb muscles. However, no studies to date have assessed the neurological processing changes in somatosensory evoked potentials (SEPs) associated with motor training whole-arm movements utilizing proximal upper-limb muscles. The proximal upper-limb muscles are a common source of work-related injuries, due to repetitive glenohumeral movements. Measuring neurophysiological changes following performance of a proximal motor task provide insight into potential neurophysiological changes associated with occupational postures and movements involving proximal upper limb muscles. This study sought to assess the impact of a novel motor skill acquisition task on neural processing of the proximal upper-limb muscle groups, through the measurement of short-latency median nerve SEPs. One group of 12 participants completed a novel motor training task, consisting of tracing a sinusoidal waveform varying in amplitude and frequency. Baseline SEP measurements were recorded from each participant, followed by a mental recitation control task. Pre-test SEP measurements were then recorded, followed by the motor training task, and post-test SEP recordings. The participants completed the tracing with their right thumb, using glenohumeral rotation only to move their hand. Significant improvements in task accuracy were demonstrated, indicating that motor acquisition had occurred. Significant changes were also seen in the N11, N13, N20, N24, P25, and the N30 SEP peaks were seen following the motor training task. Conclusion: Early SEPs appear to be a sensitive measure of changes in sensorimotor integration in response to novel motor skill acquisition within the proximal upper-limb muscles.

Neck Muscle Vibration Alters Cerebellar Processing Associated with Motor Skill Acquisition and Proprioception

“…An increased N18 amplitude may suggest greater inhibitory inputs along the olivary-cerebellar network to accurately produce and modulate forces during motor acquisition. This aligns with past work which illustrates an increased N18 amplitude following the acquisition of an upper limb motor tracing task (53).…”

Reversal of Visual Feedback Modulates Somatosensory Plasticity

“…Recent work has shown that changes in somatosensory cortical excitability occur during the early stages of motor skill learning in somatosensory cortical responses (Ohashi et al, 2019). Learning-induced enhancements in somatosensory evoked potentials (SEPs) in primary somatosensory cortex (S1) have been found following force-field adaptation, motor skill acquisition, and observational motor learning (Nasir et al, 2013;Andrew et al, 2015a;McGregor et al, 2016;O'Brien et al, 2020). It is known that parietal-frontal brain regions use sensory information to plan, execute, and adjust bodily actions (Gallivan and Culham, 2015).…”

Correlation of N30 somatosensory evoked potentials with spasticity and neurological function after stroke: A cross-sectional study

“…To ensure the reproducibility of the evoked response components, a minimum of 2 trials were performed. The evoked potentials were calculated by averaging the recordings at every 500 stimuli, and the responses were filtered with a bandpass filter from 3 to 30 Hz ( 20 ). The existence of N30 and N20 SEPs was defined as potentials within 3 SD of the mean value of the normal data from the healthy side ( 21 ).…”