Relationship between Intensity of Toe Motion and Cerebral Activation: a Near-Infrared Spectroscopy Study

Abstract

We investigated the relationship between the intensity of toe motion and ∆[Oxy-Hb] in motor cortical areas. [Subjects] Twelve healthy adults (7 females and 5 males: 26.9±5.3 years of age) participated in the study. [Methods] The motor tasks were isometric and isotonic right toe flexion. The participants performed the tasks under two conditions: maximum and moderate effort. We measured the motor cortical activity using NIRS, and the extent and amplitude of the activations were compared between the two conditions for each task. [Results] In the isotonic flexion task, the extent of the activation area and the amplitude of ∆[Oxy-Hb] were dependent on the movement intensity. On the other hand, there was no significant difference between the two conditions in the isometric flexion task. [Conclusion] We clarified that cerebral activation is influenced by the task motion and the participant's effort.

Effects of Visual–Motor Illusion via Image Videos Showing Increased Exercise Intensity on the Tibial Anterior during Sit-to-Stand Movement: A Study of Healthy Participants

“…As noted, VMI elicits a similar motor imagery and brain activity as when the action in the video is actually performed [ 11 , 13 ], suggesting that brain activity changes depend on the joint movement presented by video images. Prior research has indicated that the engagement of the brain area of motor-related areas is higher during maximal-intensity toe flexion exercises compared to moderate-intensity toe flexion exercises in healthy participants [ 23 ]. Furthermore, the extent of the increase in corticospinal tract excitability, as evaluated through motor-evoked potentials (MEPs) using transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), is contingent upon the intensity of the imagined or perceived muscle contraction [ 24 ].…”

Effects of Different Methods for Achieving Situational Awareness on Cerebral Blood Flow in Nurses in an Observational Setting

“…This project aims to investigate topics such as attentiveness, motivation, curricula, and teaching methods as well as to provide an objective evaluation and determine a scientific rationale. Given these current conditions, the use of near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) to evaluate brain activity has been attracting attention on a global scale in recent years [6,7]. NIRS can estimate changes in blood flow in the cerebral cortex through probes on the surface of the skin, and can monitor these changes over time in a non-invasive manner, even during tasks that require the subject to move [8].…”