The role of pre‐supplementary motor cortex in action control with emotional stimuli: A repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation study

Abstract

Swiftly halting ongoing motor actions is essential to react to unforeseen and potentially perilous circumstances. However, the neural bases subtending the complex interplay between emotions and motor control have been scarcely investigated. Here, we used an emotional stop signal task (SST) to investigate whether specific neural circuits engaged by action suppression are differently modulated by emotional signals with respect to neutral ones. Participants performed an SST before and after the administration of one session of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) over the pre‐supplementary motor cortex (pre‐SMA), the right inferior frontal gyrus (rIFG), and the left primary motor cortex (lM1). Results show that rTMS over the pre‐SMA improved the ability to inhibit prepotent action (i.e., better action control) when emotional stimuli were presented. In contrast, action control in a neutral context was fostered by rTMS over the rIFG. No changes were observed after lM1 stimulation. Intriguingly, individuals with higher impulsivity traits exhibited enhanced motor control when facing neutral stimuli following rIFG stimulation. These results further our understanding of the interplay between emotions and motor functions, shedding light on the selective modulation of neural pathways underpinning these processes.

Causality between multiple autoimmune disorders and migraine and its subtypes: a two-sample Mendelian randomization study

“…The hypothalamus is involved in regulation of homeostasis and is associated with migraine precursor symptoms (appetite, mood, sleep, etc. ), suggesting that it may be involved in the regulation of migraine susceptibility ( 35 ). The genetic association observed in our study may be related to these neural mechanisms.…”

“…The genetic association observed in our study may be related to these neural mechanisms. The association of autoimmune hyperthyroidism with migraine may be related to brainstem and hypothalamic function, as endocrine regulation and pain processing are in these areas ( 34 , 35 ). Cortical diffusive inhibition may be associated between SLE and MA, as seen on imaging ( 36 , 37 ).…”