Abstract
In this study, we utilized functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to measure blood oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD) signals. This allowed us to evaluate the relationship between brain activity and imagined force level. Subjects performed motor imagery of repetitive right hand grasping with three different levels of contractile force; 10%, 30%, and 60% of their maximum voluntary contraction (MVC). We observed a common activation among each condition in the following brain regions; the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), ventrolateral prefrontal cortex (VLPFC), supplementary motor area (SMA), premotor area (PM), insula, and inferior parietal lobule (IPL). In addition, the BOLD signal changes were significantly larger at 60% MVC than at 10% MVC in the right PM, the right IPL, and the primary somatosensory cortex (SI). These findings indicate that during motor imagery right fronto-parietal activity increases as the imagined contractile force level is intensified. The present finding that the right brain activity during motor imagery is clearly altered depending on the imagined force level suggests that it may be possible to decode intended force level during the motor imagery of patients or healthy subjects.
Highlights
Motor imagery is defined as the mental execution of a movement without any overt movement
IMAGING DATA Brain activities related to the 10% maximum voluntary contraction (MVC) were located in the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) (BA 10), ventrolateral prefrontal cortec (VLPFC) (BA 44), premotor area (PM) (BA 6), supplemental motor area (SMA) (BA 6), inferior parietal lobule (IPL) (BA 40), superior temporal gyrus (STG), and cingulate gyrus (BA 32)
Regions activated by the 30% MVC were located in the left DLPFC (BA 9 and 10), ventrolateral prefrontal cortex (VLPFC) (BA 44), superior frontal gyrus (SFG) (BA 10), SMA (BA 6), SI (BA 2), IPL (BA 40)
Summary
Motor imagery is defined as the mental execution of a movement without any overt movement. Many studies report significant effects of motor imagery practice on motor skills and on muscle strength (Feltz and Landers, 1983; Yue and Cole, 1992; Lotze and Halsband, 2006; Mizuguchi et al, 2012). Numerous studies have investigated the relationship between brain activity and the level of contractile force. An electrophysiological study by Perez and Cohen (2009)
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary 
Published Version (
Free)
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
