Effect of volitional relaxation and motor imagery on F wave and MEP: Do these tasks affect excitability of the spinal or cortical motor neurons?

Abstract

Objective To test if simple motor imagery, like thumb abduction, preferentially influences the excitability of the spinal or cortical motoneurons. Methods Ten healthy subjects underwent two separate experiments, each consisting of recording F waves and MEPs from abductor pollicis brevis (APB) in three consecutive sessions: (1) baseline, (2) after immobilizing APB for 3 h, and (3) after brief muscle exercise. During the immobilization, the subjects were instructed to volitionally relax APB in experiment 1 (relaxation task), and mentally simulate thumb abduction without actual movement in experiment 2 (imagery task). Results Relaxation task suppressed both MEPs and F waves. Motor imagery reduced this suppression, restoring F waves nearly completely (94%) and MEPs only partially (77%). Hence, the rest-induced decline of MEPs in part results from cortical modulation. In contrast, statistical analysis revealed no differences in imagery-induced recovery of motoneuron excitabilities whether assessed by F wave or MEP. Thus, increased excitability of spinal motoneurons responsible for F-wave changes also accounts for recovery of MEPs. Conclusions Volitional relaxation depresses the spinal and cortical motoneurons, whereas mental simulation counters rest-induced suppression primarily by restoring spinal excitability. Significance The present findings help elucidate physiologic mechanisms underlying motor imagery.