Abstract
The right inferior fronto-parietal network monitors the current status of the musculoskeletal system and builds-up and updates our postural model. The kinesthetic illusion induced by tendon vibration has been utilized in experiments on the modulation of body awareness. The right inferior fronto-parietal cortices activate during the kinesthetic illusion. We aimed to determine the relationship between the right inferior fronto-parietal cortices and body awareness by applying transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) to exogenously modulate oscillatory neural activity in the right fronto-parietal cortices during the kinesthetic illusion. Sixteen young adults participated in this study. We counterbalanced the order in which participants received the three types of tACS (55 Hz enveloped by 6 Hz; synchronous, desynchronous, and sham) across the subjects. The illusory movement perception induced by tendon vibration of the left extensor carpi ulnaris muscle was assessed before and during tACS. Application of synchronous tACS over the right inferior fronto-parietal cortices significantly increased kinesthetic illusion compared with sham tACS. The kinesthetic illusion during desynchronous tACS decreased from baseline. There was no change in vibration sensation during any tACS condition. The modulation of oscillatory brain activity between the right fronto-parietal cortices alters the illusory movement perception without altering actual vibration sensation. tACS over the right inferior fronto-parietal cortices is considered to modulate the neural processing involved in updating the postural model when the stimulated muscle spindle sends kinesthetic signals. This is the first study that reveals that rhythmic communication between the right inferior fronto-parietal cortices has a causal role in body awareness.
Highlights
Somatic perception of limb position and movement of self body-parts depends on the central processing of proprioceptive information originating from the receptors in the skin, muscles, and joints (Tsakiris, 2010; Ionta et al, 2011; Blanke, 2012)
We investigated whether synchronous and/or desynchronous transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) over the right inferior fronto-parietal cortices alters the kinesthetic illusion induced by tendon vibration
We investigated whether illusory movement perception is altered by tACS over the right inferior frontoparietal cortices that monitor the current status of the musculoskeletal system and build-up and update our postural model
Summary
Somatic perception of limb position and movement of self body-parts depends on the central processing of proprioceptive information originating from the receptors in the skin, muscles, and joints (Tsakiris, 2010; Ionta et al, 2011; Blanke, 2012). Several neuroimaging studies using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) have reported that the right inferior frontal and parietal cortices are activated when experiencing kinesthetic illusion induced by tendon vibration (Cignetti et al, 2014; Amemiya and Naito, 2016; Naito et al, 2017). The right inferior fronto-parietal SLF III network has several functions, monitoring the current status of the musculoskeletal system and building-up and updating our body schema, which could be the basis for body awareness (Cignetti et al, 2014; Amemiya and Naito, 2016). It has been speculated that this network, which underpins elements of one’s own body movement, might be essential for experiences of illusory movement perception induced by tendon vibration. A direct causal relationship between fronto-parietal cortices and kinesthetic illusion has not been determined and is still unclear whether the activity in fronto-parietal cortices observed by fMRI is relevant in kinesthetic illusion
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