Abstract
Preparation of the motor system for movement execution involves an increase in excitability of motor pathways. In a reaction time task paradigm, a startling auditory stimulus (SAS) delivered together with the imperative signal (IS) shortens reaction time significantly. In self-generated tasks we considered that an appropriately timed SAS would have similar effects. Eight subjects performed a ballistic wrist extension in two blocks: reaction, in which they responded to a visual IS, and action, in which they moved when they wished within a predetermined time window. In 20–25% of the trials, a SAS was applied. We recorded electromyographic activity of wrist extension and wrist movement kinematic variables. No effects of SAS were observed in action trials when movement was performed before or long after SAS application. However, a cluster of action trials was observed within 200 ms after SAS. These trials showed larger EMG bursts, shorter movement time, shorter time to peak velocity, and higher peak velocity than other action trials (P < 0.001 for all), with no difference from Reaction trials containing SAS. The results show that SAS influences the execution of self-generated human actions as it does with preprogrammed reaction time tasks during the assumed building up of preparatory activity before execution of the willed motor action.
Highlights
Movement execution requires previous preparation of the motor system at various levels
The results show that startling auditory stimulus (SAS) influences the execution of self-generated human actions as it does with preprogrammed reaction time tasks during the assumed building up of preparatory activity before execution of the willed motor action
This study shows that a loud auditory stimulus influences the execution of self-generated human actions in a way similar to what is known to occur in simple reaction time trials
Summary
Movement execution requires previous preparation of the motor system at various levels. There are changes in brain activity that precede the generation of muscle EMG activity and consequent contraction These can be seen as a slowly rising negativity beginning from 1.5 to 2 s before onset of EMG activity, the so-called bereitschaftspotential [8,9,10] or a change in the proportion of frequency bands in the EEG [11]. These events may indicate an increase in cortical excitability [12], this does not seem to go with any increase in corticospinal excitability until the last 50–80 ms preceding movement onset [13]. The excitability of subcortical motor structures preceding self-generated tasks has not been investigated
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