Abstract
Background: Inter-individual rhythmic movement coordination plays an important role in daily life, particularly in competitive sports. Behaviorally, it is more challenging to coordinate alternating movements than symmetrical movements. The neural activity underlying these different movement coordination modes remains to be clarified, particularly considering complex inter-individual coordination differences.Methods: To further test the neural basis of inter-individual rhythmic movement coordination, a revised experimental paradigm of inter-individual coordination was adopted. Participants were asked to perform symmetric, alternate, or single movements (swinging the lower part of the leg) in the same rhythm. A multi-channel, continuous wave, functional near-infrared spectral (fNIRS) imaging instrument was used to monitor hemodynamic activity while 40 volunteers (9 male pairs and 11 female pairs) performed the task. Multivariate analyses of variance were conducted to compare mean oxy-hemoglobin concentration ([HbO]) across experimental conditions.Results: A significant three-way interaction (leg-swing condition × ROI × laterality) on mean [HbO] was observed. Post hoc analysis revealed a significant main effect of leg-swing condition only in brain regions of interest [right inferior parietal lobule (IPL)] contralateral to movement execution. Activation in brain regions of interest [right inferior parietal lobule (IPL)] was much stronger in alternate mode compared with symmetric or single modes, and the differences between symmetric and single mode were not statistically significant. This result suggests that the alternate mode of movement coordination was more likely to be supported by the IPL region than the other modes.Conclusion: The present findings provide neural evidence relevant to the theory of self-organization of movement coordination, in which an alternating movement mode appeared to be a more demanding condition than symmetrical movement.
Highlights
Inter-individual coordinated movement refers to the organized and harmonious movement of body parts as when walking side by side or carrying heavy objects together
Post hoc analysis showed that only in ROI-2 [right inferior parietal lobule (IPL)] contralateral to movement execution, the mean [HbO] for the alternate mode was significantly higher than that for symmetric mode (p = 0.021) and single mode (p = 0.003); three was no significant difference between the mean [HbO]s for the symmetric and single modes (p = 0.407) (Means and Standard Errors were shown in Table 1; all P values from post hoc analysis were shown in Table 2; see Figures 2, 3 for the bar graphs and time courses)
The neural mechanism mediating inter-individual movement coordination was explored with fNIRS
Summary
Inter-individual coordinated movement refers to the organized and harmonious movement of body parts as when walking side by side or carrying heavy objects together. Coordination between 2 or more players is quite normal, as when handing over an object during a relay game or cutting into the restricted area. Rhythmic Movement Coordination Between Individuals between players and passers during a basketball game (Schmidt et al, 1990). There are two common modes of movement coordination: symmetric and alternate. Symmetric mode is characteristic of teammates working toward a common purpose. In team sports, such as team speed skating and team rowing, synchronization between teammates is common. Opposite coordination, as occurs in alternate mode, occurs between opponents. Determining the mechanisms of inter-individual coordination modes is important for understanding motor learning and team competitiveness. Inter-individual rhythmic movement coordination plays an important role in daily life, in competitive sports. The neural activity underlying these different movement coordination modes remains to be clarified, considering complex inter-individual coordination differences
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