The main objective is to investigate the preparatory process in left primary motor cortex in relation to hand choice during whole-body motion.
ID
Source
Brief title
Condition
- Other condition
Synonym
Health condition
niet
Research involving
Sponsors and support
Intervention
Outcome measures
Primary outcome
MEP amplitude, reaction time, hand choice behavior.
Secondary outcome
Not applicable.
Background summary
Research on body-stationary hand selection shows that at least three factors
play a role in the decision process that determines which hand will be selected
to reach for a target: the cost of movement in terms of energy expenditure, the
likelihood that a specific action will reach the target accurately, and a bias
for movements with the dominant hand. However, hand selection while the whole
body is in motion, when inertial forces could affect the selection process, is
less well understood. Research in our lab shows that whole-body acceleration,
as detected by the vestibular system, affects hand choice. In this study, we
propose to investigate the cortical mechanisms concerning this effect of
whole-body motion on hand selection. We aim to do this by measuring primary
motor cortex excitability during reach decisions under whole-body motion. We
will apply single-pulse transcranial magnetic stimulation (spTMS) over left
primary motor cortex, while motor evoked potentials (MEP) will be recorded from
the triceps brachii muscle to assess modulations of motor cortical
excitability. We expect that MEP amplitude will change as a function of
whole-body motion. More specifically, we expect that leftward maximum
acceleration, which is known to increase preference for reaches with the right
hand, will increase MEP peak amplitude of the left primary motor cortex, and
rightward maximum acceleration, which is known to increase preference for
reaches with the left hand, will decrease MEP peak amplitude of the left
primary motor cortex.
Study objective
The main objective is to investigate the preparatory process in left primary
motor cortex in relation to hand choice during whole-body motion.
Study design
A within-subject design. Single-pulse TMS will be applied over left primary
motor cortex (M1) to assess motor evoked potentials (MEP). Subjects will
perform a hand selection task while they are sinusoidally translated on a
vestibular sled. At various phases of the motion (0:360 degrees in steps of 45
degrees) MEPs will be measured to analyse task induced excitability changes in
left M1.
Intervention
Per experimental session (in total 2 sessions), each subject will receive 96
trials of single-pulse TMS over left M1 at fixed phases of the passive
whole-body sinusoidal motion on top of the number of pulses needed for
measuring the individual motor threshold to determine stimulation intensity.
Study burden and risks
The currently proposed spTMS paradigm does not carry any significant risks.
Safety guidelines as acknowledged by the International Federation of Clinical
Neurophysiology will be followed strictly and the study will be performed
according to the Standard Operating Procedure for Non-Invasive Brain
Stimulation (v. 2.1, CMO No. 2014/245) at the Donders Institute for Brain,
Cognition and Behaviour. Potential side-effects of TMS are muscle tension and
headache. These are generally mild discomforts that respond promptly to common
analgesics. Volunteers can withdraw from the study at any given time and there
are no direct benefits for the participants.
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The novel insights obtained with this study will contribute to our knowledge
concerning hand selection during whole-body motion
Montessorilaan 3
Nijmegen 6525HR
NL
Montessorilaan 3
Nijmegen 6525HR
NL
Listed location countries
Age
Inclusion criteria
Between 18-55 years of age, right-handed, non-smoking, normal or corrected to normal vision (only contact lenses), willingness and ability to give written informed consent, and willingness and ability to understand the nature and content, to participate and to comply with the study requirements.
Exclusion criteria
Skin disease, metal in cranium, fear for confined spaces (claustrophobia), use of psychotropic drugs, including cannabis, XTC, amphetamines and cocaine, epilepsy or family history of epilepsy, history of closed-head injury, history of head surgery, history of neurological or psychiatric disorders, medication use (i.e., antidepressants and neuroleptics), medication pump, brain infarction, heart disease, cardiac pacemaker, pregnancy or electronic hearing devices, disorders of vision (i.e., deviation from normal, including color blind), any prescribed medication that can alter cortical excitability (e.g. antiepileptics, tricyclic anti-depressives or benzodiazepines) or can have an influence on the participant*s vigilance or cognitive performance within two weeks prior to participation.
Design
Recruitment
Followed up by the following (possibly more current) registration
No registrations found.
Other (possibly less up-to-date) registrations in this register
No registrations found.
In other registers
| Register | ID |
|---|---|
| CCMO | NL59818.091.16 |