A comparison of directed functional connectivity among fist-related brain activities during movement imagery, movement execution, and movement observation

• Published in: Brain research Vol. 1777; p. 147769
• Main Authors: Zhou, Lu, Zhu, Qiaoqiao, Wu, Biao, Qin, Bing, Hu, Haixu, Qian, Zhiyu
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 15.02.2022
• Subjects: Adult; Brain - physiology; Brain-Computer Interfaces; Connectome; EEG source imaging (ESI); Electroencephalography; Female; Functional Laterality - physiology; Granger causality (GC); Hand - physiology; Humans; Imagery, Psychotherapy; Imagination - physiology; Male; Motor Cortex; Movement - physiology; Movement execution (ME); Movement imagery (MI); Movement observation (MO); Nervous System Physiological Phenomena; Neurology; Movement imagery (MI); EEG source imaging (ESI); Movement observation (MO); Movement execution (ME); Granger causality (GC)
• DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2021.147769
• ISSN: 0006-8993; 1872-6240

[Display omitted] •In three different motor conditions (movement observation, movement imagery, movement execution), the participation degree of task-related brain regions is different.•Movement observation, movement imagery, and movement execution did not recruit shared brain connectivity networks.•Handedness may have an impact on brain activities. Brain-computer interface (BCI) has been widely used in sports training and rehabilitation training. It is primarily based on action simulation, including movement imagery (MI) and movement observation (MO). However, the development of BCI technology is limited due to the challenge of getting an in-depth understanding of brain networks involved in MI, MO, and movement execution (ME). To better understand the brain activity changes and the communications across various brain regions under MO, ME, and MI, this study conducted the fist experiment under MO, ME, and MI. We recorded 64-channel electroencephalography (EEG) from 39 healthy subjects (25 males, 14 females, all right-handed) during fist tasks, obtained intensities and locations of sources using EEG source imaging (ESI), computed source activation modes, and finally investigated the brain networks using spectral Granger causality (GC). The brain regions involved in the three motor conditions are similar, but the degree of participation of each brain region and the network connections among the brain regions are different. MO, ME, and MI did not recruit shared brain connectivity networks. In addition, both source activation modes and brain network connectivity had lateralization advantages.