Changes in the alpha and beta amplitudes of the central EEG during the onset, continuation, and offset of long-duration repetitive hand movements

• Published in: Brain research Vol. 1169; pp. 44 - 56
• Main Authors: Erbil, Nurhan, Ungan, Pekcan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Elsevier B.V 12.09.2007; Amsterdam Elsevier; New York, NY
• Subjects: Alpha band; Alpha Rhythm; Beta Rhythm; Biological and medical sciences; Brain Mapping; Cerebral Cortex - physiology; Continuous movement; Cortical Synchronization; ERD; ERS; Evoked Potentials, Motor; Feedback - physiology; Fingers - innervation; Fingers - physiology; Functional Laterality - physiology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Habituation; Habituation, Psychophysiologic - physiology; Hand - innervation; Hand - physiology; Humans; Motor control and motor pathways. Reflexes. Control centers of vegetative functions. Vestibular system and equilibration; Motor Cortex - physiology; Movement - physiology; Mu rhythm; Muscle, Skeletal - innervation; Muscle, Skeletal - physiology; Neural Inhibition - physiology; Neurology; Periodicity; Psychomotor Performance - physiology; Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted; Time Factors; Time Perception - physiology; Vertebrates: nervous system and sense organs; Volition - physiology; Alpha band; Beta rhythm; Continuous movement; ERD; ERS; Mu rhythm; Habituation; Human; Body movement; Electrophysiology; Manual activity; Duration; Electroencephalography; ERD ERS Mu rhythm Alpha band Beta rhythm Habituation Continuous movement; Motricity; Hand; Repetition
• ISSN: 0006-8993; 1872-6240
• DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2007.07.014

Abstract Electroencephalographic alpha and beta activities recorded from central electrodes are known to display movement-related suppression or enhancement. We investigated whether the suppression that is known to occur during the onset of a single movement would persist or otherwise habituate when the movement is continuously repeated for a long period of time. Fourteen subjects took part in the experiments. They performed repetitive simultaneous extension–flexions of the fingers II–V in one hand, continuously for a period of at least 30 s. They then stopped this self-paced movement and rested for at least 30 s. Bipolar recording was made from C3-Cz and C4-Cz. Patterns of amplitude changes in the alpha and beta bands were calculated against a resting baseline. Following a bilateral alpha and beta suppression at the movement onset, alpha amplitude gradually but not fully recovered towards the baseline during the 30 s post-onset. Habituation of afferences and transfer of the cortical function were discussed as the two alternative explanations for this gradual recovery. Beta amplitude, however, displayed no recovery as long as the movement continued. Considering the relatively rapid beta recovery reported for sustained movements, this finding demonstrated that the sustained and continuous movements are conducted through quite different processes. A transient contralateral beta rebound was observed only after the end of the long movement period, strengthening the viewpoint that links the beta rebound with the closure of the cortical processes running throughout a motor sequence. Modulation of the beta amplitude, rather than the changes in alpha amplitude, appeared to be more closely correlated with the execution of a continuous movement.