Excitability of spinal neural function during several motor imagery tasks involving isometric opponens pollicis activity

Issue title: Robot-Assisted Therapy: A Clinical Perspective

Guest editors: Hermano Igo Krebs

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Suzuki, Toshiaki^{a; b; *} | Bunno, Yoshibumi^a | Onigata, Chieko^b | Tani, Makiko^{a; b} | Uragami, Sayuri^b

Affiliations: [a] Graduate School of Health Sciences, Graduate School of Kansai University of Health Sciences, Osaka, Japan | [b] Faculty of Health Sciences, Clinical Physical Therapy Laboratory, Kansai University of Health Sciences, Osaka, Japan

Correspondence: [*] Address for correspondence: Toshiaki Suzuki, Graduate School of Health Sciences, Graduate School of Kansai University of Health Sciences, 2-11-1, Wakaba, Kumatori, Sennan, Osaka 590-0482, Japan. Tel.: +81 72 453 8374; Fax: +81 72 453 8798; E-mail: suzuki@kansai.ac.jp

Abstract: Background:It is unclear whether mental simulation without actual muscle contraction associated with actual motion can increase the excitability of the spinal neural function. Objective:To determine the best method for mental simulation without actual muscle contraction, we analyzed the F-wave of thenar muscles after stimulating the median nerve by motor imagery whilst holding the sensor of a pinch meter between the thumb and index finger and without holding the sensor. Methods:Healthy volunteers (n = 11; mean age, 34 years) participated in this study after providing informed consent. We examined the F-wave of the left thenar muscles after stimulating the left median nerve at the wrist at rest and under holding and motor imagery conditions. For the motor imagery condition, the subjects were asked to establish 50% maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) of isometric contraction while holding the sensor between the thumb and index finger (motor imagery with the sensor condition) and without holding the sensor on another day (motor imagery without the sensor condition). Results:The persistence and amplitude ratio of F/M during motor imagery with or without the sensor was better than that during relaxation. In particular, this ratio was significantly higher under the with sensor condition than under the without sensor condition. Conclusion:Movement preparation for a motor imagery task involving 50% MVC isometric contraction of the opponens pollicis is important.

Keywords: Motor imagery, F-wave, movement preparation

DOI: 10.3233/NRE-130942

Journal: NeuroRehabilitation, vol. 33, no. 1, pp. 171-176, 2013