Brain activity associated with skilled finger movements: Multichannel magnetic recordings

Giuseppe A. Chiarenza, Riitta K. Hari*, Jari J. Karhu, Stefano Tessore

*Corresponding author for this work

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticleScientificpeer-review

    16 Citations (Scopus)

    Abstract

    We recorded with a 24-channel SQUID magnetometer cerebral activity preceding and following self-paced voluntary 'skilled' movements in four healthy adults. The subject pressed buttons successively with the right index and middle fingers aiming at a time difference of 40-60 ms; on-line feedback on performance was given after each movement. Slow magnetic readiness fields (RFs) preceded the movements by 0.5 s and culminated about 20 ms after the electromyogram (EMG) onset. Movement-evoked fields, MEFs, opposite in polarity to RFs, were observed 90-120 ms after the EMG onset. They were followed by an additional 'skilled-performance field', SPF, 400-500 ms after the EMG onset. The source locations of RF, MEF, and SPF were within 2 cm from sources of the somatosensory evoked responses, which were situated in the posterior wall of the Rolandic fissure; the sources of MEF were closest to the midline. Neural generators of these deflections and of the corresponding electric potentials are discussed.

    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)433-439
    Number of pages7
    JournalBrain Topography
    Volume3
    Issue number4
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - Jun 1991
    MoE publication typeA1 Journal article-refereed

    Keywords

    • Evoked responses
    • Magnetoencephalography
    • Man
    • Movement-related brain activity
    • Voluntary movement

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