EEG correlates of visual-motor practice in man

doi:10.1016/0013-4694(75)90265-5

Electroencephalography and Clinical Neurophysiology

Volume 38, Issue 4, April 1975, Pages 415-422

https://doi.org/10.1016/0013-4694(75)90265-5 Get rights and content

Abstract

Special analysis of EEG signals was performed for 15 subjects engaged in three motor tasks of differing difficulty. A measure of average weighted coherence (C̄) was computed between the six possible combinations of four scalp areas: O_z, C₃, C₄ and F_z.

In all subjects, regardless of task, scalp recordings over cortical areas known to have relatively dense fiber connections had significantly greater C̄ values. However, the effects of task difficulty and practice were superimposed upon this basic pattern. Thus, the most difficult task (pursuit-rotor tracking) resulted in the highest coherence levels, while the least difficult task (visual tracking only of the pursuit-rotor disk) resulted in the lowest coherence levels. Practice, on the other hand, was associated with a significant decrease in overall level of coherence. This decrease is consistent with an interpretation of reduced task difficulty due to visual-motor learning.

The results of the present study suggest that patterns of scalp EEG coherence may reflect some aspects of the underlying pattern of anatomical pathways, as well as the more dynamic properties of task difficulty and visual-motor practice.

Résumé

L'analyse spectrale des signaux EEG a été effectuée chez 15 sujets engagés dans trois tâches motrices de difficulté différente. Une mesure de la cohérence pondérée moyenne (C̄) a été calculée entre les 6 combinaisons possibles de 4 électrodes placées sur le scalp: O_z, C₃, C₄ et F_z.

Chez tous les sujets et quelle que soit la tâche, les enregistrements de scalp au niveau des aires corticales connues pour avoir des connections de fibres relativement denses ont des valeurs de C̄ significativement plus élevées. Cependant les effets de la difficulté de la tâche et de l'entrainement se surimposent à ce pattern de base. Ainsi, la tâche la plus difficile aboutit aux niveaux de cohérence les plus élevés, tandis que la tâche la moins difficile aboutit aux niveaux de cohérence les plus bas. L'entrainement, d'autre part, s'associe à une diminution significative du niveau global de cohérence. Cette diminution s'observe constamment lorsque la tâche est interprétée comme moins difficile en raison de l'apprentissage visuo-moteur.

Les résultats de l'étude actuelle suggèrent que les patterns de cohérence d'EEG de scalp puissent refléter certains aspects du pattern sousjacent des voies anatomiques, de même que les propriétés plus dynamiques de difficulté de la tâche et de pratique visuo-motrice.

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However, correlational studies are limited by the possibility of alternative explanations for the findings beyond the difference in motor skill level (i.e., expertise). Comparatively few studies have examined changes in cortico-cortical communication with practice (Andres et al., 1999; Busk & Galbraith, 1975; Gentili et al., 2009; Kranczioch, Athanassiou, Shen, Gao, & Sterr, 2008; Perfetti et al., 2011; Serrien, Cassidy, & Brown, 2003) and, collectively, the findings have been mixed. For instance, Busk and Galbraith observed a reduction in EEG coherence during practice of a pursuit-rotor tracking task, while Kranzioch et al., observed an elevation in coherence during a visually guided power-grip task.
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^☆: This study was supported in part by NICHD Research Grant No. HD-04612, HEW General Research Support Grant No. RR-05632, and by Grant No. HD-06650 from the National Institutes of Health.

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EEG correlates of visual-motor practice in manCorrelats EEG de l'entrainement visuo-moteur chez l'homme☆

Abstract

Résumé

Electroenceph. clin. Neurophysiol.

Electroenceph. clin. Neurophysiol.

Electroenceph. clin. Neurophysiol.

Brain Res.

Electroenceph. clin. Neurophysiol.

Electroenceph. clin. Neurophysiol.

Electroenceph. clin. Neurophysiol.

Spontaneous electrical brain rhythms accompanying learned responses

Modern techniques of power spectrum estimation

IEEE Trans. bio-med. Engng.

Subcortical controls of pyramidal activity

Correlative anatomy of the nervous system

Distribution of readiness potential, pre-motion positivity, and motor potential of the human cerebral cortex preceding voluntary finger movements

Exp. Brain Res.

The dynamic loop hypothesis of movement control

The effect of prior EEG “coupling” upon the visual evoked response

IEEE Trans. bio-med. Engng.

Statistical analysis based on a certain multivariate complex Gaussian distribution (an introduction)

Ann. math. Statist.

Sensory evoked responses recorded simultaneously from human cortex and scalp

Nature (Lond.)