Coupling between human brain activity and body movements: Insights from non-invasive electromagnetic recordings
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Date
2019Author
Bourguignon, Mathieu
Jousmäki, Veikko
Dalal, Sarang S.
Jerbi, Karim
De Tiège, Xavier
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Mathieu Bourguignon, Veikko Jousmäki, Sarang S. Dalal, Karim Jerbi, Xavier De Tiège, Coupling between human brain activity and body movements: Insights from non-invasive electromagnetic recordings, NeuroImage, Volume 203, 2019, 116177, ISSN 1053-8119, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2019.116177.
Abstract
Electroencephalographic and magnetoencephalographic data have characterized two types of brain–body interactions
observed during various types of motor actions, “corticokinematic” and “corticomuscular” coupling. Here,
we review the literature on these interactions in healthy individuals, discuss several open debates, and outline
current limitations and directions for future research.
Corticokinematic coupling (commonly referred to as corticokinematic coherence) probes the relationship between
activity of sensorimotor network nodes and various movement-related signals (e.g., speed, velocity, acceleration).
It is mainly driven by movement rhythmicity during active, passive, and observed dynamic motor
actions. It typically predominates at the primary sensorimotor cortex contralateral to the moving limb, occurs at
movement frequency and its harmonics, and predominantly reflects the cortical processing of proprioceptive
feedback driven by movement rhythmicity in a broad range of dynamic motor actions.
Corticomuscular coupling (commonly referred to as corticomuscular coherence) probes the interaction between
sensorimotor cortical rhythms and electromyographic (EMG) activity that mainly occurs during steady isometric
muscle contraction. We will here focus on the ~20-Hz coupling that is observed during weak isometric
contraction and is linked to the modulation of the descending motor command by the ~20-Hz sensorimotor
rhythm.
This review argues that corticokinematic and corticomuscular couplings have different neural bases. Corticokinematic
coupling is mainly driven by afferent signals, while corticomuscular coupling is mainly (but not solely)
driven by efferent signals. This distinction should be considered when investigating interactions between brain
and body movements.