康复学报 (Jun 2024)
Exploring the Functional Brain Activity of Motor Control of Abdominal Muscle Associated with Voluntary Voiding Based on Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy
Abstract
ObjectiveThe contractions of abdominal muscle during voluntary urination is a motor control task, Which aims to explore the central activity characteristics of this action with functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS).MethodsA total of 19 healthy subjects aged 18 years or older were recruited to undergo fNIRS testing twice, performing repetitive abdominal muscle contractions in the no-urine and strong-urine states. Brain activity under the corresponding no-abdominal muscle-contraction task was used as a baseline to analyze the cortical activities specific to abdominal muscle contractions in these two different states.ResultsAbdominal muscle contractions during the strong desire to urinate primarily activated the bilateral pre-motor/supplementary motor area (BA6), bilateral dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (BA9/46), bilateral frontal pole area (BA10), the anterior portion of the right inferior frontal gyrus (BA47), the right middle temporal gyrus (BA21), the right primary motor cortex (BA4), and the left primary somatosensory cortex (BA1/2/3) in conjunction with the left inferior frontal of pars triangularis Broca's area (BA45) (P<0.05). In contrast, abdominal muscle contractions with no desire to urinate primarily activated the bilateral pre-motor/supplementary motor area (BA6) (P<0.05), the right primary motor cortex (BA4), the right primary somatosensory cortex (BA1/2/3), the right inferior frontal of pars triangularis Broca's area (BA45), and the right supramarginal gyrus part of Wernicke's area (BA40) (P<0.05). Compared to the strong urination state, stronger activation of the bilateral premotor/assistive motor area (BA6) was present in the non-urination state (P<0.05). Compared to the non-urination state, stronger activation of the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (BA46) was present in the strong urination state (P<0.05).ConclusionThe primary somatosensory cortex, primary motor cortex, and pre-motor/supplementary motor area are jointly involved in the regulation of voluntary urination-associated random abdominal muscle contractions. And further activation of the prefrontal cortex can be induced during abdominal muscle contractions in the strong urination state, suggesting that the prefrontal cortex plays a positive role in facilitating abdominal muscle movements and initiating urination following the perception of urinary awareness.
