Dissociating the causal role of left and right dorsal premotor cortices in planning and executing bimanual movements – A neuro-navigated rTMS study

Stefanie Verstraelen; Kim van Dun; Siel Depestele; Sybren Van Hoornweder; Asif Jamil; Ensiyeh Ghasemian-Shirvan; Michael A. Nitsche; Shanti Van Malderen; Stephan P. Swinnen; Koen Cuypers; Raf L.J. Meesen

Brain Stimulation (Mar 2021)

Dissociating the causal role of left and right dorsal premotor cortices in planning and executing bimanual movements – A neuro-navigated rTMS study

Stefanie Verstraelen,
Kim van Dun,
Siel Depestele,
Sybren Van Hoornweder,
Asif Jamil,
Ensiyeh Ghasemian-Shirvan,
Michael A. Nitsche,
Shanti Van Malderen,
Stephan P. Swinnen,
Koen Cuypers,
Raf L.J. Meesen

Affiliations

Stefanie Verstraelen: Neuroplasticity and Movement Control Research Group, Rehabilitation Research Institute (REVAL), Hasselt University, Diepenbeek, Belgium; Corresponding author. Agoralaan Building A, B, 3590, Diepenbeek, Belgium.
Kim van Dun: Neuroplasticity and Movement Control Research Group, Rehabilitation Research Institute (REVAL), Hasselt University, Diepenbeek, Belgium
Siel Depestele: Neuroplasticity and Movement Control Research Group, Rehabilitation Research Institute (REVAL), Hasselt University, Diepenbeek, Belgium
Sybren Van Hoornweder: Neuroplasticity and Movement Control Research Group, Rehabilitation Research Institute (REVAL), Hasselt University, Diepenbeek, Belgium
Asif Jamil: Neuroplasticity and Movement Control Research Group, Rehabilitation Research Institute (REVAL), Hasselt University, Diepenbeek, Belgium; Department of Psychology and Neurosciences, Leibniz Research Center for Working Environment and Human Factors, Dortmund, Germany
Ensiyeh Ghasemian-Shirvan: Department of Psychology and Neurosciences, Leibniz Research Center for Working Environment and Human Factors, Dortmund, Germany; International Graduate School of Neuroscience, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
Michael A. Nitsche: Department of Psychology and Neurosciences, Leibniz Research Center for Working Environment and Human Factors, Dortmund, Germany; Department of Neurology, University Medical Hospital Bergmannsheil, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
Shanti Van Malderen: Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, Department of Movement Sciences, Group Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
Stephan P. Swinnen: Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, Department of Movement Sciences, Group Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium; Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
Koen Cuypers: Neuroplasticity and Movement Control Research Group, Rehabilitation Research Institute (REVAL), Hasselt University, Diepenbeek, Belgium; Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, Department of Movement Sciences, Group Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium; Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
Raf L.J. Meesen: Neuroplasticity and Movement Control Research Group, Rehabilitation Research Institute (REVAL), Hasselt University, Diepenbeek, Belgium; Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, Department of Movement Sciences, Group Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium

Journal volume & issue: Vol. 14, no. 2
pp. 423 – 434

Abstract

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Background: The dorsal premotor cortex (PMd) is a key region in bimanual coordination. However, causal evidence linking PMd functionality during motor planning and execution to movement quality is lacking. Objective: We investigated how left (PMdL) and right PMd (PMdR) are causally involved in planning and executing bimanual movements, using short-train repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS). Additionally, we explored to what extent the observed rTMS-induced modulation of performance could be explained by rTMS-induced modulation of PMd-M1 interhemispheric interactions (IHI). Methods: Twenty healthy adults (mean age ± SD = 22.85 ± 3.73 years) participated in two sessions, in which either PMdL or PMdR was targeted with rTMS (10 Hz) in a pseudo-randomized design. PMd functionality was transiently modulated during the planning or execution of a complex bimanual task, whereby the participant was asked to track a moving dot by controlling two dials. The effect of rTMS on several performance measures was investigated. Concurrently, rTMS-induced modulation of PMd-M1 IHI was measured using a dual-coil paradigm, and associated with the rTMS-induced performance modulation. Results: rTMS over PMdL during planning increased bilateral hand movement speed (p = 0.03), thereby improving movement accuracy (p = 0.02). In contrast, rTMS over PMdR during both planning and execution induced deterioration of movement stability (p = 0.04). rTMS-induced modulation of PMd-M1 IHI during planning did not predict rTMS-induced performance modulation. Conclusion: The current findings support the growing evidence on PMdL dominance during motor planning, as PMdL was crucially involved in planning the speed of each hand, subserving bimanual coordination accuracy. Moreover, the current results suggest that PMdR fulfills a role in continuous adjustment processes of movement.

Published in Brain Stimulation

ISSN: 1935-861X (Print); 1876-4754 (Online)
Publisher: Elsevier
Country of publisher: United States
LCC subjects: Medicine: Internal medicine: Neurosciences. Biological psychiatry. Neuropsychiatry
Website: https://www.journals.elsevier.com/brain-stimulation

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