Movement-related beta oscillations show high intra-individual reliability

Svenja Espenhahn; Archy O de Berker; Bernadette C M van Wijk; Holly E Rossiter; Nick S Ward

doi:10.1016/j.neuroimage.2016.12.025

Movement-related beta oscillations show high intra-individual reliability

Neuroimage. 2017 Feb 15:147:175-185. doi: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2016.12.025. Epub 2016 Dec 10.

Authors

Svenja Espenhahn¹, Archy O de Berker², Bernadette C M van Wijk³, Holly E Rossiter⁴, Nick S Ward⁵

Affiliations

¹ Sobell Department of Motor Neuroscience and Movement Disorders, Institute of Neurology, University College London, 33 Queen Square, WC1N 3BG London, UK. Electronic address: Svenja.Espenhahn.13@ucl.ac.uk.
² Sobell Department of Motor Neuroscience and Movement Disorders, Institute of Neurology, University College London, 33 Queen Square, WC1N 3BG London, UK; Wellcome Trust Centre for Neuroimaging, Institute of Neurology, University College London, 12 Queen Square, WC1N 3BG London, UK.
³ Wellcome Trust Centre for Neuroimaging, Institute of Neurology, University College London, 12 Queen Square, WC1N 3BG London, UK; Department of Neurology, Charité University Medicine, Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353 Berlin, Germany.
⁴ Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre, School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Maindy Road, CF24 4HQ Cardiff, UK.
⁵ Sobell Department of Motor Neuroscience and Movement Disorders, Institute of Neurology, University College London, 33 Queen Square, WC1N 3BG London, UK.

Abstract

Oscillatory activity in the beta frequency range (15-30Hz) recorded from human sensorimotor cortex is of increasing interest as a putative biomarker of motor system function and dysfunction. Despite its increasing use in basic and clinical research, surprisingly little is known about the test-retest reliability of spectral power and peak frequency measures of beta oscillatory signals from sensorimotor cortex. Establishing that these beta measures are stable over time in healthy populations is a necessary precursor to their use in the clinic. Here, we used scalp electroencephalography (EEG) to evaluate intra-individual reliability of beta-band oscillations over six sessions, focusing on changes in beta activity during movement (Movement-Related Beta Desynchronization, MRBD) and after movement termination (Post-Movement Beta Rebound, PMBR). Subjects performed visually-cued unimanual wrist flexion and extension. We assessed Intraclass Correlation Coefficients (ICC) and between-session correlations for spectral power and peak frequency measures of movement-related and resting beta activity. Movement-related and resting beta power from both sensorimotor cortices was highly reliable across sessions. Resting beta power yielded highest reliability (average ICC=0.903), followed by MRBD (average ICC=0.886) and PMBR (average ICC=0.663). Notably, peak frequency measures yielded lower ICC values compared to the assessment of spectral power, particularly for movement-related beta activity (ICC=0.386-0.402). Our data highlight that power measures of movement-related beta oscillations are highly reliable, while corresponding peak frequency measures show greater intra-individual variability across sessions. Importantly, our finding that beta power estimates show high intra-individual reliability over time serves to validate the notion that these measures reflect meaningful individual differences that can be utilised in basic research and clinical studies.

Keywords: Beta oscillations; EEG; Intraclass correlation coefficient; Sensorimotor cortex; Test-retest reliability.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adult
Beta Rhythm / physiology*
Biomechanical Phenomena
Cues
Electroencephalography Phase Synchronization
Electroencephalography*
Female
Humans
Male
Movement / physiology*
Photic Stimulation
Reaction Time / physiology
Reproducibility of Results
Somatosensory Cortex / physiology*
Wrist / innervation
Wrist / physiology
Young Adult

Abstract

Publication types

MeSH terms

Grants and funding