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

doi:10.1016/j.brs.2021.02.006

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

Brain Stimul. 2021 Mar-Apr;14(2):423-434. doi: 10.1016/j.brs.2021.02.006. Epub 2021 Feb 20.

Affiliations

¹ Neuroplasticity and Movement Control Research Group, Rehabilitation Research Institute (REVAL), Hasselt University, Diepenbeek, Belgium. Electronic address: stefanie.verstraelen@uhasselt.be.
² Neuroplasticity and Movement Control Research Group, Rehabilitation Research Institute (REVAL), Hasselt University, Diepenbeek, Belgium.
³ 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.
⁴ 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.
⁵ 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.
⁶ Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, Department of Movement Sciences, Group Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
⁷ 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.
⁸ 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.
⁹ 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.

PMID: 33621675
DOI: 10.1016/j.brs.2021.02.006

Abstract

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 (PMd_L) and right PMd (PMd_R) 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 PMd_L or PMd_R 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 PMd_L during planning increased bilateral hand movement speed (p = 0.03), thereby improving movement accuracy (p = 0.02). In contrast, rTMS over PMd_R 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 PMd_L dominance during motor planning, as PMd_L was crucially involved in planning the speed of each hand, subserving bimanual coordination accuracy. Moreover, the current results suggest that PMd_R fulfills a role in continuous adjustment processes of movement.

Keywords: Bimanual coordination; Dorsal premotor cortex; Interhemispheric interaction; Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation; Virtual lesion.

Publication types

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

MeSH terms

Adult
Child, Preschool
Functional Laterality
Hand
Humans
Motor Cortex*
Movement
Psychomotor Performance
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation