Regional cerebral blood flow during self-paced repetitive Iifting tasks with a precision grip

1996 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary

• Project/Area Number: 07680113
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: 体育学
• Research Institution: Osaka University
• Principal Investigator: MURASE Tomohiko Osaka University, Faculty of Health and Sport Sciences, Research Associate, 健康体育部, 助手 (80263333)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): NISHIMURA Tsunehiko Osaka University, School of Medicine, Professor, 医学部, 教授 (70237733) ; IKUTA Komei Osaka University, Faculty of Health and Sport Sciences, Professor, 健康体育部, 教授 (70012507) ; KAWAI Satoru Tezukayama Jr.College, Department of Life Science, Associate professor, 家庭生活学科, 助教授 (90177634)
• Project Period (FY): 1995 – 1996
• Keywords: SPECT / regional cerebral blood flow / precision grip / grip force / finger / weight / IMP

Research Abstract

Regional Blood flow (rCBF) was measured using a SPECT with 1-123 IMP tracer during resting, holding and self-paced repetitive lifiting of a small object with the precision grip. For the lifting task, two object weight conditions were tested ; one with a constant weight (400g) and the other with variable weights (200,400 and 600g). In all conditions, visual input was minimized using an eyemask. A SPM was used to test the rCBF increase and decrease statistically. There was no significant rCBF increase or decrease due to holding of the object, while during lifting a constant weight, there was a significant increase in the areas of contra lateral primary motor cortex and primary sensory cortex. A tendency of increase was also revealed for the contra lateral supplementary motor area. In addition, a significant rCBF decrease was observed in the contralateral areas related to vision (Brodman's area 8,37, and 17). The findings suggest that these are the primary and essential areas for the control of lifting tasks with the precision grip. When the variable weight condition was compared with the constant weight condition, a significant rCBF increase was found for the contralateral cingulate gyrus which corresponded to Brodman's areas 24/32. There was also significant increase in the contra lateral inferior prefronal cortex (area 11) and the ispliateral occipital region (Brodman's areas 2/40). The results thus suggest that these areas plays an important role in the control of quickly adjusting the grasp forces to the changes in weight of objects being lifted.