Central neural mechanisms in early motor learning stage

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K01597
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Developmental mechanisms and the body works
• Research Institution: Hiroshima University
• Principal Investigator: Funase Kozo 広島大学, 総合科学研究科, 教授 (40173512)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: スポーツ科学 / 経頭蓋磁気刺激 / 一次運動野 / 経頭蓋直流電気刺激 / 動作スキル学習 / 小脳抑制 / 運動パフォーマンス

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We examined the effect of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) intervention in the primary motor cortex (M1) on a fine output adjustment task. As a result, a significant negative correlation was found between motor evoked potential (MEP) amplitude change and performance change of all subjects. Iit was confirmed that the task performance that requires fine output adjustment is reduced by enhancing M1 excitability by anodal tDCS intervention to M1. In addition, we also examined the effect of cerebellum tDCS intervention on the timing control of a reaching task to a dynamic target. As a result, a significant negative correlation was found between celerellar inhibition (CBI) and the operation start time. The intervention of anodal tDCS increases the excitability of Purkinje cells in the cerebellar cortex and increases the suppression input to M1, which is the motor command output unit, resulting in the onset of delay.

Free Research Field

運動神経生理学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

運動スキル学習の効率化は，運動の苦手な人にとっても競技成績の向上を目指すアスリートにとっても重要な問題であり，運動制御に関わる中枢神経系機能が深く関与している．我々は，長期間の運動スキル練習が大脳皮質一次運動野（M1）の興奮性を高めること. また，新規運動学習においても学習早期段階に続く学習後期段階期間が長い（反復回数が多い）ほど，主働作筋支配のM1興奮性は増大し，その学習保持能力も高くなることを報告した．本研究課題では，運動学習早期段階の中枢メカニズムについて，経頭蓋直流刺激による小脳の興奮性操作介入が運動学習後のCBIに与える影響について調べることを目的とした．