Motor control mechanisms for psychological perturbation: Detailed elucidation of corticospinal excitability and postural control function

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25750290
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Sports science
• Research Institution: Mukogawa Women's University (2015); University of Fukui (2013-2014)
• Principal Investigator: Tanaka Yoshifumi 武庫川女子大学, 健康・スポーツ科学部, 講師 (70548445)
• Research Collaborator: SHIMO TATSUNORI 福井大学, 男女共同参画推進センター, 研究支援員 ; NOSAKA YUSUKE 福井大学, 教育学研究科, 大学院生 ; OKUNO YASUNA 福井大学, 教育地域科学部, 学部生
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: 心理的プレッシャー / 感情 / IAPS / 皮質脊髄路の興奮性 / 脊髄反射 / 筋活動 / 姿勢制御 / TMS

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Psychological factors, such as pressure and emotion, can have both facilitation (“clutch”) and detrimental (“choking”) effects on motor performance. In this study, corticospinal excitability, spinal reflexes, postural control function, and performance outcomes were investigated through four experiments when performing some motor tasks under situations of induced-psychological pressure, pleasant emotion, and unpleasant emotion. The main results indicated that corticospinal excitability under pressure is dependent upon cortical activity that is particularly localized at the primary motor area, and is independent from spinal reflex excitability. In addition, it was demonstrated that postural control under pressure could have been modified by movement strategies that enhance muscle and joint stiffness of lower limbs.

Free Research Field

スポーツ心理学，運動の制御と学習