Surround inhibition is modulated by task difficulty
Open accessAbstract
Objective The aim of this study was to further characterize surround inhibition (SI) in the primary motor cortex (M1) by comparing its magnitude and time course during a simple reaction time task (SRT) and a choice reaction time task (CRT). Methods In both the SRT and the CRT, subjects performed the same right index finger flexion in response to an acoustic signal. For CRT, the alternative choice was a similar movement using the left index finger, as distinguished by a different tone. In both tasks, single pulse transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) was applied at rest, 75ms (T1) and 25ms before EMG onset (T2), and during the first peak of EMG (T3) in the right first dorsal interosseous muscle (FDI). Motor evoked potentials (MEPs) were recorded from both FDIs, which act as synergists in the task, and the right surrounding, relaxed abductor pollicis brevis muscle (APB). Results For right hand movement, SI started earlier and was more pronounced for CRT compared to SRT. For left hand movement in the CRT, SI was similar to that of right hand movement. Conclusions We conclude that SI occurs earlier and stronger with increasing task difficulty. Significance The timing as well as the bilateral effect of the inhibition suggests that motor areas involved in motor planning, proximate to the motor cortex, contribute to the genesis of surround inhibition.
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Attention and task difficulty are known non-specific modulators of corticospinal excitability and plasticity.
“Indeed, non-specific factors such as attention and task difficulty are known to modulate corticospinal excitability and plasticity (Beck and Hallett, 2010; Conte et al., 2007; Pearce and Kidgell, 2009; Stefan et al., 2004).”
From To imitate or not: Avoiding imitation involves preparatory inhibition of motor resonance (2014) · cites this paper as Beck and Hallett, 2010
The Results (Movement of the right hand, SRT versus CRT; page unavailable) show that the more demanding choice task produced greater surround inhibition, measured with motor-evoked potentials. The Discussion (Mechanism of SI; page unavailable) says attention may explain that difference and reports evidence that attention influences rTMS-induced MEP facilitation. It does not establish that both attention and task difficulty are known modulators of corticospinal plasticity in general. (LLM, conf=0.86)
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To imitate or not: Avoiding imitation involves preparatory inhibition of motor resonance
Cross, K. A., & Iacoboni, M. (2014) · NeuroImage · doi:10.1016/j.neuroimage.2014.01.027 · Cited by 54 · see citing works
“attention and task difficulty are known to modulate corticospinal excitability and plasticity (Beck and Hallett, 2010; Conte et al., 2007; Pearce and Kidgell, 2009; Stefan et al., 2004).”
- Authors
- Beck, S., & Hallett, M.
- Affiliations
- National Institutes of Health (US)
- Corresponding author
- Hallett, M.
- ORCID
- Hallett, M.
- Venue
- Clinical Neurophysiology
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2010-01
- Volume
- 121
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 98-103
- ISSN
- 1388-2457 (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC2818458
- OpenAlex
- W1968790992
- Cited by
- 52
- References
- 3
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 2 · 2021: 5 · 2020: 2 · 2019: 1 · 2018: 5 · 2016: 3 · 2015: 2 · 2014: 4 · 2013: 10 · 2012: 7
- FWCI
- 2.78
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Locations
- Clinical Neurophysiology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
- PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
- Funders
- Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft
- National Institutes of Health
- National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (Z01NS002669, ZIANS002669)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Neurology › Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Studies
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Motor Control and Adaptation
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neuroscience and Neuropharmacology Research
- Keywords
- surround inhibition, primary motor cortex, task difficulty, choice reaction time task, motor evoked potentials, first dorsal interosseous muscle, abductor pollicis brevis, motor planning, intermanual transfer
- MeSH terms
- Acoustic Stimulation, Adult, Aged, Choice Behavior, Electromyography, Female, Fingers, Humans, Functional Laterality, Male, Middle Aged, Motor Cortex, Motor Skills, Muscle Contraction, Reaction Time, Reflex, Acoustic, Task Performance and Analysis, Muscle, Skeletal, Evoked Potentials, Motor, Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation
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