The intracortical excitability changes underlying the enhancing effects of rewards and punishments on motor performance

Monetary rewards and punishments enhance motor performance and are associated with corticospinal excitability (CSE) increases within the motor cortex (M1) during movement preparation. However, such CSE changes have unclear origins. Based on converging evidence, one possibility is that they stem from increased glutamatergic (GLUTergic) facilitation and/or decreased type A gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABAA)-mediated inhibition within M1. To investigate this, paired-pulse transcranial magnetic stimulation was used over the left M1 to evaluate intracortical facilitation (ICF) and short intracortical inhibition (SICI), indirect assays of GLUTergic activity and GABAA-mediated inhibition, in an index finger muscle during the preparation of sequences initiated by either the right index or little finger.

Source: BRAIN STIMULATION: Basic, Translational, and Clinical Research in Neuromodulation - September 28, 2023 Category: Neurology Authors: R. Hamel, J. Pearson, L. Sifi, D. Patel, M.R. Hinder, N. Jenkinson, J.M. Galea Source Type: research