Research article summary (published 27 Feb 2007):

Influence of body segment position during in-phase and antiphase hand and foot movements: a kinematic and functional MRI study.

Full Abstract

Behavioral studies have provided important insights into the mechanisms governing interlimb coordination. In this study, we combined kinematic and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) analysis to investigate the brain cortical and subcortical areas involved in interlimb coordination and the influence of direction of movement and of body segment position on the activity of those areas. Fifteen right-handed healthy subjects were studied while performing cyclic in-phase and antiphase hand and foot movements with the dominant, right limbs, with the upper limb positioned either prone or supine, and in front or behind with respect to the trunk. When contrasting antiphase to in-phase movements, fMRI analysis demonstrated an increased recruitment of a widespread sensorimotor network (including regions in the frontal and parietal lobes, bilaterally, the cingulated motor area, the thalami, the visual cortex, and the cerebellum) considered to function in motor, sensory, and multimodal integration processing. When contrasting the anterior to the posterior position of the upper limb with respect to the trunk, we found different recruitment patterns in the frontal and parietal regions as well as the preferential recruitment of the basal ganglia, the insula, and the cerebellum during the first condition and of regions located in the temporal lobes during the second one. Different brain areas are engaged at a different extent during interlimb coordination. In addition to the relative difficulty of the movement, the different cognitive and sensorial loads needed to control and perform the motor act might be responsible for these findings. (c) 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Author information

Author/s: Rocca, Maria A (MA); Gatti, Roberto (R); Agosta, Federica (F); Tortorella, Paola (P); Riboldi, Elisa (E); Broglia, Paola (P); Filippi, Massimo (M);

Affiliation: Neuroimaging Research Unit, Scientific Institute and University Ospedale San Raffaele, Milan, Italy.

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article

Journal: Human brain mapping (Hum Brain Mapp), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2007-Mar; vol 28 (issue 3) : pp 218-27

Dates: Created 2007/02/19; Completed 2007/05/01;

PMID: 16767772, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 2/18/2009, IMS Date: )

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Adult Biomechanics Brain - physiology Brain Mapping Female Foot - innervation; physiology Functional Laterality - physiology Hand - innervation; physiology

Hand - innervation; physiology Humans Image Processing, Computer-Assisted Magnetic Resonance Imaging Male Motor Skills - physiology Movement - physiology Posture - physiology

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