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Motor cortex bilateral motor representation depends on subcortical and interhemispheric interactions.

ABSTRACT: The corticospinal tract is a predominantly crossed pathway. Nevertheless, the primary motor cortex (M1) is activated bilaterally during unilateral movements and several animal studies showed that M1 has a bilateral motor representation. A better understanding of the uncrossed corticospinal system is especially important for elucidating its role in recovery of limb control after unilateral injury. We used intracortical microstimulation (ICMS) to determine the representation of contralateral and ipsilateral forelimb joints at single M1 sites in the rat. Most sites representing an ipsilateral joint corepresented the same joint contralaterally. We next determined whether ipsilateral responses evoked in one hemisphere depended on the function of M1 in the opposite hemisphere using reversible inactivation and pyramidal tract lesion. Ipsilateral responses were eliminated when the homotopic forelimb area of M1 in the opposite hemisphere was inactivated or when the pyramidal tract on the nonstimulated side was sectioned. To determine the role of transfer between M1 in each hemisphere we sectioned the corpus callosum, which produced a 33% increase in ipsilateral ICMS thresholds. Neither M1 inactivation nor callosal section changed contralateral response thresholds, indicating the absence of tonic excitatory or inhibitory drive to the opposite M1. Finally, ipsilateral responses following M1 inactivation and pyramidal tract lesion could be evoked after systemic administration of the K(+) channel blocker 4-aminopyridine, suggesting the presence of latent connections. Our findings show important interactions between the corticospinal systems from each side, especially at the spinal level. This has important implications for recruiting the ipsilateral corticospinal system after injury.

SUBMITTER: Brus-Ramer M

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2715912 | biostudies-literature | 2009 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Motor cortex bilateral motor representation depends on subcortical and interhemispheric interactions.

Brus-Ramer Marcel M Carmel Jason B JB Martin John H JH

The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience 20090501 19

The corticospinal tract is a predominantly crossed pathway. Nevertheless, the primary motor cortex (M1) is activated bilaterally during unilateral movements and several animal studies showed that M1 has a bilateral motor representation. A better understanding of the uncrossed corticospinal system is especially important for elucidating its role in recovery of limb control after unilateral injury. We used intracortical microstimulation (ICMS) to determine the representation of contralateral and i ...[more]

PMID: 19439597

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Project description:BackgroundLeprosy is an endemic infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae that predominantly attacks the skin and peripheral nerves, leading to progressive impairment of motor, sensory and autonomic function. Little is known about how this peripheral neuropathy affects corticospinal excitability of handgrip muscles. Our purpose was to explore the motor cortex organization after progressive peripheral nerve injury and upper-limb dysfunction induced by leprosy using noninvasive transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS).MethodsIn a cross-sectional study design, we mapped bilaterally in the primary motor cortex (M1) the representations of the hand flexor digitorum superficialis (FDS), as well as of the intrinsic hand muscles abductor pollicis brevis (APB), first dorsal interosseous (FDI) and abductor digiti minimi (ADM). All participants underwent clinical assessment, handgrip dynamometry and motor and sensory nerve conduction exams 30 days before mapping. Wilcoxon signed rank and Mann-Whitney tests were performed with an alpha-value of p<0.05.FindingsDynamometry performance of the patients' most affected hand (MAH), was worse than that of the less affected hand (LAH) and of healthy controls participants (p = 0.031), confirming handgrip impairment. Motor threshold (MT) of the FDS muscle was higher in both hemispheres in patients as compared to controls, and lower in the hemisphere contralateral to the MAH when compared to that of the LAH. Moreover, motor evoked potential (MEP) amplitudes collected in the FDS of the MAH were higher in comparison to those of controls. Strikingly, MEPs in the intrinsic hand muscle FDI had lower amplitudes in the hemisphere contralateral to MAH as compared to those of the LAH and the control group. Taken together, these results are suggestive of a more robust representation of an extrinsic hand flexor and impaired intrinsic hand muscle function in the hemisphere contralateral to the MAH due to leprosy.ConclusionDecreased sensory-motor function induced by leprosy affects handgrip muscle representation in M1.

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Motor cortex bilateral motor representation depends on subcortical and interhemispheric interactions.

Publications

Motor cortex bilateral motor representation depends on subcortical and interhemispheric interactions.

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