Training in a ballistic task but not a visuomotor task increases responses to stimulation of human corticospinal axons

Abstract

Giesebrecht S, van Duinen H, Todd G, Gandevia SC, Taylor JL. Training in a ballistic task but not a visuomotor task increases responses to stimulation of human corticospinal axons.

The Interaction With Task-induced Activity is More Important Than Polarization: A tDCS Study

“…It is worth noting that the motor task employed in this study is different from the previous ones in relation to the cortical activation recruited by the task [38]. Many of the previously employed tasks [14,15,39] involved complex movement sequences and visuo-motor coordination that activate broad brain networks, including motor and premotor areas and subcortical structures [40].…”

Acute Strength Training Increases Responses to Stimulation of Corticospinal Axons

“…Previous studies have assessed changes in corticospinal excitability after one session of ballistic training, but they have involved training of the hand muscles and/or assessments of MEPs (5,10,13,18,20,24,25,27,28). In this study, we have demonstrated, for the first time, that various types of high-force and/or high rate of force development training of the elbow flexors-with an intensity and volume of exercise consistent with a real-world strength training session-lead to: 1) increased CMEPs in two synergistic elbow flexor muscles (biceps brachii and brachioradialis) and 2) increased CMEP twitch forces that are specific to the training direction.…”

“…The first study was limited to three subjects (20). The second found increased CMEPs in the first dorsal interosseous after one session of ballistic concentric training with the index finger, but not after low-force visuomotor training (13). Thus, ballistic training seems to facilitate corticospinalmotoneuronal transmission via processes within the spinal cord.…”

“…With motor training, plastic changes occur in this pathway, at both cortical (3,9) and spinal (35) levels. However, the site and type of change depends on the type of motor training performed (1,13,16).…”

“…However, only two studies have used subcortical stimulation of corticospinal tract axons to assess changes at a spinal level after acute motor training (13,20). The first study was limited to three subjects (20).…”