title: How does temporal preparation speed up response implementation in choice tasks? Evidence for an early cortical activation.
abstract: We investigated the influence of temporal preparation on information processing. Single-pulse transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) of the primary motor cortex was delivered during a between-hand choice task. The time interval between the warning and the imperative stimulus varied across blocks of trials was either optimal (500 ms) or nonoptimal (2500 ms) for participants' performance. Silent period duration was shorter prior to the first evidence of response selection for the optimal condition. Amplitude of the motor evoked potential specific to the responding hand increased earlier for the optimal condition. These results revealed an early release of cortical inhibition and a faster integration of the response selection-related inputs to the corticospinal pathway when temporal preparation is better. Temporal preparation may induce cortical activation prior to response selection that speeds up the implementation of the selected response.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Neurobiologie de la Cognition, Aix-Marseille Université and Centre national de la recherche scientifique, Marseille, France. christophe.tandonnet@univ-provence.fr
authors.forename: Christophe
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tandonnet
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Davranche
authors.forename: Chloé
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Meynier
authors.forename: Borís
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Burle
authors.forename: Franck
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Vidal
authors.forename: Thierry
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hasbroucq
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002755:Choice Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D004576:Electromyography; D019054:Evoked Potentials, Motor / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006225:Hand / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009044:Motor Cortex / Q000502:physiology*; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000502:physiology; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology*; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology*; D013997:Time Factors; D050781:Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation / Q000523:psychology*