title: High-Frequency Intermuscular Coherence between Arm Muscles during Robot-Mediated Motor Adaptation.
abstract: Adaptation of arm reaching in a novel force field involves co-contraction of upper limb muscles, but it is not known how the co-ordination of multiple muscle activation is orchestrated. We have used intermuscular coherence (IMC) to test whether a coherent intermuscular coupling between muscle pairs is responsible for novel patterns of activation during adaptation of reaching in a force field. Subjects (N= 16) performed reaching trials during a null force field, then during a velocity-dependent force field and then again during a null force field. Reaching trajectory error increased during early adaptation to the force-field and subsequently decreased during later adaptation. Co-contraction in the majority of all possible muscle pairs also increased during early adaptation and decreased during later adaptation. In contrast, IMC increased during later adaptation and only in a subset of muscle pairs. IMC consistently occurred in frequencies between ~40-100 Hz and during the period of arm movement, suggesting that a coherent intermuscular coupling between those muscles contributing to adaptation enable a reduction in wasteful co-contraction and energetic cost during reaching.
authors.affiliation: Neuroplasticity and Neurorehabilitation Doctoral Training Programme, Neurorehabilitation Unit, School of Health, Sport and Bioscience, University of East LondonLondon, UK; Department of Computer Science, School of Architecture, Computing and Engineering, University of East LondonLondon, UK.
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pizzamiglio
authors.affiliation: Neuroplasticity and Neurorehabilitation Doctoral Training Programme, Neurorehabilitation Unit, School of Health, Sport and Bioscience, University of East London London, UK.
authors.forename: Martina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: De Lillo
authors.affiliation: Department of Computer Science, School of Architecture, Computing and Engineering, University of East London London, UK.
authors.forename: Usman
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Naeem
authors.affiliation: Department of Computer Science, School of Architecture, Computing and Engineering, University of East London London, UK.
authors.forename: Hassan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Abdalla
authors.affiliation: Neuroplasticity and Neurorehabilitation Doctoral Training Programme, Neurorehabilitation Unit, School of Health, Sport and Bioscience, University of East LondonLondon, UK; University College London Partners Centre for NeurorehabilitationLondon, UK.
authors.forename: Duncan L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Turner
keywords: force-field; intermuscular coherence; motor adaptation; muscle co-contraction; neuromuscular control