Motor adaptation: an integrated study combining kinematics and neural correlates

The aim of this work was to define an experimental protocol for the study of motor adaptation during target-based movements, simultaneously recording movement kinematics and cerebral signal (EEG). Sixteen healthy subjects were evaluated during the preparation and execution of a pointing task, under different external perturbation. From movement kinematics and EEG signal some specific parameters were computed. Our data showed that the duration of the going phase of movement correlated with synchronization in the beta brain rhythm, in both the planning and executive phases of movement; Inter-Quartile Ranges and average jerk correlated with executive brain parameters and ERS/ERDcueBeta, respectively. The results obtained in the present study demonstrated the presence of links between the primary motor cortex and the farthest ending point of the upper limb.