Sensorimotor mu-alpha power is positively related to corticospinal excitability

Background

Alpha (8–14?Hz) oscillatory power is linked to cortical excitability and corresponding modulations of sensory evoked potentials and perceptual detection performance. In somatosensory cortex (S1), negative linear and inverted U-shape relationships exist, whereas its effect on the primary motor cortex (M1) is hardly known.

Objective

We used real-time EEG-triggered transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) of M1 to characterize the relationship between spontaneous sensorimotor mu-alpha power fluctuations at rest and corticospinal excitability.

Methods

In 16 subjects, mu-alpha power was continuously monitored over the left sensorimotor cortex, and each 10%-percentile bin of the individual mu-alpha power distribution was repeatedly targeted in pseudorandomized order by single-pulse TMS of left M1, measuring motor evoked potentials (MEP) in the contralateral hand.

Results

We found a weak positive relationship between mu-alpha power and MEP amplitude.

Conclusion

Sensorimotor mu-alpha power may reflect a net facilitation or disinhibition of M1, possibly resulting from mu-alpha based suppression of excitatory and inhibitory input from S1.