University of Fribourg (Switzerland)

3 ARTICLES PUBLISHED IN JoVE

Neuroscience

Non-invasive Assessment of Changes in Corticomotoneuronal Transmission in Humans

Wolfgang Taube¹, Christian Leukel^1,2, Jens Bo Nielsen^3,4, Jesper Lundbye-Jensen^3,4

¹Department of Medicine, Movement and Sport Science, University of Fribourg (Switzerland), ²Department of Sport Science, University of Freiburg (Germany), ³Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology, University of Copenhagen, ⁴Department of Nutrition, Exercise and Sports, University of Copenhagen

The aim of the present study was to assess changes in transmission at the corticomotoneuronal synapses in humans after repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation. For this purpose, an electrophysiological method is introduced that allows assessment of pathway specific corticospinal transmission, i.e. differentiation of fast, direct corticospinal pathways from polysynaptic connections.

Behavior

Force and Position Control in Humans - The Role of Augmented Feedback

Benedikt Lauber^1,2, Martin Keller², Christian Leukel^1,3, Albert Gollhofer¹, Wolfgang Taube²

¹Department of Sport Science, University of Freiburg, ²Department of Medicine, Movement and Sport Science, University of Fribourg, ³Bernsteincenter Freiburg

Controlling an identical movement with position or force feedback results in different neural activation and motor behavior. This protocol describes how to investigate behavioral changes by looking at neuromuscular fatigue and how to evaluate motor cortical (inhibitory) activity using subthreshold TMS with respect to the interpretation of augmented feedback.

Behavior

Intracortical Inhibition Within the Primary Motor Cortex Can Be Modulated by Changing the Focus of Attention

Yves-Alain Kuhn¹, Martin Keller¹, Jan Ruffieux¹, Wolfgang Taube¹

¹Department of Medicine, Movement and Sport Sciences, University of Fribourg

Using two different transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) protocols, this manuscript describes how to measure and compare cortical inhibition within the primary motor cortex when adopting different attentional foci.