Anticipatory changes in beta synchrony in the human corticospinal system and associated improvements in task performance.

Synchronized oscillatory activity in the beta frequency band (13-30 Hz) can be detected in the cerebral motor cortex of healthy humans in the form of corticomuscular coherence. Elevated beta activity is associated with impaired processing of new movements and with more efficient postural or tonic contraction. Accordingly, beta activity is suppressed prior to voluntary movements, rebounding thereafter in the face of peripheral afferance.

Corrective movements in response to displacements in visual feedback are more effective during periods of 13-35 Hz oscillatory synchrony in the human corticospinal system.

Oscillatory synchronization in the beta (approximately 20 Hz) band is a common feature of human motor control, manifest at cortical and muscular levels during tonic contraction. Here we test the hypothesis that the influence of visual feedback on performance in a positional hold task is increased during bursts of beta-band synchrony in the corticospinal motor system. Healthy subjects were instructed to extend their forefinger while receiving high-gain visual feedback of finger position on a PC screen.