Cerebellar Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) Impairs Visual Working Memory.

An increasing body of evidence points to the involvement of the cerebellum in cognition. Specifically, previous studies have shown that the superior and inferior portions of the cerebellum are involved in different verbal working memory (WM) mechanisms as part of two separate cerebro-cerebellar loops for articulatory rehearsal and phonological storage mechanisms. In comparison, our understanding of the involvement of the cerebellum in visual WM remains limited.

Neuromagnetic imaging reveals timing of volitional and anticipatory motor control in bimanual load lifting.

During bimanual load lifting, the brain not only contends with muscle activations in the load-lifting arm, but also has to pre-emptively modulate muscle activations in the load-bearing arm with temporal precision in order to minimize upward arm deflection. Premature or late inhibition in the load-bearing arm activity would result in augmented arm deflection. Little is currently known about the timing operation of motor systems subserving coordinated, bimanual actions.

Neuromagnetic brain activity associated with anticipatory postural adjustments for bimanual load lifting.

During bimanual load lifting, the brain must anticipate the effects of unloading upon the load-bearing arm. Little is currently known about the neural networks that coordinate these anticipatory postural adjustments. We measured neuromagnetic brain activity with whole-head magnetoencephalography while participants performed a bimanual load-lifting task.

Premovement brain activity in a bimanual load-lifting task.

Even the simplest volitional movements must be precisely coordinated with anticipatory postural adjustments. Little is currently known about the neural networks that coordinate these adjustments in healthy adults. We measured brain activity prior to movement during a bimanual load-lifting task, designed to elicit anticipatory adjustments in a restricted and well-defined set of musculature in the arm.