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The early release of planned movement by acoustic startle can be delayed by transcranial magnetic stimulation over the motor cortex
Author(s) -
Alibiglou Laila,
MacKin Colum D.
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
the journal of physiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.802
H-Index - 240
eISSN - 1469-7793
pISSN - 0022-3751
DOI - 10.1113/jphysiol.2011.219592
Subject(s) - primary motor cortex , motor cortex , transcranial magnetic stimulation , stimulation , neuroscience , stimulus (psychology) , brainstem , latency (audio) , psychology , computer science , cognitive psychology , telecommunications
Non‐technical summary Reaction times of planned movements can be reduced to less than 100 ms when a startling acoustic stimulus (SAS) is presented immediately prior to, or coincident with, the imperative ‘go’ cue. Based on the short latency of these reaction times, it has been suggested that the early release of planned movements by a SAS is mediated by shorter pathways that pass through the brainstem instead of via the primary motor cortex. Here we show that the application of high intensity transcranial magnetic stimulation over the primary motor cortex, a method that suppresses the excitability of the motor cortex and blocks voluntary drive, caused a significant delay in the onset of SAS‐released movements. These findings provide evidence that the early release of planned movements by a SAS is mediated, in part, by pathways that pass through the primary motor cortex.