Abstract
The topography of forelimb movement representations within the rat motor cortex was examined following forelimb strength training. Adult male rats were allocated to either a Power Reaching, Control Reaching or Non-Reaching Condition. Power Reaching rats were trained to grasp and break progressively larger bundles of dried pasta strands with their preferred forelimb. Control Reaching animals were trained to break a single pasta strand and Non-Reaching animals were not trained. Power Reaching animals exhibited a progressive increase in the maximal size of the pasta bundle that could be retrieved during a 30-day training period. Kinematic analyses showed that this improvement was not due to a change in reaching strategy. Intracortical microelectrode stimulation was used to derive maps of forelimb movement representations within the motor cortex of all animals following training. In comparison to Non-Reaching animals, both Power Reaching and Control Reaching animals exhibited a significant increase in the proportion of motor cortex occupied by distal forelimb movement representations (wrist/digit) and a decrease in the proportion of proximal representations (elbow/shoulder). These results demonstrate that the development of skilled forelimb movements, but not increased forelimb strength, was associated with a reorganization of forelimb movement representations within motor cortex.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 133-141 |
Number of pages | 9 |
Journal | Behavioural Brain Research |
Volume | 123 |
Issue number | 2 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Sep 14 2001 |
Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- Experience
- Intracortical microstimulation
- Motor cortex
- Motor skill
- Plasticity
- Rat
- Strength training
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Behavioral Neuroscience