gating of movement-related neural activity ?

[Eric Wassermann]

In article <4166gm$92i at newsbf02.news.aol.com>, mglinws at aol.com (MGLinWS) wrote:

> Previous studies have established that the neural representation of
> sensory activity is gated by the animal's motoric state.  Does anyone know
> of any studies that show that the neural representation of movement is
> gated by the animal's preparation to move ?  
> 

[materail deleted]

> I wonder if my observation is novel or if I have rediscovered an already
> obvious fact.  Any information will be greatly appreciated.
>  

There is very good evidence from human studies using transcranial
stimulation that the excitability of the primary motor cortex and its
output systems increases during a reaction time (c.f. Starr et al.
Electroenceph Clin Neurophysiol 1988;70:26).  Moreover, in a 2 choice
reaction time, both response channels (muscles representations in M1 and
downstream connections) are potentiated until about 30 ms prior to
movement when there is inhibition of the non-chosen channel (Pascual-Leone
et al. Soc Neurosci Abstr 1992;18:25)

Is this what you mean by gating of motor activity?

Eric Wassermann