Abstract
Measurements of somatosensory evoked potentials (SEPs), recorded using electroencephalography during different phases of movement, have been fundamental in understanding the neurophysiological changes related to motor control. SEP recordings have also been used to investigate adaptive plasticity changes in somatosensory processing related to active and observational motor learning tasks. Combining noninvasive brain stimulation with SEP recordings and intracranial SEP depth recordings, including recordings from deep brain stimulation electrodes, has been critical in identifying neural areas involved in specific temporal stages of somatosensory processing. Consequently, this fundamental information has furthered our understanding of the maladaptive plasticity changes related to pathophysiology of diseases characterized by abnormal movements, such as Parkinson’s disease, dystonia, and functional movement disorders.
During movement (from movement preparation to execution) activity in the somatosensory system, as reflected in SEP recordings, upregulates or downregulates differentially, depending on task constraints (e.g., attention) and the limb used for the movement.
Analyses of SEPs revealed that adaptive and plastic changes to the somatosensory system can be seen in both active and observational motor learning tasks.
Short-term plasticity changes, induced by noninvasive brain stimulation over sensorimotor integration areas, as well as over more associative areas such as the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, cause distinct SEP modulations.
Abnormal gating of SEPs, at rest and/or during movement, is representative of the pathophysiology of movement disorders, including Parkinson’s disease, dystonia, and functional movement disorders.