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Emotion and motor preparation: A transcranial magnetic stimulation study of corticospinal motor tract excitability
Journal article   Peer reviewed

Emotion and motor preparation: A transcranial magnetic stimulation study of corticospinal motor tract excitability

S.A. Coombes, C. Tandonnet, H. Fujiyama, C.M. Janelle, J.H. Cauraugh and J.J. Summers
Cognitive, Affective, & Behavioral Neuroscience, Vol.9(4), pp.380-388
2009
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Abstract

In the present study, we examined whether preparing motor responses under different emotional conditions alters motor evoked potentials (MEPs) elicited by transcranial magnetic stimulation delivered to the motor cortex. Analyses revealed three findings: (1) Reaction times were expedited during exposure to unpleasant images, as compared with pleasant and neutral images; (2) force amplitude was greater during exposure to unpleasant images, as compared with pleasant and neutral images; and (3) MEPs were larger while participants viewed unpleasant images, as compared with neutral images. Hence, coupling the preparation of motor responses with the viewing of emotional images led to arousal-driven changes in corticospinal motor tract excitability, whereas movement speed and force production varied as a function of emotional valence. These findings demonstrate that the effects of emotion on the motor system manifest at varying sensitivity levels across behavioral and neurophysiological measures. Moreover, they validate the action readiness component of emotional experience by demonstrating that emotional states influence the execution of future movements but, alone, do not lead to overt movement.

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Collaboration types
Domestic collaboration
International collaboration
Citation topics
1 Clinical & Life Sciences
1.7 Neuroscanning
1.7.354 Emotion Perception
Web Of Science research areas
Behavioral Sciences
Neurosciences
ESI research areas
Neuroscience & Behavior
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