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Impact of Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation to the Cerebellum on Performance of a Ballistic Targeting Movement

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Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the effects of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) of the cerebellum on changes in motor performance during a series of repetitive ballistic-targeting tasks. Twenty-two healthy young adults (n = 12 in the active-rTMS group and n = 10 in the sham rTMS group) participated in this study. The participants sat on a chair in front of a monitor and fixed their right forearms to a manipulandum. They manipulated the handle with the flexion/extension of the wrist to move the bar on the monitor. Immediately after a beep sound was played, the participant moved the bar as quickly as possible to the target line. After the first 10 repetitions of the ballistic-targeting task, active or sham rTMS (1 Hz, 900 pulses) was applied to the right cerebellum. Subsequently, five sets of 100 repetitions of this task were conducted. Participants in the sham rTMS group showed improved reaction time, movement time, maximum velocity of movement, and targeting error after repetition. However, improvements were inhibited in the active-rTMS group. Low-frequency cerebellar rTMS may disrupt motor learning during repetitive ballistic-targeting tasks. This supports the hypothesis that the cerebellum contributes to motor learning and motor-error correction in ballistic-targeting movements.

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Data Availability

The datasets generated and analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

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Acknowledgements

We thank Akari Hayashi, Yuna Fujii, Keigo Maehara, and Ayumu Watanabe of Shijonawate Gakuen University, who assisted with the many experiments conducted for the purposes of this research. We thank all the volunteers for their participation in this experiment and Editage (www.editage.jp) for providing English language editing.

Funding

This study was funded by JSPS KAKENHI (grant number 20K11298). This study was partially supported by the Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (21 dm0307007).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Rehabilitation, Shijonawate Gakuen University, Hojo 5-11-10, Daitou city, Osaka, 574-0011, Japan

    Akiyoshi Matsugi

  2. Institute of Rehabilitation Science, Tokuyukai Medical Corporation, 3-11-1 Sakuranocho, Toyonaka City, Osaka, 560-0054, Japan

    Satoru Nishishita

  3. Kansai Rehabilitation Hospital, 3-11-1 Sakuranocho, Toyonaka City, Osaka, 560-0054, Japan

    Satoru Nishishita

  4. Okayama Healthcare Professional University, Okayama, Japan

    Naoki Yoshida

  5. Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Kansai Medical University Hirakata Hospital, Shinmachi 2-3-1, Hirakata City, Osaka, 573-1191, Japan

    Hiroaki Tanaka

  6. Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Kansai Medical University, Shinmachi 2-5-1, Hirakata City, Osaka, 573-1010, Japan

    Hiroaki Tanaka

  7. Department of Rehabilitation, National Hospital Organization Kinki-chuo Chest Medical Center, 1180 Nagasone-Town, Kita-ku, Sakai, Osaka, 591-8025, Japan

    Shinya Douchi

  8. National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, National Center Hospital, Kodaira, 187-0031, Japan

    Kyota Bando & Kengo Tsujimoto

  9. Basic Technology Research Center, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, 2-1-6 Kamikitazawa, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, 156-8506, Japan

    Takeru Honda

  10. Department of Rehabilitation for Intractable Neurological Disorders, Institute of Brain and Blood Vessels, Mihara Memorial Hospital, Ohtamachi366, Isesaki City, Gunma, 372-0006, Japan

    Yutaka Kikuchi & Yuto Shimizu

  11. Maebashi Institute of Technology, Maebashi, Gunma Prefecture, Japan

    Masato Odagaki

  12. Department of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Health Sciences, Kyoto Tachibana University, Kyoto, Japan

    Hideki Nakano

  13. Neurorehabilitation Research Center of Kio University, Nara, Koryo-cho, Kitakatsuragi-gun, 635-0832, Japan

    Yohei Okada

  14. Department of Neurosurgery, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Yamadaoka 2-2, Suita City, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan

    Nobuhiko Mori & Koichi Hosomi

  15. Department of Mechanical Science and Bioengineering, Osaka University Graduate School of Engineering Science, Machikaneyama 1-3, Toyonaka City, Osaka, 560-8531, Japan

    Youichi Saitoh

  16. Tokuyukai Rehabilitation Clinic, Shinsenrinishimachi 2-24-18, Toyonaka City, Osaka, 560-0083, Japan

    Youichi Saitoh

Authors
  1. Akiyoshi Matsugi
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  2. Satoru Nishishita
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  3. Naoki Yoshida
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  4. Hiroaki Tanaka
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  5. Shinya Douchi
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  6. Kyota Bando
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  9. Yutaka Kikuchi
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Contributions

Matsugi A, Nishishita S, and Yoshida N conceptualized and designed this study, and other authors revised the experimental protocols. The experimental equipment for magnetic stimulation was provided by Mori N, Hosomi K, and Saitoh Y, whereas Matsugi A, Nishishita S, and Yoshida N provided other equipment. The experiments were conducted by Matsugi A and Mori N. Nishishita S and Yoshida N analyzed all angle data. Tanaka H and Douchi S analyzed all EMG data. The formal analysis was conducted mainly by Matsugi, Nishishita, and Yoshida, and other authors advised all analyses. Honda T and Odagaki M supervised the study. Funding acquisition was conducted by Matsugi A, Bando K, Kikuchi Y, Nakano H, Okada Y, Mori N, Hosomi K, and Saitoh Y. The original draft of the manuscript was written by Matsugi A, and all authors reviewed, edited, and approved the manuscript prior to journal submission.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Akiyoshi Matsugi.

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This study was approved by the Ethics Committee of Shijonawate Gakuen University (approval code: 19–9).

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All participants were briefed on the experiment and signed a consent form before participation.

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Matsugi, A., Nishishita, S., Yoshida, N. et al. Impact of Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation to the Cerebellum on Performance of a Ballistic Targeting Movement. Cerebellum 22, 680–697 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12311-022-01438-9

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