Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in
Book cover

The Bereitschaftspotential pp 19–34Cite as

Surface Recordings of the Bereitschaftspotential in Normals

  • Chapter

Abstract

The BP was discovered by Kornhuber & Deecke (1964; Kornhuber & Deecke 1965) during recordings made from electrodes placed over the scalp. In the intervening years, it is probably accurate to say that such surface recordings have been the most common means of measuring the BP and have been instrumental in providing key information about this movement-related potential. A first aim of this chapter is to examine the factors that influence the amplitude, slope or topography of the BP. Secondly, I will consider what information about BP-topography can contribute to our knowledge of the functional organization of cortical motor areas. Third, surface recordings of the brain potentials show a complex, spatio-temporal pattern shortly before and after movement onset. Their electrogenesis and functional significance will be discussed. In the final part of this chapter, I will review the evidence for and against separate components of the BP.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.

Chapter
USD   29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD   169.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD   219.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD   219.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Learn about institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  • Asenbaum, S., Lang, W., Eghker, A., Lindinger, G. and Deecke, L. (1992) Frontal DC potentials in auditory selective attention. Electroenceph.Clin. Neurophysiol. 82, 469–476.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Balint, R. (1909) Seelenlähmung des “Schauens”, optische Ataxie, räumliche Störung der Aufinerksamkeit.Monatsschr.Psychiat. Neurol. 25, 51–81.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bauer, H. and Nirnberger, G. (1981) Concept identification as a function of preceding negative or positive spontaneous shifts in slow brain potentials.Psychophysiology18, 466–469.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Baumgartner, C. (1993)Clinical electrophysiology of the somatosensory cortex. Vienna: Springer.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Becker, W., Hoehne, O., Iwase, K. and Kornhuber, HH (1972) Bereitschaftspotential, prämotorische Positivierung und andere Hirnpotentiale bei sakkadischen Augenbewegungen.Vision Research12, 421–436.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Becker, W., Iwase, K., Jürgens, R. and Kornhuber, HH (1976) Bereitschaftspotential preceding voluntary slow and rapid movements. In: W. C. McCallum and R. J. Knott, (Eds. )The responsive brain, pp. 99–102. Bristol: Wright.

    Google Scholar 

  • Becker, W. and Kristeva, R. (1980) Cerebral potentials prior to various force deployments, in: Motivation, motor and sensory processes of the brain. In: H. H. Kornhuber and L. Deecke, (Eds. )Electrical potentials, behaviour and clinical use, pp. 189–194. Amsterdam: Elsevier.

    Google Scholar 

  • Benecke, R., Dick J. P. R, Rothwell, J. C., Day, B. C. and Marsden, C. D. (1985) Increase of the Bereitschaftspotential in simultaneous and sequential movements.Neuroscience Letters62, 347–352.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Born, J., Whipple, S. C. and Stamm, J. (1982) Spontaneous cortical slow-potential shifts and choice reaction time performance. Electroenceph.Clin. Neurophysiol. 54, 668–676.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Boschert, J. and Deecke, L. (1986) Cerebral potentials preceding voluntary toe, knee and hip movements and their vectors in human precentral gyrus.Brain Res. 376, 175–179.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Boschert, J., Hink, R. F., Deecke, L. (1983) Finger movement versus toe movement-related potentials: further evidence for supplementary motor area (SMA) participation prior to voluntary action.Human Neurobiol52, 73–80.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Brinkman, C and Porter, R (1979) Supplementary motor area of the monkey: Activity of neurons during performance of a learned motor task.Journal of Neurophysiology42, 681–709.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Castaigne, P., Laplane, D. and Degos, J. D. (1970) Trois cas de negligence motrice par lesion retrorolandique.Rev.Neurol. Paris122(4), 233–242.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Castaigne, P., Laplane, D. and Degos, J. D. (1972) Trois cas de negligence motrice par lesion frontale prerolandique.Rev.Neurol. Paris126, 5–15.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cheyne, D., Kristeva, R. and Deecke, L. (1991) Homuncular organization of human motor cortex as indicated by neuromagnetic recordings.Neuroscience Letters122, 17–20.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cheyne, D., Kristeva, R., Deecke, L. and Weinberg, H. (1992) Spatio-temporal source modeling of sensorimotor cortex activation during voluntary movement in humans. In: M. Hoke, S. N. Erne, Y. C. Okada and G. L. Romani, (Eds)Biomagnetism’91: Clinical aspects. Amsterdam: Elsevier.

    Google Scholar 

  • Coles, M. H., Gratton, G. and Donchin, E. (1988) Detecting early communi-cation: using measures of movement-related potentials to illuminate human information processing.Biological Psychology26, 69–89.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Coquery, J. M. (1978) Role of active movement in control of afferent input from skin in cat and man. In: G. Gordon, (Ed. )Active touch: the mechanisms of object manipulation: a multidisciplinary approach, pp. 161–169. Oxford:Pergamon.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cui, R. Q., Huter, D., Lang, W. and Deecke, L. (1999) Neuroimage of voluntary movement: topography of the Bereitschaftspotential, a 64-channel DC Current Source Density Study.NeuroImage9, 124–134.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Deecke, L., Engel, M., Lang, W. and Kornhuber, H. H. (1986) Bereitschaftspotential preceding speech after holding the the breath.Exp. Brain Res. 65, 219–223.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Deecke, L., Grözinger, B. and Kornhuber, H. H. (1976) Voluntary finger movement in man: cerebral potentials and theory.Biol. Cybern. 23, 99–119.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Deiber, M. P., Passingham, R. E., Colebatch, J. G., Friston, K. J., Nixon, P. D. and Frackowiak, R. S. J. (1991) Cortical areas and the selection of movement: a study with positron emission tomography.Exp. Brain Res. 84, 393–402.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Dick, J. P. R., Rothwell, J. C., Day, B. L., Cantello, R., Buruma, O., Gioux, M., Benecke, R., Berardelli, A., Thompson,P. D. and Marsden, C. D. (1989) The Bereitschaftspotential is abnormal in Parkinson’s disease.Brain112, 233–244.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Diraberger, G., Fickel, U., Lindinger, G., Lang, W. and Jahanshahi, M. (1988) The mode of movement selection:Movement-related cortical potentials prior to freely selected and repetitive movements.Exp Brain Res. 120, 263–72.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dirnberger, G., Kunaver, C. E., Scholze, T., Lindinger, G. and Lang, W. (1992) The effects of alteration of effector and side of movement on movement-related cortical potentials,Cogn Brain Res, submitted

    Google Scholar 

  • Erdler, M., Beisteiner, R., Mayer, D., Kaindl, T., Edward, V., Lindinger, G. and Deecke, L (2000) Supplementary motor area activation preceding voluntary movement is detectable with a whole scalp magnetoencephalography system.NeuroImage11, 697–707.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gerloff, C., Richard, J., Hadley, J., Schulman, A. E., Honda, M. and Hallett, M. (1998) Functional coupling and regional cortical motor areas during simple, internally paced and externally paced finger movements.Brain121, 1513–1531.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Grözinger, B, Kornhuber, H. H. and Kriebel, J. (1979) Participation of mesial cortex in speech: Evidence from cerebral potentials preceding speech production in man. In: O. Creutzfeldt, H. Scheich and C. Schreiner (Eds. )Hearing mechanisms and speech, pp. 189–192. Berlin Heidelberg New York: Springer Verlag.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Hazemann, P., Metral, S. and Lille, F (1978) Influence of force, speed and duration of isometric contraction upon slow cortical potentials in man. In: D. A. Otto (Ed. )Multidisciplinary Perspectives in Event-Related Brain Potential Research, pp. 107–111. Washington: U. S. Environmental Protection Agency.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jahanshahi, M., Jenkins, I. H., Brown, R. G., Marsden, C. D., Passingham, R. E., Brooks, D. J. (1995) Self-initiated versus externally triggered movements. I. An investigation using measurement of regional cerebral blood flow with PET and movement-related potentials in normal and Parkinson’s disease subjects.Brain118, 913–33.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Keller, I. and Heckhausen, H. (1990) Readiness potentials preceding spontaneous motor acts: voluntary vs. involuntary control.Electroenceph. Clin. Neurophysiol. 76, 351–361.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kitamura, J., Shibasaki, H., Kondo T (1993) A cortical slow potential is larger before an isolated movement of a single finger than simultaneous movement of two fingers.Electroenceph. Clin. Neurophysiol. 86, 252–258.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kitamura, J., Shibasaki, H., Takagi, A., Nabeshima, H., Yamaguchi, A. (1993) Enhanced negative slope of cortical potentials before sequential as compared with simultaneous extensions of two fingers.Electroenc. Clin.Neurophysiol. 86, 176–182.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kornhuber, H. H. (1984) Mechanisms of voluntary movement. In: W. Prinz and A. F. Sanders (Eds. )Cognition and motor processes,. pp. 163–173. Berlin-Heidelberg-New York: Springer.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Kornhuber, H. H. and Deecke, L. (1965) Himpotentialänderung bei Willkürbewegungen und passiven Bewegungen des Menschen: Bereitschaftspotential und reafferente Potentiale.Pflügers Arch. Ges. Physiologie284, 1–17.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kutas, M. and Donchin, E. (1974) Studies on squeezing: handedness, responding hand, response force and asymmetry of readiness potential.Science186, 545–548.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kristeva, R., Cheyne, D. and Deecke, L. (1991) Neuromagnetic fields accompanying unilateral and bilateral voluntary movements: topography and analysis of cortical sources.Electroenceph. Clin. Neurophysiol. 81, 284–298.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kristeva, R, Cheyne, D., Lang, W., Lindinger, G. and Deecke, L. (1990) Movement-related potentials accompanying unilateral and bilateral finger movements with different inertial loads.Electroenceph. Clin. Neurophysiol.75, 410–418.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lang, M., Lang, W., Uhl, F., Kornhuber, A., Deecke, L. and Kornhuber, H. H. (1987) Slow negative potential shifts indicating verbal cognitive learning in a concept formation task.Human Neurobiol. 6, 183–190.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lang, W., Lang, M., Heise, B., Deecke, L. and Kornhuber, H. H. (1984) Brain potentials related to voluntary hand tracking, motivation and attention.Human Neurobiol. 3, 235–240.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lang, W., Lang, M., Uhl, F., Koska, Ch., Kornhuber, A. and Deecke, L. (1988) Negative cortical DC shifts preceding and accompanying simultaneous and sequential finger movements.Exp. Brain Res. 71, 579–587.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lang, W., Obrig, H., Lindinger, G., Cheyne, D. and Deecke, L. (1990) Supplementary motor area activation while tapping bimanually different rhythms in musicians.Exp. Brain Res. 79, 504–514.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lang, W., Torrioli, G., Pizzela, V., Romani, G. L. and Deecke, L. (1990) Movement-evoked reafferent fields.Electroenceph. Clin. Neurophysiol. 75, 62.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lang, W., Cheyne, D., Kristeva, R., Beisteiner, R., Lindinger, G. and Deecke, L. (1991) Three-dimensional localization of SMA activity preceding voluntary movement - a study of electric and magnetic fields in a patient with infarction of the right supplementary motor area.Exp. Brain Res. 87, 688–695.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lang, W., Beisteiner, R., Lindinger, G. and Deecke, L. (1992) Changes of cortical activity when executing learned motor sequences.Exp. Brain Res. 89, 435–440.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lang, W., Höllinger, P., Egkher, A. and Lindinger, G. (1994) Functional localization of motor processes in the primary and supplementary motor areas.J. Clin. Neurophysiol. 11, 397–419.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lee, B. I., Lüders, H., Lesser, R. P., Dinner, D. S. and Morris, H. H. (1986) Cortical potentials related to voluntary and passive finger movements recorded from subdural electrodes in humans.Ann. Neurol20, 32–37.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Libet, B., Gleason, C. A., Wright, E. W. and Pearl, D. K. (1983) Time of conscious intention to act in relation to onset of cerebral activity (readiness potential).Brain106, 623–642.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Libet, B., Wright, Jr., E. W. and Gleason, C. A. (1982) Readiness-potentials preceding unrestricted “spontaneous”vs. preplanned voluntary acts. Electroenceph.Clin. Neurophysiol. 54, 322–335.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lindinger, G., Baumgartner, C., Burgess, R., Lüders, H. and Deecke, L. (1994) Topographic analysis of epileptic spikes using spherical splines and spline laplacian (CSD).J Neurol241, 276–277.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lynch, J. C. (1981) The functional organization of posterior parietal association cortex.Behav. Brain Sci. 4, 485–534.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McCarthy, G. and Wood, C. C. (1985) Scalp distribution of event-related potentials: an ambiguity associated with analysis of variance models. Electroencephal.Clin Neurophysiol69, 218–233.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mountcastle, V. B., Lynch, J. C., Georgopoulos, A., Sakata, H. and Acuna, C. (1975) Posterior parietal association cortex of the monkey: command function for operations within the extrapersonal space.J. Neurophysiol. 38, 871–908.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Morgan, J. M., Wenzl, M., Lang, W., Lindinger, G. and Deecke, L. (1992) Fronto-central DC-potential shifts predicting behavior with or without a motor task.Electroenceph. Clin. Neurophysiol. 83, 378–388 (1992).

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Nelson, R. J. (1987) Activity of monkey primary somatosensory cortical neurons changes prior to active movement.Brain Res. 406, 402–407.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Nunez P. (1981)Electric fields of the brain, The neurophysics of EEG, Oxford: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Okano, K. and Tanji, J. (1987) Neuronal activities in the primate motor fields of the agranular frontal cortex preceding visually triggered and self-paced movement.Exp. Brain Res. 66, 155–166.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Praamstra, P., Stegeman, D. F., Horstink, M. W. I. M., Brunia, C. H. M. and Cools, A. R. (1995) Movement-related potentials preceding voluntary movement are modulated by the mode of movement selection.Exp. Brain Res. 103, 429–439.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Praamstra, P., Stegeman, D. F., Horstink, M. W. I. M. and Cools, A. R. (1996) Dipole source analysis suggests selective modulation of the supplementary motor area contribution to the readiness potential.Electroenceph. clin.Neurophysiol. 98, 468–477.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rockstroh, B., Elbert, T., Canavan, A., Lutzenberger, W. and Birbaumer, N. (1989)Slow cortical potentials and behavior. Baltimore: Urban & Schwarzenberg.

    Google Scholar 

  • Roland, P. E, (1984) Organization of motor control by the human brain.Human Neurobiol. 2: 205–216.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Roland, P. E., Larsen, B., Lassen, N. A., Skinhoj, E. (1980) Supplementary motor area and other cortical areas in organization of voluntary movements in man.J. Neurophysiol. 43, 118–136.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Scherg, M. (1990) Fundamentals of dipole source potential analysis. In: F. Grandori, M. Hoke, Romani (Eds. )Auditory evoked magnetic fields and electric potentials, Advances in Audiology; vol 6, pp. 40–69. Basel: Karger.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shibasaki, H., Barrett, G., Halliday, E. and Halliday, A. M. (1981) Cortical potentials associated with voluntary foot movement in man.Electroencephalogr and Clin Neurophysiol52, 507–516.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Shibasaki, H., Barrett, G., Halliday, E., Halliday, A. M. (1980) Components of the movement-related cortical potential and their scalp topography.Electroenceph. Clin. Neurophysiol. 49, 213–26.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Simonetta, M., Clanet, M. and Rascol, O. (1991) Bereitschaftspotential in a simple movement or in a motor sequence starting with the same simple movement.Electroenceph. Clin. Neurophysiol. 81, 129–134.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tarkka, I. M. and Hallett, M. (1991) Topography of scalp-recorded motor potentials in human finger movements.J Clin Neurophysiol8, 331 -341.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Taylor, M. (1978) Bereitschaftspotential during the acquisition of a skilled motor task. Electroencephal.Clin.Neurophysiol. 45, 568–576.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Touge, T., Werhahn, K. J., Rothwell, J. C. and Marsden, C. D. (1995) Movement-related cortical potentials preceding repetitive and random-choice hand movements in Parkinson’ s disease.Ann. Neurol. 37, 791–799.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • von Giesen, H. J., Schlaug, G., Steinmetz, H., Benecke, R., Freund, H. J., Seitz, R. J. (1994) Cerebral network underlying unilateral motor neglect: evidence from positron emission tomography.Journal of the Neurological Sciences125,29–38 (1994).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Walter, W. G. (1964) The contingent negative variation. An electrical sign of significance of association in the human brain.Science434.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. University Clinic of Neurology, Vienna, A-1090, Austria

    Wilfried Lang

Authors
  1. Wilfried Lang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Sobell Department of Motor Neuroscience & Movement Disorders, Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK

    Marjan Jahanshahi

  2. Human Motor Control Section, National Institute of Neurological Disorders & Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA

    Mark Hallett

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2003 Springer Science+Business Media New York

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Lang, W. (2003). Surface Recordings of the Bereitschaftspotential in Normals. In: Jahanshahi, M., Hallett, M. (eds) The Bereitschaftspotential. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-0189-3_2

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-0189-3_2

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4613-4958-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4615-0189-3

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation