The Effects of Action Observation with Functional Electrical Stimulation on Corticomuscular Coherence

ABSTRACT

Objective@#To investigate the action observation effects of functional electrical stimulation (FES) on the communication between motor cortex and muscle through corticomuscular coherence (CMC) analysis. @*Methods@#Electroencephalogram (EEG) and electromyogram (EMG) of 27 healthy, nonathlete subjects were measured during action observation, FES, and action observation with FES, which lasted for 7sper session for 10 times. All trials were repeated for 30 times. Simultaneously measured EEG raw data and rectified EMG signals were used to calculate CMC. Only confidence limit values above 0.0306 were used for analysis. CMC was divided into three frequency domains, andthe grand average coherence and peak coherence were computed. Repeated ANOVA was performed to analyze the coherence value difference for each condition’s frequency band. @*Results@#CMC showed significant differences in peak coherence and average coherence between the conditions (p<0.05). Action observation application with FES in all frequency band showed the highest peak and average coherence value. @*Conclusions@#The results of this study are assumed to be the combination of increased eccentric information transfer from the sensory-motor cortex by action observation and an increased in concentric sensory input from the peripheral by the FES, suggesting that these are reflecting the sensorimotor integration process.