Specific neocerebellar activation during out-of-phase bimanual movements

Neuroreport. 2004 Mar 22;15(4):595-9. doi: 10.1097/00001756-200403220-00005.

Abstract

We used fMRI to study cerebellar activation during index finger-thumb opposition of the right hand and index finger-thumb opposition of both hands in in-phase and out-of-phase modes. The right hand movement activates the contralateral anterior lobe of the cerebellum. During bimanual in-phase movements, this activity pattern becomes bilateral. More interestingly, bilateral out-of-phase movements recruit the cerebellar posterior lobe VIII, which likely corresponds to the second homunculus. As out-of-phase movements differ from the in-phase movements only by their temporal complexity and their attentional awareness, this study demonstrates the preferential involvement of the cerebellar second homunculus in the control of complex movements.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Attention / physiology
  • Brain Mapping
  • Cerebellum / anatomy & histology
  • Cerebellum / physiology*
  • Feedback / physiology
  • Functional Laterality / physiology*
  • Hand / innervation*
  • Hand / physiology
  • Humans
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Male
  • Motor Skills / physiology*
  • Movement / physiology*
  • Proprioception / physiology
  • Reaction Time / physiology
  • Time Factors
  • Time Perception / physiology