Changes in cortical beta power predict motor control flexibility, not vigor
Abstract The amplitude of beta-band activity (β power; 13-30 Hz) over motor cortical regions is used to assess and decode movement in clinical settings and brain-computer interfaces, as β power is often assumed to predict the strength of the brain’s motor output, or “vigor”. However, recent conflict...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nature Portfolio
2025-07-01
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| Series: | Communications Biology |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-025-08465-2 |
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| author | Emeline Pierrieau Claire Dussard Axel Plantey--Veux Cloé Guerrini Brian Lau Léa Pillette Nathalie George Camille Jeunet-Kelway |
| author_facet | Emeline Pierrieau Claire Dussard Axel Plantey--Veux Cloé Guerrini Brian Lau Léa Pillette Nathalie George Camille Jeunet-Kelway |
| author_sort | Emeline Pierrieau |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract The amplitude of beta-band activity (β power; 13-30 Hz) over motor cortical regions is used to assess and decode movement in clinical settings and brain-computer interfaces, as β power is often assumed to predict the strength of the brain’s motor output, or “vigor”. However, recent conflicting evidence challenges this assumption and underscores the need to clarify the relationship between β power and movement. In this study, sixty participants were trained to self-regulate β power using electroencephalography-based neurofeedback before performing different motor tasks. Results show that β power modulations can impact different motor variables, or the same variables in opposite directions, depending on task constraints. Importantly, downregulation of β power is associated with better task performance regardless of whether performance implied increasing or decreasing motor vigor. These findings demonstrate that β power should be interpreted as a measure of motor flexibility, which underlies adaptation to environmental constraints, rather than vigor. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-bb565100798d464f8d6c01bcc83ff7ea |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2399-3642 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Communications Biology |
| spelling | doaj-art-bb565100798d464f8d6c01bcc83ff7ea2025-08-20T03:05:56ZengNature PortfolioCommunications Biology2399-36422025-07-018111310.1038/s42003-025-08465-2Changes in cortical beta power predict motor control flexibility, not vigorEmeline Pierrieau0Claire Dussard1Axel Plantey--Veux2Cloé Guerrini3Brian Lau4Léa Pillette5Nathalie George6Camille Jeunet-Kelway7Université de Bordeaux, CNRS, INCIA, UMR 5287Sorbonne Université, Institut du Cerveau—Paris Brain Institute—ICM, Inserm, CNRS, APHP, Hôpital de la Pitié SalpêtrièreUniversité de Bordeaux, CNRS, INCIA, UMR 5287Université de Bordeaux, CNRS, INCIA, UMR 5287Sorbonne Université, Institut du Cerveau—Paris Brain Institute—ICM, Inserm, CNRS, APHP, Hôpital de la Pitié SalpêtrièreUniversité de Rennes, CNRS, IRISA, UMR 6074Sorbonne Université, Institut du Cerveau—Paris Brain Institute—ICM, Inserm, CNRS, APHP, Hôpital de la Pitié SalpêtrièreUniversité de Bordeaux, CNRS, INCIA, UMR 5287Abstract The amplitude of beta-band activity (β power; 13-30 Hz) over motor cortical regions is used to assess and decode movement in clinical settings and brain-computer interfaces, as β power is often assumed to predict the strength of the brain’s motor output, or “vigor”. However, recent conflicting evidence challenges this assumption and underscores the need to clarify the relationship between β power and movement. In this study, sixty participants were trained to self-regulate β power using electroencephalography-based neurofeedback before performing different motor tasks. Results show that β power modulations can impact different motor variables, or the same variables in opposite directions, depending on task constraints. Importantly, downregulation of β power is associated with better task performance regardless of whether performance implied increasing or decreasing motor vigor. These findings demonstrate that β power should be interpreted as a measure of motor flexibility, which underlies adaptation to environmental constraints, rather than vigor.https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-025-08465-2 |
| spellingShingle | Emeline Pierrieau Claire Dussard Axel Plantey--Veux Cloé Guerrini Brian Lau Léa Pillette Nathalie George Camille Jeunet-Kelway Changes in cortical beta power predict motor control flexibility, not vigor Communications Biology |
| title | Changes in cortical beta power predict motor control flexibility, not vigor |
| title_full | Changes in cortical beta power predict motor control flexibility, not vigor |
| title_fullStr | Changes in cortical beta power predict motor control flexibility, not vigor |
| title_full_unstemmed | Changes in cortical beta power predict motor control flexibility, not vigor |
| title_short | Changes in cortical beta power predict motor control flexibility, not vigor |
| title_sort | changes in cortical beta power predict motor control flexibility not vigor |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-025-08465-2 |
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