Mapping hand function with simultaneous brain-spinal cord functional MRI.

ABSTRACT: Hand motor control depends on intricate brain-spinal cord interactions that regulate muscle activity. Hand function can be disrupted by injury to the brain, spinal cord, and peripheral nerves leading to weakness and impaired coordination. Functional MRI (fMRI) can map motor-related neural activity and potentially characterize the mechanisms underlying hand weakness and diminished coordination. Although brain motor control has been extensively studied, spinal cord mechanisms remain less explored. Here we use simultaneous brain-spinal cord fMRI to map neural activity related to hand strength and dexterity across the central nervous system using force matching and finger tapping tasks. We performed simultaneous brain-spinal cord fMRI in 28 right-handed healthy volunteers (age: 40.0 ± 13.8 yea

SUBMITTER: Oliva V 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12501243 | biostudies-literature | 2025

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature