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01-10-2016 | Original Article

No evidence of neural adaptations following chronic unilateral isometric training of the intrinsic muscles of the hand: a randomized controlled study

Authors: A. Manca, F. Ginatempo, M. P. Cabboi, B. Mercante, E. Ortu, D. Dragone, E. R. De Natale, Z. Dvir, J. C. Rothwell, Franca Deriu

Published in: European Journal of Applied Physiology | Issue 10/2016

Abstract

Purpose

To test whether long-term cortical adaptations occur bilaterally following chronic unilateral training with a simple motor task.

Methods

Participants (n = 34) were randomly allocated to a training or control groups. Only the former completed a 4-week maximal-intensity isometric training of the right first dorsal interosseus muscle through key pinching. Maximal strength was assessed bilaterally in four different movements progressively less similar to the training task: key, tip and tripod pinches, and handgrip. Transcranial magnetic stimulation was used to probe, in the left and right primary hand motor cortices, a number of standard tests of cortical excitability, including thresholds, intra-cortical inhibition and facilitation, transcallosal inhibition, and sensory-motor integration.

Results

Training increased strength in the trained hand, but only for the tasks specifically involving the trained muscle (key +8.5 %; p < 0.0005; tip +7.2 %; p = 0.02). However, the effect size was small and below the cutoff for meaningful change. Handgrip and tripod pinch were instead unaffected. There was a similar improvement in strength in the untrained hand, i.e., a cross-education effect (key +6.4 %; p = 0.02; tip +4.7 %; p = 0.007). Despite these changes in strength, no significant variation was observed in any of the neurophysiological parameters describing cortico-spinal and intra-cortical excitability, inter-hemispheric inhibition, and cortical sensory-motor integration.

Conclusions

A 4-week maximal-intensity unilateral training induced bilaterally spatial- and task-specific strength gains, which were not associated to direct or crossed cortical adaptations. The observed long-term stability of neurophysiological parameters might result from homeostatic plasticity phenomena, aimed at restoring the physiological inter-hemispheric balance of neural activity levels perturbed by the exercise.

Trial registration number

ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT02010398.

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Title: No evidence of neural adaptations following chronic unilateral isometric training of the intrinsic muscles of the hand: a randomized controlled study
Authors: A. Manca
F. Ginatempo
M. P. Cabboi
B. Mercante
E. Ortu
D. Dragone
E. R. De Natale
Z. Dvir
J. C. Rothwell
Franca Deriu
Publication date: 01-10-2016
Publisher: Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Published in: European Journal of Applied Physiology / Issue 10/2016
Print ISSN: 1439-6319
Electronic ISSN: 1439-6327
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-016-3451-6

At a glance: The STEP trials

Springer Medicine

No evidence of neural adaptations following chronic unilateral isometric training of the intrinsic muscles of the hand: a randomized controlled study

Abstract

Purpose

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Trial registration number

At a glance: The STEP trials

Springer Medicine

Abstract

Purpose

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Trial registration number

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