Brain is Ready for Action, Even When You are Resting

The dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC) is used for control, while the supplementary motor area (SMA) is used for motor movements.

Even while you are taking rest, your brain networks may be waiting in a state of potentiation to execute even the simplest of behaviors, a finding that may help in improving treatments for neuropsychiatric syndromes, an Indian-origin researcher has showed.

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‘Directional interactions from the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex and supplementary motor area during the rest period may potentiate task-related interactions in the opposite direction.’

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In the study, the researchers studied brain network interactions between dACC and SMA during a simple motor control behavior, for example tapping forefinger to a visual cue.

The results, published in the journal PLoS One, showed that the network interactions from the SMA to the dACC increased, during the rest periods that alternated between the motor behavior task.

"These results suggest that directional interactions from the SMA to the dACC during the rest period may in fact potentiate task-related interactions in the opposite direction," said Vaibhav Diwadkar, Professor at Wayne State University in Michigan, US.

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For the study, the team used a simple experimental task, having each participant perform a simple motor control behavior - tapping their forefinger to a visual cue - that alternated between behavior and rest. Brain activity was acquired using functional MRI (fMRI).

The results reveal aspects not only of normative brain function but may also provide new directions for characterizing disordered network interactions in neuropsychiatric syndromes, Diwadkar added.

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