Beta Waves in Action: Context-Dependent Modulations of Subthalamo-Cortical Synchronization during Rapid Reversals of Movement Direction

The role of beta band activity in cortico-basal ganglia interactions during motor control has been studied extensively in resting-state and for simple movements, such as button pressing. However, little is known about how beta oscillations change and interact in more complex situations involving rapid changes of movement in various contexts.

To close this knowledge gap, we combined magnetoencephalography (MEG) and local field potential recordings from the subthalamic nucleus (STN) in Parkinson’s disease patients to study beta dynamics during initiation, stopping, and rapid reversal of rotational movements. The action prompts were manipulated to be predictable vs. unpredictable.

We observed movement-related beta suppression at motor sequence start, and a beta rebound after motor sequence stop in STN power, motor cortical power, and STN-cortex coherence. Despite involving a brief stop of movement, no clear rebound was observed during reversals of turning direction. On the cortical level, beta power decreased bilaterally following reversals, but more so in the hemisphere ipsilateral to movement, due to a floor effect on the contralateral side. In the STN, power modulations varied across patients, with patients revealing brief increases or decreases of high-beta power. Importantly, cue predictability affected these modulations. Event-related changes of STN-cortex beta coherence were generally stronger in the unpredictable than in the predictable condition.

In summary, this study reveals the influence of movement context on beta oscillations in basal ganglia-cortex loops when humans change ongoing movements according to external cues. We find that movement scenarios requiring higher levels of caution involve enhanced modulations of subthalamo-cortical beta synchronization. Further, our results confirm that beta oscillations reflect the start and end of motor sequences better than movement changes within a sequence.

Significance Statement

Beta synchrony between motor cortex and the subthalamic nucleus is intensified when instructional cues within a continuous motor sequence become less predictable, calling for more cautious behavior.