RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Cortical Activation Associated with Muscle Synergies of the Human Male Pelvic Floor
JF The Journal of Neuroscience
JO J. Neurosci.
FD Society for Neuroscience
SP 13811
OP 13818
DO 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.2073-14.2014
VO 34
IS 41
A1 Skulpan Asavasopon
A1 Manku Rana
A1 Daniel J. Kirages
A1 Moheb S. Yani
A1 Beth E. Fisher
A1 Darryl H. Hwang
A1 Everett B. Lohman
A1 Lee S. Berk
A1 Jason J. Kutch
YR 2014
UL http://www.jneurosci.org/content/34/41/13811.abstract
AB Human pelvic floor muscles have been shown to operate synergistically with a wide variety of muscles, which has been suggested to be an important contributor to continence and pelvic stability during functional tasks. However, the neural mechanism of pelvic floor muscle synergies remains unknown. Here, we test the hypothesis that activation in motor cortical regions associated with pelvic floor activation are part of the neural substrate for such synergies. We first use electromyographic recordings to extend previous findings and demonstrate that pelvic floor muscles activate synergistically during voluntary activation of gluteal muscles, but not during voluntary activation of finger muscles. We then show, using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), that a region of the medial wall of the precentral gyrus consistently activates during both voluntary pelvic floor muscle activation and voluntary gluteal activation, but not during voluntary finger activation. We finally confirm, using transcranial magnetic stimulation, that the fMRI-identified medial wall region is likely to generate pelvic floor muscle activation. Thus, muscle synergies of the human male pelvic floor appear to involve activation of motor cortical areas associated with pelvic floor control.