Effects of anticipation certainty on preparatory brain activity and anticipatory postural adjustments associated with voluntary unilateral arm movement while standing

We examined the effects of anticipation certainty concerning which voluntary movement is required in response to a stimulus while standing on preparatory brain activity and anticipatory postural adjustments (APAs). Ten right-handed adults abducted their left or right arm rapidly in response to a visual imperative stimulus, based on the type of stimulus. A warning cue, which did or did not contain information about the side of arm abduction, was presented 2000 ms before the imperative stimulus. Preparatory brain activity before arm abduction was quantified by the mean amplitude of the contingent negative variation 100 ms before the imperative stimulus (late CNV amplitude). Compared with the low anticipation condition, in the high anticipation condition the following results were obtained only in the case of right arm abduction: (1) larger late CNV amplitude, (2) earlier postural muscle activities with respect to the focal muscle of arm abduction, and (3) smaller peak displacement of center of pressure during the abduction. These findings suggest that high anticipation of voluntary movement of dominant arm to a stimulus while standing influences preparatory brain activity before the movement, resulting in earlier APAs and thus smaller disturbance of postural equilibrium during the movement.

► APAs initiate earlier when it is anticipated that voluntary response of dominant arm is likely to be required.
► Earlier APAs result in smaller disturbance in postural equilibrium.
► This APA modulation appears to be related to adequate preparatory brain activity.