Noradrenergic stimulation and motor performance: Differential effects of reboxetine on movement kinematics and visuomotor abilities in healthy human subjects

Evidence from studies in both animals and humans suggests that pharmacological stimulation of the noradrenergic system may modulate cortical excitability. However, the influence of such a modulation on the motor system remains unclear. We here explored the effects of noradrenergic stimulation on different motor tasks with increasing complexity and sensorimotor demands. Healthy human subjects received either reboxetine – a selective noradrenaline reuptake inhibitor – or placebo in a double-blind within-subject design. The analysis of movement kinematics revealed differential effects of RBX on subjects’ motor performance. While isolated stereotypic finger movements and simple reach-to-grasp movements did not change under RBX stimulation (compared to placebo), subjects showed a significant gain in movement speed in visuomotor tasks requiring online-control of precision movements. The results suggest that stimulating the noradrenergic system via RBX does not influence motor performance in general, but rather supports neural circuits involved in visuomotor control of movements.