A possible correlation between performance IQ, visuomotor adaptation ability and mu suppression

•We found strong link between performance intelligence quotient (PIQ) and mu rhythms.•PIQ and the rate of motor adaptation were strongly related.•High PIQ subjects were fast learners, they quickly adapted to the perturbations.•The mu rhythms were weakly correlated with the motor adaptation.

BackgroundPsychometric, anatomical and functional brain studies suggest that individuals differ in the way that they perceive and analyze information and strategically control and execute movements. Inter-individual differences are also observed in neural correlates of specific and general cognitive ability. As a result, some individuals perceive and adapt to environmental conditions and perform motor activities better than others. The aim of this study was to identify a common factor that predicts adaptation of a reaching movement to a visual perturbation and suppression of movement-related brain activity (mu rhythms).ResultsTwenty-eight participants participated in two different experiments designed to evaluate visuomotor adaptation and mu suppression ability. Performance intelligence quotient (IQ) was assessed using the revised Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale. Performance IQ predicted adaptation index of visuomotor performance (r=0.43, p=0.02) and suppression of mu rhythms (r=−0.59; p<0.001). Participants with high performance IQ were faster at adapting to a visuomotor perturbation and better at suppressing mu activity than participants with low performance IQ.ConclusionsWe found a possible link between performance IQ and mu suppression, and performance IQ and the initial rate of adaptation. Individuals with high performance IQ were better in suppressing mu rhythms and were quicker at associating motor command and required movement than individuals with low performance IQ.