Functional reorganisation of the corticomotor projection to the hand in skilled racquet players

While it is known that relatively rapid changes in functional representatio n may occur in the human sensorimotor cortex in short-term motor-learning s tudies, there have been few studies of changes in organisation of the corti comotor system associated with the long-term acquisition of motor skills. I n the present study, we have used transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) t o investigate the corticomotor projection to the hand in a group of elite r acquet players, who have developed and maintained a high level of skill ove r a period of many years, and have compared the findings with those in a gr oup of social players and a group of non-playing control subjects. Increase d motor-evoked-potential (MEP) amplitudes and shifts in the cortical motor maps for the playing hand were found in all of the elite players and cortic al motor thresholds were reduced in some players, whereas in the social pla yers all parameters were within the normal range. The findings in the elite players are interpreted as being indications of a process of functional re organisation with the motor cortex or corticomotor pathway that are associa ted with the acquisition and retention of complex motor skills.