Effects of Repetitive Finger Movements on the Short-Latency Somatosensory-Evoked Potentials

When performing a movement, many features of sensory information are used as inputs and integrated. Smooth movement is possible by selecting necessary information from all‐sensory inputs. The somatosensory input of movement is adjusted at different levels such as at the level of the spinal cord, brainstem, and sensory cortex. However, sensory tests used by physical therapists provide only the sensory information that is perceivable through the parietal association fields. On the other hand, there is a somatosensory‐evoked potentials (SEPs) in the tests of the somatic sensory function. An understanding of the SEPs enables the evaluation of the posterior track. Therefore, it is possible to determine if the adjustment of somatosensory inputs occurs at any stage. The SEP amplitude is decreased by passive and voluntary movement. Further, characteristic decrease in the SEP amplitude is noted with an increase in the speed and intensity of movement. Thus, it is important for us to understand the relationship between motor tasks and somatosensory inputs. In this chapter, we introduce our study on the relationship between physical movements and somatosensory inputs, and make recommendations for practicing physical therapy.