Enhanced broad-band intermuscular coherence in myoclonus: a targeted characterization study.
Clin Neurophysiol 2026 Jun 23; 190:2112315. [Online ahead of print]

Abstract

OBJECTIVE

To describe the occurrence of enhanced broad-band intermuscular coherence (eIMC) in cortical myoclonus (CM) and to examine whether this pattern reflects a physiological synchronization mechanism or an alteration associated with CM.

METHODS

eIMC was examined in 19 patients with CM, 19 essential tremor (ET), and 39 healthy control (HC) during three standardized postures. Signal quality was assessed to exclude noise or artifacts as underlying causes. We analyzed the prevalence of eIMC across groups and postures and compared coherence values in the 4-12 Hz, 12-30 Hz, and 30-100 Hz frequency bands.

RESULTS

eIMC occurred in all groups and was more frequently observed during conditions involving stronger voluntary muscle activation. Its higher prevalence in CM suggests that the underlying physiological mechanism may be more strongly expressed in CM. Median IMC values in CM exceeded those in ET and HC, especially in the 4-12 Hz and 12-30 Hz frequency bands.

CONCLUSIONS

eIMC appears to be a physiological feature of motor control that can be detected across CM, ET, and HC. Its higher prevalence in CM may reflect pathological irregular, synchronous myoclonic discharges or amplification of the synchronization mechanism in the context of cortical hyperexcitability.

SIGNIFICANCE

eIMC may serve as a supportive marker in the evaluation of CM diagnosis.

Links

Publisher Full Text (DOI)

Authors+Show Affiliations

van den Brandhof ELExpertise Centre Movement Disorders Groningen, University Medical Centre Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands; Department of Neurology, University Medical Centre Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands; Bernoulli Institute for Mathematics, Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands.
van der Veen SExpertise Centre Movement Disorders Groningen, University Medical Centre Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands; Department of Neurology, University Medical Centre Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands.
Elting JWJExpertise Centre Movement Disorders Groningen, University Medical Centre Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands; Department of Neurology, University Medical Centre Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands.
Tuitert IExpertise Centre Movement Disorders Groningen, University Medical Centre Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands; Department of Neurology, University Medical Centre Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands; NHL Stenden University of Applied Sciences, Leeuwarden, the Netherlands.
Madelein van der Stouwe AMExpertise Centre Movement Disorders Groningen, University Medical Centre Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands; Department of Neurology, University Medical Centre Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands.
Bredewold MBernoulli Institute for Mathematics, Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands.
Biehl MBernoulli Institute for Mathematics, Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands; Department of Metabolism and System Science, School of Medical Sciences, College of Medicine and Health, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B152TT, UK.
Tijssen MAJExpertise Centre Movement Disorders Groningen, University Medical Centre Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands; Department of Neurology, University Medical Centre Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands. Electronic address: m.a.j.de.koning-tijssen@umcg.nl.

Pub Type(s)

Journal Article

Language

eng

PubMed ID

42385403