Motor CortexMOBETANCT04727944
Evaluation of Motor-Related Beta-Activity in Relation to Naturalistic Movement in Healthy Adult Subjects
A study testing Reach and grasp tasks in healthy participants using MEG technique (Experiment 1) and Reach and grasp tasks in healthy participants using EEG technique (Experiment 2) in people with Motor Cortex and Primary Motor Cortex, run by Hospices Civils de Lyon at 1 site in France.
Trial summary
The whole body's voluntary movements are controlled by the brain. One of the brain areas most involved in controlling these voluntary movements is the motor cortex and it is often viewed as the primary 'output' region of the neocortex. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 to 40 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Motor Cortex, Primary Motor Cortex
- What is being tested?
- Reach and grasp tasks in healthy participants using MEG technique (Experiment 1) and Reach and grasp tasks in healthy participants using EEG technique (Experiment 2)
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 31 participants
- Where
- 1 siteFrance
- Study dates
- 28 Jul 2022to 6 Jan 2025
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 to 40 years
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult
Who may be able to join
- For all experiments :
- Healthy male or female
- Aged 18-40 years
- Registered with the French healthcare system
- Motivated to participate in the study
- Normal or corrected vision
Show all 12Show fewer
- Right-handed
- Adequate knowledge of French to be able to follow directions
- Subjects must have the minimal motor ability necessary to participate in the experiment
- Subjects must be able to listen and understand the study instructions
- Subjects must be able to give written informed consent before participation
- Normal hearing
Who cannot join
- For all experiments :
- Subjects with characteristics incompatible with MEG/EEG and MRI :
- Claustrophobia
- Psychiatric pathology characterized including Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis (MS), or severe traumatic brain injury
- Neuropsychological disorders or cognitive impairment including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, seizures, epilepsy, sleep disorders
- Regular use of neurodevelopment medicines (antidepressants, neuroleptics)
Show all 16Show fewer
- Subject has a history of skin disease or skin allergies (multiple or severe)
- Subject working with metals in their professional lives
- The subject had an MRI 2 weeks prior to experiment 1
- Implanted material (any dental apparatus containing metal including or root canals or any metallic object, pacemaker, cochlear implanted in the body)
- Pregnant women or lactating women (based on self-report)
- subjects who are not able to tolerate sitting for 1 hour (the estimated length of the experiment)
- Alcohol dependence
- Subjects who, in the opinion of the investigator are not able or willing to comply with the protocol
- For experiment 1:
- A head size incompatible with the use of a personalized 3D head-cast or a magnetoencephalography
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
France1 site
Institut des Sciences Cognitives, Marc Jeannerod, UMR 5229 CNRS
Bron, 69500
About this study
The whole body's voluntary movements are controlled by the brain. One of the brain areas most involved in controlling these voluntary movements is the motor cortex and it is often viewed as the primary 'output' region of the neocortex. Motor cortical activity in the beta frequency range (13-30Hz) is a hallmark signature of healthy and pathological movement, but its behavioral relevance remains unclear. Such uncertainty confounds the development of treatments for diseases of movement which are associated with pathophysiological beta activity, including Parkinson's, therefore furthering understanding on the behavioral significance of activity in this range is now vital. Recently, it has become apparent that oscillatory beta activity actually occurs in discrete transient bursts, and that the summation of short-lasting, high-powered bursts of activity only appear to be sustained oscillations when averaged over multiple trials.
In this study we will use neurophysiological and neuroimaging techniques such as electroencephalography (EEG), magnetoencephalography (MEG), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). All of these techniques have been identified as non-invasive techniques. By applying these methods, we will be able to analyze beta burst activity in order to determine how beta bursts influence naturalistic motor behavior.
Read more
This project also encompasses the study of auditory and motor interactions doing an experimental task.
The aim of the project is to get a better understanding of the role of motor-related beta activity during the preparation and generation of reach and grasp actions. These findings may inform novel treatments for pathophysiological disorders characterized by aberrant beta signaling, utilizing causal manipulation of the neural circuits implicated in the generation of beta activity. This project also has expected methodological repercussions. It will make it possible to validate the use of individualized head-casts worn during MEG acquisition for the study of the cortical control of naturalistic actions, and to create new analysis tools that allow an increase in the spatial resolution of MEG data.
- Conditions
- Motor Cortex, Primary Motor Cortex
- Being tested
- Reach and grasp tasks in healthy participants using MEG technique (Experiment 1), Reach and grasp tasks in healthy participants using EEG technique (Experiment 2)
- Keywords
- Beta burst activity, Naturalistic motor behavior, Neuroimaging techniques, electroencephalography (EEG), magnetoencephalography (MEG), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), Reach and Grasp
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Reach and grasp tasks in healthy participants using MEG technique (Experiment 1)Other
Human participants will perform reach and grasp movements to various objects (e.g. a cube, sphere, or rod) driven either by perceived action affordances, or instruction cues. A rotating carousel will be used to present subjects with various objects affording different types of grasps (e.g. a precision pinch, a whole hand 'power' grasp, or a tripod grasp).
Prior to the experiment, subjects will be tested outside the scanner by asking them to grasp each object as they would naturally to ensure that each object elicits the expected grasp type. Subject-specific, 3D-printed head-casts will be created based on high resolution MRI scans from each subject, and worn by subjects during the MEG experiment (Experiment 1) to reduce within-session head movement associated with reaching and grasping.
At the end of this session an experimental task is added: detection of tons in presence of multitonal masks, in order to verify how beta peaks might be generated by a stimulus auditory.
Reach and grasp tasks in healthy participants using EEG technique (Experiment 2)Other
Experiment 2 consists of a task of reaching for and grasping several objects (e.g. a cube, sphere, or rod) ; the task used for experiment 2 is the same as that used for experiment 1. EEG signals will be measured.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| MEG and EEG recordings on Healthy volunteers | Experimental | All subjects can participate in experiment 1 and/or 2. All analyses are intra-subject (no analyses are between-subject).
* Experiment 1 will test the functional role of beta bursts in naturalistic action preparation, using a combined anatomical MEG-MRI approach which will be conducted in 2 sessions.
* Experiment 2 will study the relationship between beta bursts and naturalistic action preparation using EEG. Receives: Other: Reach and grasp tasks in healthy participants using MEG technique (Experiment 1); Other: Reach and grasp tasks in healthy participants using EEG technique (Experiment 2) |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Timing of beta bursts in motor cortex, measured with MEG before initiation of a movement
Timing (ms, relative to motion onset) of beta bursts in motor cortex with MEGthan the one planned is cued and must be performed.
Measured: The data of subjects will be collected and analyzed through study completion an average of 2 years
Spatial location of beta bursts in motor cortex, measured with MEG before initiation of a movement
Spatial location (mm, in a brain-centered reference frame) of beta bursts in motor cortex, measured with MEG
Measured: The data of subjects will be collected and analyzed through study completion an average of 2 years
Timing of beta bursts in motor cortex, measured with EEG before initiation of a movement
Timing (ms, relative to motion onset) of beta bursts in motor cortex with EEG
Measured: The data of subjects will be collected and analyzed through study completion an average of 2 years
Spatial location of beta bursts in motor cortex, measured with EEG before initiation of a movement
Spatial location (mm, in a brain-centered reference frame) of beta bursts in motor cortex, measured with EEG
Measured: The data of subjects will be collected and analyzed through study completion an average of 2 years
Secondary outcomes (10)
Timing of beta bursts in motor cortex, measured with MEG before initiation of a movement
Timing (ms, relative to motion onset) of beta bursts in motor cortex with MEG
Measured: The data of subjects will be collected and analyzed through study completion an average of 2 years
Spatial location of beta bursts in motor cortex, measured with MEG before initiation of a movement
Spatial location (mm, in a brain-centered reference frame) of beta bursts in motor cortex, measured with MEG
Measured: The data of subjects will be collected and analyzed through study completion an average of 2 years
Timing of beta bursts in motor cortex, measured with EEG before initiation of a movement
Timing (ms, relative to motion onset) of beta bursts in motor cortex with EEG
Measured: The data of subjects will be collected and analyzed through study completion an average of 2 years
Spatial location of beta bursts in motor cortex, measured with EEG before initiation of a movement
Spatial location (mm, in a brain-centered reference frame) of beta bursts in motor cortex, measured with EEG
Measured: The data of subjects will be collected and analyzed through study completion an average of 2 years
Beta amplitude, measured with MEG
Beta amplitude (fT) in motor cortex, measured with MEG
Measured: The data of subjects will be collected and analyzed through study completion an average of 2 years
Beta amplitude, measured with EEG
Beta amplitude (μV) in motor cortex, measured with EEG
Measured: The data of subjects will be collected and analyzed through study completion an average of 2 years
Determine what aspects of grasp kinematics can be decoded from beta burst activity in motor cortex and related regions.
Multivariate machine learning models which are able to predict the trajectory of arm and hand kinematics from the spatiotemporal pattern of beta bursts in motor cortex.
Measured: The data of subjects will be collected and analyzed through study completion an average of 2 years.
Within-session movement
Movement (mm) of fiducial locations of the head-cast relative to the MEG sensors
Measured: The data of subjects will be collected and analyzed through study completion an average of 2 years.
Visual stimuli
Comparison of synchronization, localization and waveform of beta peaks in the motor cortex in response ovisual stimuli.
Measured: The data of subjects will be collected and analyzed through study completion an average of 2 years.
Auditory stimuli
Comparison of synchronization, localization and waveform of beta peaks in the motor cortex in response to auditory stimuli.
Measured: The data of subjects will be collected and analyzed through study completion an average of 2 years.
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted27 Jan 2021
- Study start28 Jul 2022
- Primary completion6 Jan 2025
- Study completion6 Jan 2025
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Motor CortexStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by Hospices Civils de LyonThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Basic science
- Allocation
- Not applicable
- Intervention model
- Single group
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 31 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Hospices Civils de Lyon
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
- Investigators
- James BONAIUTO, Principal investigator, Institut des Sciences Cognitives, Marc Jeannerod, UMR 5229 CNRS
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT04727944
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 69HCL20_0843
- Other IDs
- 2021-A00042-39
- Acronym
- MOBETA
- Status last verified
- Aug 2025
- First submitted
- 18 Jan 2021
- Last updated
- 14 Aug 2025
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 14 Aug 2025. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Evaluation of Motor-Related Beta-Activity in Relation to Naturalistic Movement in Healthy Adult Subjects
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT04727944
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- MOBETA / 69HCL20_0843
- Conditions
- Motor Cortex, Primary Motor Cortex
- Keywords
- Beta burst activity, Naturalistic motor behavior, Neuroimaging techniques, electroencephalography (EEG), magnetoencephalography (MEG), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), Reach and Grasp
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 31 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- Hospices Civils de LyonUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 28 Jul 2022 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 6 Jan 2025 (actual)
- Study completion
- 6 Jan 2025 (actual)
- First posted
- 27 Jan 2021 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
The whole body's voluntary movements are controlled by the brain. One of the brain areas most involved in controlling these voluntary movements is the motor cortex and it is often viewed as the primary 'output' region of the neocortex. Motor cortical activity in the beta frequency range (13-30Hz) is a hallmark signature of healthy and pathological movement, but its behavioral relevance remains unclear. Such uncertainty confounds the development of treatments for diseases of movement which are associated with pathophysiological beta activity, including Parkinson's, therefore furthering understanding on the behavioral significance of activity in this range is now vital. Recently, it has become apparent that oscillatory beta activity actually occurs in discrete transient bursts, and that the summation of short-lasting, high-powered bursts of activity only appear to be sustained oscillations when averaged over multiple trials.
In this study we will use neurophysiological and neuroimaging techniques such as electroencephalography (EEG), magnetoencephalography (MEG), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). All of these techniques have been identified as non-invasive techniques. By applying these methods, we will be able to analyze beta burst activity in order to determine how beta bursts influence naturalistic motor behavior.
This project also encompasses the study of auditory and motor interactions doing an experimental task.
The aim of the project is to get a better understanding of the role of motor-related beta activity during the preparation and generation of reach and grasp actions. These findings may inform novel treatments for pathophysiological disorders characterized by aberrant beta signaling, utilizing causal manipulation of the neural circuits implicated in the generation of beta activity. This project also has expected methodological repercussions. It will make it possible to validate the use of individualized head-casts worn during MEG acquisition for the study of the cortical control of naturalistic actions, and to create new analysis tools that allow an increase in the spatial resolution of MEG data.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Basic science
- Allocation
- Not applicable
- Intervention model
- Single group
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 1
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| MEG and EEG recordings on Healthy volunteers | Experimental | Other: Reach and grasp tasks in healthy participants using MEG technique (Experiment 1), Other: Reach and grasp tasks in healthy participants using EEG technique (Experiment 2)All subjects can participate in experiment 1 and/or 2. All analyses are intra-subject (no analyses are between-subject). * Experiment 1 will test the functional role of beta bursts in naturalistic action preparation, using a combined anatomical MEG-MRI approach which will be conducted in 2 sessions. * Experiment 2 will study the relationship between beta bursts and naturalistic action preparation using EEG. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 to 40 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult
Key inclusion criteria (12 listed)
- Healthy male or female
- Aged 18-40 years
- Registered with the French healthcare system
- Motivated to participate in the study
- Normal or corrected vision
Key exclusion criteria (16 listed)
- Claustrophobia
- Psychiatric pathology characterized including Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis (MS), or severe traumatic brain injury
- Neuropsychological disorders or cognitive impairment including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, seizures, epilepsy, sleep disorders
- Regular use of neurodevelopment medicines (antidepressants, neuroleptics)
- Subject has a history of skin disease or skin allergies (multiple or severe)
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Reach and grasp tasks in healthy participants using MEG technique (Experiment 1)Human participants will perform reach and grasp movements to various objects (e.g. a cube, sphere, or rod) driven either by perceived action affordances, or instruction cues. A rotating carousel will be used to present subjects with various objects affording different types of grasps (e.g. a precision pinch, a whole hand 'power' grasp, or a tripod grasp). Prior to the experiment, subjects will be tested outside the scanner by asking them to grasp each object as they would naturally to ensure that each object elicits the expected grasp type. Subject-specific, 3D-printed head-casts will be created based on high resolution MRI scans from each subject, and worn by subjects during the MEG experiment (Experiment 1) to reduce within-session head movement associated with reaching and grasping. At the end of this session an experimental task is added: detection of tons in presence of multitonal masks, in order to verify how beta peaks might be generated by a stimulus auditory. | Other | MEG and EEG recordings on Healthy volunteers |
| Reach and grasp tasks in healthy participants using EEG technique (Experiment 2)Experiment 2 consists of a task of reaching for and grasping several objects (e.g. a cube, sphere, or rod) ; the task used for experiment 2 is the same as that used for experiment 1. EEG signals will be measured. | Other | MEG and EEG recordings on Healthy volunteers |
Primary outcome
Timing of beta bursts in motor cortex, measured with MEG before initiation of a movement
Time frame: The data of subjects will be collected and analyzed through study completion an average of 2 years
Timing (ms, relative to motion onset) of beta bursts in motor cortex with MEGthan the one planned is cued and must be performed.
Spatial location of beta bursts in motor cortex, measured with MEG before initiation of a movement
Time frame: The data of subjects will be collected and analyzed through study completion an average of 2 years
Spatial location (mm, in a brain-centered reference frame) of beta bursts in motor cortex, measured with MEG
Timing of beta bursts in motor cortex, measured with EEG before initiation of a movement
Time frame: The data of subjects will be collected and analyzed through study completion an average of 2 years
Timing (ms, relative to motion onset) of beta bursts in motor cortex with EEG
Spatial location of beta bursts in motor cortex, measured with EEG before initiation of a movement
Time frame: The data of subjects will be collected and analyzed through study completion an average of 2 years
Spatial location (mm, in a brain-centered reference frame) of beta bursts in motor cortex, measured with EEG
10 secondary outcomes
Timing of beta bursts in motor cortex, measured with MEG before initiation of a movement
Time frame: The data of subjects will be collected and analyzed through study completion an average of 2 years
Spatial location of beta bursts in motor cortex, measured with MEG before initiation of a movement
Time frame: The data of subjects will be collected and analyzed through study completion an average of 2 years
Timing of beta bursts in motor cortex, measured with EEG before initiation of a movement
Time frame: The data of subjects will be collected and analyzed through study completion an average of 2 years
Spatial location of beta bursts in motor cortex, measured with EEG before initiation of a movement
Time frame: The data of subjects will be collected and analyzed through study completion an average of 2 years
Beta amplitude, measured with MEG
Time frame: The data of subjects will be collected and analyzed through study completion an average of 2 years
Beta amplitude, measured with EEG
Time frame: The data of subjects will be collected and analyzed through study completion an average of 2 years
Determine what aspects of grasp kinematics can be decoded from beta burst activity in motor cortex and related regions.
Time frame: The data of subjects will be collected and analyzed through study completion an average of 2 years.
Within-session movement
Time frame: The data of subjects will be collected and analyzed through study completion an average of 2 years.
Visual stimuli
Time frame: The data of subjects will be collected and analyzed through study completion an average of 2 years.
Auditory stimuli
Time frame: The data of subjects will be collected and analyzed through study completion an average of 2 years.
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 14 Aug 2025.
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
James BONAIUTO principal investigator
Institut des Sciences Cognitives, Marc Jeannerod, UMR 5229 CNRS
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Reach and grasp tasks in healthy participants using MEG technique (Experiment 1) and Reach and grasp tasks in healthy participants using EEG technique (Experiment 2) in people with Motor Cortex and Primary Motor Cortex, run by Hospices Civils de Lyon at 1 site in France.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 12 inclusion and 16 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 14 Aug 2025. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in France. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Timing of beta bursts in motor cortex, measured with MEG before initiation of a movement (time frame: The data of subjects will be collected and analyzed through study completion an average of 2 years). The study lists 4 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 14 Aug 2025.