What happens to the readiness potential when the movement is not executed?

The purpose of this study was to investigate and compare the movement-related brain potentials recorded from two groups of right-handedmale study participants.One of the groups prepared for and conducted repetitive toemovements while the other pre-pared to carry out the same type of movement but ¢nally did not execute it. The readiness potential, premotion positivity, motor potential and rea¡erent potential were recorded from 20 electro-encephalogram electrodes.Themost salientresultwas the greater readiness potential amplitude discovered in participants who ended up carrying out the movement, which indicates that the level of preparation in a repetitive task is greater when a ¢nal response is required. No group di¡erences were found for the other potentials. NeuroReport 16:1609^1613 c 2005 Lippincot