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Chen Q, Dong Y, Gai Y. Tactile Location Perception Encoded by Gamma-Band Power. Bioengineering (Basel) 2024; 11:377. [PMID: 38671798 PMCID: PMC11048554 DOI: 10.3390/bioengineering11040377] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2024] [Revised: 03/31/2024] [Accepted: 04/10/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The perception of tactile-stimulation locations is an important function of the human somatosensory system during body movements and its interactions with the surroundings. Previous psychophysical and neurophysiological studies have focused on spatial location perception of the upper body. In this study, we recorded single-trial electroencephalography (EEG) responses evoked by four vibrotactile stimulators placed on the buttocks and thighs while the human subject was sitting in a chair with a cushion. METHODS Briefly, 14 human subjects were instructed to sit in a chair for a duration of 1 h or 1 h and 45 min. Two types of cushions were tested with each subject: a foam cushion and an air-cell-based cushion dedicated for wheelchair users to alleviate tissue stress. Vibrotactile stimulations were applied to the sitting interface at the beginning and end of the sitting period. Somatosensory-evoked potentials were obtained using a 32-channel EEG. An artificial neural net was used to predict the tactile locations based on the evoked EEG power. RESULTS We found that single-trial beta (13-30 Hz) and gamma (30-50 Hz) waves can best predict the tactor locations with an accuracy of up to 65%. Female subjects showed the highest performances, while males' sensitivity tended to degrade after the sitting period. A three-way ANOVA analysis indicated that the air-cell cushion maintained location sensitivity better than the foam cushion. CONCLUSION Our finding shows that tactile location information is encoded in EEG responses and provides insights on the fundamental mechanisms of the tactile system, as well as applications in brain-computer interfaces that rely on tactile stimulation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Yan Gai
- Biomedical Engineering, School of Science and Engineering, Saint Louis University, 3507 Lindell Blvd, St. Louis, MO 63103, USA; (Q.C.); (Y.D.)
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Peters S, Brown KE, Garland SJ, Staines WR, Handy TC, Francisco BA, Boyd LA. Cortical processing of irrelevant somatosensory information from the leg is altered by attention during early movement preparation. Brain Res 2019; 1707:45-53. [PMID: 30468723 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2018.11.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2018] [Revised: 11/04/2018] [Accepted: 11/19/2018] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The ability to actively suppress, or gate, irrelevant sensory information is needed for safe and efficient walking in sensory-rich environments. Both attention and the late phase of motor preparation alter somatosensory evoked potentials (SEPs) in healthy adults. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of attention on the processing of irrelevant somatosensory information during the early phase of preparation of plantarflexion movements. Young healthy individuals received tibial nerve stimulation while electroencephalography (EEG) recorded SEPs over the Cz electrode. Three conditions were tested in both legs: 1) Rest, 2) Attend To the stimulated limb, and 3) Attend Away from the stimulated limb. In conditions 2 and 3, vibration (80 Hz) was applied over the medial soleus muscle to cue voluntary plantarflexion movements of the stimulated (Attend To) or non-stimulated leg (Attend Away). Only SEPs delivered during early preparation were averaged for statistical analysis. Results demonstrated a main effect of condition for the N40 and N70 indicating that SEP amplitudes in the Attend To condition were smaller than rest (p ≤ 0.02). For the P50, no interaction effects or main effects were found (p ≥ 0.08). There was no main effect of leg for any component measured. The results indicate that gating of irrelevant sensory information during early preparation occurs in the leg when attention is directed within the same limb. If attention alters the somatosensory stimuli from a leg movement, then directing attention may affect safe community walking.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sue Peters
- Graduate Programs in Rehabilitation Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, 212 - 2177 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, Canada.
| | - Katlyn E Brown
- Graduate Programs in Rehabilitation Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, 212 - 2177 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - S Jayne Garland
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Western University, Arthur and Sonia Labatt Health Sciences Building, Room 200, London, ON, N6A 5B9, Canada
| | - W Richard Staines
- Department of Kinesiology, University of Waterloo, 200 University Avenue West, Waterloo, ON, N2L 3G1, Canada
| | - Todd C Handy
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Arts, University of British Columbia, 2136 West Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Beatrice A Francisco
- Graduate Programs in Rehabilitation Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, 212 - 2177 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Lara A Boyd
- Department of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, 212 - 2177 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, Canada; Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, 2215 Wesbrook Ball, Vancouver, BC, V6T IZ3, Canada
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Macerollo A, Brown MJ, Kilner JM, Chen R. Neurophysiological Changes Measured Using Somatosensory Evoked Potentials. Trends Neurosci 2018; 41:294-310. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2018.02.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2017] [Revised: 02/10/2018] [Accepted: 02/12/2018] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
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Brown MJ, Staines WR. Differential effects of continuous theta burst stimulation over left premotor cortex and right prefrontal cortex on modulating upper limb somatosensory input. Neuroimage 2016; 127:97-109. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2015.11.051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2015] [Revised: 11/18/2015] [Accepted: 11/23/2015] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
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