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Antonioni A, Raho EM, Straudi S, Granieri E, Koch G, Fadiga L. The cerebellum and the Mirror Neuron System: A matter of inhibition? From neurophysiological evidence to neuromodulatory implications. A narrative review. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2024; 164:105830. [PMID: 39069236 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2024.105830] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2024] [Revised: 07/20/2024] [Accepted: 07/24/2024] [Indexed: 07/30/2024]
Abstract
Mirror neurons show activity during both the execution (AE) and observation of actions (AO). The Mirror Neuron System (MNS) could be involved during motor imagery (MI) as well. Extensive research suggests that the cerebellum is interconnected with the MNS and may be critically involved in its activities. We gathered evidence on the cerebellum's role in MNS functions, both theoretically and experimentally. Evidence shows that the cerebellum plays a major role during AO and MI and that its lesions impair MNS functions likely because, by modulating the activity of cortical inhibitory interneurons with mirror properties, the cerebellum may contribute to visuomotor matching, which is fundamental for shaping mirror properties. Indeed, the cerebellum may strengthen sensory-motor patterns that minimise the discrepancy between predicted and actual outcome, both during AE and AO. Furthermore, through its connections with the hippocampus, the cerebellum might be involved in internal simulations of motor programs during MI. Finally, as cerebellar neuromodulation might improve its impact on MNS activity, we explored its potential neurophysiological and neurorehabilitation implications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annibale Antonioni
- Department of Neuroscience and Rehabilitation, University of Ferrara, Ferrara 44121, Italy; Department of Neuroscience, Ferrara University Hospital, Ferrara 44124, Italy; Doctoral Program in Translational Neurosciences and Neurotechnologies, University of Ferrara, Ferrara 44121, Italy.
| | - Emanuela Maria Raho
- Department of Neuroscience and Rehabilitation, University of Ferrara, Ferrara 44121, Italy
| | - Sofia Straudi
- Department of Neuroscience and Rehabilitation, University of Ferrara, Ferrara 44121, Italy; Department of Neuroscience, Ferrara University Hospital, Ferrara 44124, Italy
| | - Enrico Granieri
- Department of Neuroscience and Rehabilitation, University of Ferrara, Ferrara 44121, Italy
| | - Giacomo Koch
- Department of Neuroscience and Rehabilitation, University of Ferrara, Ferrara 44121, Italy; Center for Translational Neurophysiology of Speech and Communication (CTNSC), Italian Institute of Technology (IIT), Ferrara 44121 , Italy; Non Invasive Brain Stimulation Unit, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico Santa Lucia, Rome 00179, Italy
| | - Luciano Fadiga
- Department of Neuroscience and Rehabilitation, University of Ferrara, Ferrara 44121, Italy; Center for Translational Neurophysiology of Speech and Communication (CTNSC), Italian Institute of Technology (IIT), Ferrara 44121 , Italy
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Lai RY, Levy E, Amlang CJ, Rampalli I, Mahabir R, Pan MK, Lin CYR, Kuo SH. Reduced sensitivity to future consequences underlies gambling decision in cerebellar ataxia. J Neurol Sci 2024; 461:123060. [PMID: 38810429 PMCID: PMC11166508 DOI: 10.1016/j.jns.2024.123060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2024] [Revised: 05/18/2024] [Accepted: 05/21/2024] [Indexed: 05/31/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Previous research has identified that people with cerebellar ataxia (CA) showed impaired reward-related decision-making in the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT). To investigate the mechanisms underlying this impairment, we examined CA participants' combination of performance in the IGT, which predominantly tests reward seeking, and the modified IGT (mIGT), which mainly assesses punishment avoidance. METHODS Fifty participants with CA and one hundred controls completed the IGT and mIGT. Task performance in each of the five twenty-trial blocks was compared between groups and the learning rates were assessed with simple linear regressions. Each participant's IGT score and mIGT score were compared. RESULTS CA participants performed worse than controls in both the IGT and the mIGT, especially in the last block (IGT: -0.24 ± 10.05 vs. 3.88 ± 10.31, p = 0.041; mIGT: 2.72 ± 7.62 vs. 8.65 ± 8.64, p < 0.001). In contrast to the controls, those with CA did not significantly improve their scores over time in either task. Controls performed better in the mIGT than the IGT, while CA participants' scores in the two tasks showed no significant difference. IGT and mIGT performance did not correlate with ataxia severity or depressive symptoms. CONCLUSION Individuals with CA showed impaired performance in both the IGT and mIGT, which indicates disruption in both short-term reward seeking and short-term punishment avoidance. Therefore, these results suggest that reduced sensitivity to long-term consequences drives the risky decision-making in CA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruo-Yah Lai
- Department of Neurology, Columbia University Medical Center, 710 W 168(th) St, New York, NY 10032, USA; Initiative of Columbia Ataxia and Tremor, Columbia University Medical Center, 710 W 168(th) St, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Eli Levy
- Department of Neurology, Columbia University Medical Center, 710 W 168(th) St, New York, NY 10032, USA; Initiative of Columbia Ataxia and Tremor, Columbia University Medical Center, 710 W 168(th) St, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Christian J Amlang
- Department of Neurology, Columbia University Medical Center, 710 W 168(th) St, New York, NY 10032, USA; Initiative of Columbia Ataxia and Tremor, Columbia University Medical Center, 710 W 168(th) St, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Ihika Rampalli
- Department of Neurology, Baylor College of Medicine, 7200 Cambridge Street, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Rory Mahabir
- Department of Neurology, Baylor College of Medicine, 7200 Cambridge Street, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Ming-Kai Pan
- Cerebellar Research Center, National Taiwan University Hospital, Yun-Lin Branch, Yun-Lin 64041, Taiwan; Department and Graduate Institute of Pharmacology, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei 10051, Taiwan; Department of Medical Research, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei 10002, Taiwan; Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan
| | - Chi-Ying R Lin
- Department of Neurology, Baylor College of Medicine, 7200 Cambridge Street, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Sheng-Han Kuo
- Department of Neurology, Columbia University Medical Center, 710 W 168(th) St, New York, NY 10032, USA; Initiative of Columbia Ataxia and Tremor, Columbia University Medical Center, 710 W 168(th) St, New York, NY 10032, USA.
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Carter AR, Barrett A. Recent advances in treatment of spatial neglect: networks and neuropsychology. Expert Rev Neurother 2023; 23:587-601. [PMID: 37273197 PMCID: PMC10740348 DOI: 10.1080/14737175.2023.2221788] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2023] [Accepted: 06/01/2023] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Spatial neglect remains an underdiagnosed and undertreated consequence of stroke that imposes significant disability. A growing appreciation of brain networks involved in spatial cognition is helping us to develop a mechanistic understanding of different therapies under development. AREAS COVERED This review focuses on neuromodulation of brain networks for the treatment of spatial neglect after stroke, using evidence-based approaches including 1) Cognitive strategies that are more likely to impact frontal lobe executive function networks; 2) Visuomotor adaptation, which may depend on the integrity of parietal and parieto- and subcortical-frontal connections and the presence of a particular subtype of neglect labeled Aiming neglect; 3) Non-invasive brain stimulation that may modulate relative levels of activity of the two hemispheres and depend on corpus callosum connectivity; and 4) Pharmacological modulation that may exert its effect primarily via right-lateralized networks more closely involved in arousal. EXPERT OPINION Despite promising results from individual studies, significant methodological heterogeneity between trials weakened conclusions drawn from meta-analyses. Improved classification of spatial neglect subtypes will benefit research and clinical care. Understanding the brain network mechanisms of different treatments and different types of spatial neglect will make possible a precision medicine treatment approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alex R. Carter
- Department of Neurology, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - A.M. Barrett
- UMass Chan Medical School and UMass Memorial Healthcare, Worcester, MA, USA
- Central Western MA VA Healthcare System, Worcester, MA, USA
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Toniolo S, Pisotta I, Manto M. Editorial: The role of the cerebellum in dementia and neurodegenerative diseases. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1229624. [PMID: 37397444 PMCID: PMC10313379 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1229624] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2023] [Accepted: 06/09/2023] [Indexed: 07/04/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Sofia Toniolo
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, John Radcliffe Hospital, University Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Iolanda Pisotta
- NeuroRobot Lab, Laboratorio di Neuroriabilitazione Robotica, IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, Rome, Italy
| | - Mario Manto
- Department of Neurosciences, University of Mons, Mons, Belgium
- Service de Neurologie, CHU-Charleroi, Charleroi, Belgium
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Martino D. What can epidemiological studies teach on the pathophysiology of adult-onset isolated dystonia? INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF NEUROBIOLOGY 2023; 169:21-60. [PMID: 37482393 DOI: 10.1016/bs.irn.2023.05.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/25/2023]
Abstract
Several demographic and environmental factors may play an important role in determining the risk of developing adult-onset isolated dystonia (AOID) and/or modifying its course. However, epidemiologic studies have provided to date only partial insight on the disease mechanisms that are actively influenced by these factors. The age-related increase in female predominance in both patients diagnosed with AOID and subjects carrying its putative mediational phenotype suggests sexual dimorphism that has been demonstrated for mechanisms related to blepharospasm and cervical dystonia. The opposite relationship that spread and spontaneous remission of AOID have with age suggests age-related decline of compensatory mechanisms that protect from the progression of AOID. Epidemiological studies focusing on environmental risk factors yielded associations only with specific forms of AOID, even for those factors that are not likely to predispose exclusively to specific focal forms (for example, only writing dystonia was found associated with head trauma, and only blepharospasm with coffee intake). Other factors show biological plausibility of their mechanistic role for specific forms, e.g., dry eye syndrome or sunlight exposure for blepharospasm, scoliosis for cervical dystonia, repetitive writing for writing dystonia. Overall, the relationship between environment and AOID remains complex and incompletely defined. Both hypothesis-driven preclinical studies and well-designed cross-sectional or prospective clinical studies are still necessary to decipher this intricate relationship.
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Affiliation(s)
- Davide Martino
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Health Sciences Centre, Hospital Drive NW, Calgary, AB, Canada; The Hotchkiss Brain Institute, and Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.
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Spina A, Mortini P. The Dark Side of Chiari Malformation. World Neurosurg 2023; 172:43-45. [PMID: 36746237 DOI: 10.1016/j.wneu.2023.01.112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2023] [Accepted: 01/30/2023] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Alfio Spina
- Department of Neurosurgery and Gamma Knife Radiosurgery, I.R.C.C.S. San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy.
| | - Pietro Mortini
- Department of Neurosurgery and Gamma Knife Radiosurgery, I.R.C.C.S. San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy
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