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Federico G, Osiurak F, Ciccarelli G, Ilardi CR, Cavaliere C, Tramontano L, Alfano V, Migliaccio M, Di Cecca A, Salvatore M, Brandimonte MA. On the functional brain networks involved in tool-related action understanding. Commun Biol 2023; 6:1163. [PMID: 37964121 PMCID: PMC10645930 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-023-05518-2] [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: 04/28/2023] [Accepted: 10/27/2023] [Indexed: 11/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Tool-use skills represent a significant cognitive leap in human evolution, playing a crucial role in the emergence of complex technologies. Yet, the neural mechanisms underlying such capabilities are still debated. Here we explore with fMRI the functional brain networks involved in tool-related action understanding. Participants viewed images depicting action-consistent (e.g., nail-hammer) and action-inconsistent (e.g., scarf-hammer) object-tool pairs, under three conditions: semantic (recognizing the tools previously seen in the pairs), mechanical (assessing the usability of the pairs), and control (looking at the pairs without explicit tasks). During the observation of the pairs, task-based left-brain functional connectivity differed within conditions. Compared to the control, both the semantic and mechanical conditions exhibited co-activations in dorsal (precuneus) and ventro-dorsal (inferior frontal gyrus) regions. However, the semantic condition recruited medial and posterior temporal areas, whereas the mechanical condition engaged inferior parietal and posterior temporal regions. Also, when distinguishing action-consistent from action-inconsistent pairs, an extensive frontotemporal neural circuit was activated. These findings support recent accounts that view tool-related action understanding as the combined product of semantic and mechanical knowledge. Furthermore, they emphasize how the left inferior parietal and anterior temporal lobes might be considered as hubs for the cross-modal integration of physical and conceptual knowledge, respectively.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - François Osiurak
- Laboratoire d'Etude des Mécanismes Cognitifs (EA 3082), Université de Lyon, Bron, France
- Institut Universitaire de France, Paris, France
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Ilardi CR, La Marra M, Amato R, Di Cecca A, Di Maio G, Ciccarelli G, Migliaccio M, Cavaliere C, Federico G. The "Little Circles Test" (LCT): a dusted-off tool for assessing fine visuomotor function. Aging Clin Exp Res 2023; 35:2807-2820. [PMID: 37910290 DOI: 10.1007/s40520-023-02571-z] [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: 06/19/2023] [Accepted: 09/18/2023] [Indexed: 11/03/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The fine visuomotor function is commonly impaired in several neurological conditions. However, there is a scarcity of reliable neuropsychological tools to assess such a critical domain. AIMS The aim of this study is to explore the psychometric properties and provide normative data for the Visual-Motor Speed and Precision Test (VMSPT). RESULTS Our normative sample included 220 participants (130 females) aged 18-86 years (mean education = 15.24 years, SD = 3.98). Results showed that raw VMSPT scores were affected by higher age and lower education. No effect of sex or handedness was shown. Age- and education-based norms were provided. VMSPT exhibited weak-to-strong correlations with well-known neuropsychological tests, encompassing a wide range of cognitive domains of clinical relevance. By gradually intensifying the cognitive demands, the test becomes an indirect, performance-oriented measure of executive functioning. Finally, VMSPT seems proficient in capturing the speed-accuracy trade-off typically observed in the aging population. CONCLUSIONS This study proposes the initial standardization of a versatile, time-efficient, and cost-effective neuropsychological tool for assessing fine visuomotor coordination. We propose renaming the VMSPT as the more approachable "Little Circles Test" (LCT).
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Marco La Marra
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Naples, Italy
| | - Raffaella Amato
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Naples, Italy
| | - Angelica Di Cecca
- IRCCS SYNLAB SDN S.P.A., Via Emanuele Gianturco 113, 80143, Naples, Italy
| | - Girolamo Di Maio
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Naples, Italy
| | | | - Miriana Migliaccio
- IRCCS SYNLAB SDN S.P.A., Via Emanuele Gianturco 113, 80143, Naples, Italy
| | - Carlo Cavaliere
- IRCCS SYNLAB SDN S.P.A., Via Emanuele Gianturco 113, 80143, Naples, Italy
| | - Giovanni Federico
- IRCCS SYNLAB SDN S.P.A., Via Emanuele Gianturco 113, 80143, Naples, Italy
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Bruner E. Cognitive Archeology and the Attentional System: An Evolutionary Mismatch for the Genus Homo. J Intell 2023; 11:183. [PMID: 37754912 PMCID: PMC10532831 DOI: 10.3390/jintelligence11090183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2023] [Revised: 09/04/2023] [Accepted: 09/11/2023] [Indexed: 09/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Brain evolution is a key topic in evolutionary anthropology. Unfortunately, in this sense the fossil record can usually support limited anatomical and behavioral inferences. Nonetheless, information from fossil species is, in any case, particularly valuable, because it represents the only direct proof of cerebral and behavioral changes throughout the human phylogeny. Recently, archeology and psychology have been integrated in the field of cognitive archeology, which aims to interpret current cognitive models according to the evidence we have on extinct human species. In this article, such evidence is reviewed in order to consider whether and to what extent the archeological record can supply information regarding changes of the attentional system in different taxa of the human genus. In particular, behavioral correlates associated with the fronto-parietal system and working memory are employed to consider recent changes in our species, Homo sapiens, and a mismatch between attentional and visuospatial ability is hypothesized. These two functional systems support present-moment awareness and mind-wandering, respectively, and their evolutionary unbalance can explain a structural sensitivity to psychological distress in our species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emiliano Bruner
- Centro Nacional de Investigación sobre la Evolución Humana, Paseo Sierra de Atapuerca 3, 09002 Burgos, Spain
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Federico G. Eating Russula mushrooms is a matter of semantic knowledge. Comment on "The elicitation of affordance depends on conceptual attributes: evidence from a virtual reality study" by Lai et al. (2023). Exp Brain Res 2023; 241:1459-1461. [PMID: 37165079 DOI: 10.1007/s00221-023-06630-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2023] [Accepted: 05/04/2023] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
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The visual encoding of graspable unfamiliar objects. PSYCHOLOGICAL RESEARCH 2023; 87:452-461. [PMID: 35322276 DOI: 10.1007/s00426-022-01673-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2021] [Accepted: 03/08/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
We explored by eye-tracking the visual encoding modalities of participants (N = 20) involved in a free-observation task in which three repetitions of ten unfamiliar graspable objects were administered. Then, we analysed the temporal allocation (t = 1500 ms) of visual-spatial attention to objects' manipulation (i.e., the part aimed at grasping the object) and functional (i.e., the part aimed at recognizing the function and identity of the object) areas. Within the first 750 ms, participants tended to shift their gaze on the functional areas while decreasing their attention on the manipulation areas. Then, participants reversed this trend, decreasing their visual-spatial attention to the functional areas while fixing the manipulation areas relatively more. Crucially, the global amount of visual-spatial attention for objects' functional areas significantly decreased as an effect of stimuli repetition while remaining stable for the manipulation areas, thus indicating stimulus familiarity effects. These findings support the action reappraisal theoretical approach, which considers object/tool processing as abilities emerging from semantic, technical/mechanical, and sensorimotor knowledge integration.
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Ciccarelli G, Federico G, Mele G, Di Cecca A, Migliaccio M, Ilardi CR, Alfano V, Salvatore M, Cavaliere C. Simultaneous real-time EEG-fMRI neurofeedback: A systematic review. Front Hum Neurosci 2023; 17:1123014. [PMID: 37063098 PMCID: PMC10102573 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2023.1123014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2022] [Accepted: 03/15/2023] [Indexed: 04/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Neurofeedback (NF) is a biofeedback technique that teaches individuals self-control of brain functions by measuring brain activations and providing an online feedback signal to modify emotional, cognitive, and behavioral functions. NF approaches typically rely on a single modality, such as electroencephalography (EEG-NF) or a brain imaging technique, such as functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI-NF). The introduction of simultaneous EEG-fMRI tools has opened up the possibility of combining the high temporal resolution of EEG with the high spatial resolution of fMRI, thereby increasing the accuracy of NF. However, only a few studies have actively combined both techniques. In this study, we conducted a systematic review of EEG-fMRI-NF studies (N = 17) to identify the potential and effectiveness of this non-invasive treatment for neurological conditions. The systematic review revealed a lack of homogeneity among the studies, including sample sizes, acquisition methods in terms of simultaneity of the two procedures (unimodal EEG-NF and fMRI-NF), therapeutic targets field, and the number of sessions. Indeed, because most studies are based on a single session of NF, it is difficult to draw any conclusions regarding the therapeutic efficacy of NF. Therefore, further research is needed to fully understand non-clinical and clinical potential of EEG-fMRI-NF.
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De Laet C, Herman B, Riga A, Bihin B, Regnier M, Leeuwerck M, Raymackers JM, Vandermeeren Y. Bimanual motor skill learning after stroke: Combining robotics and anodal tDCS over the undamaged hemisphere: An exploratory study. Front Neurol 2022; 13:882225. [PMID: 36061986 PMCID: PMC9433746 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2022.882225] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2022] [Accepted: 07/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BackgroundSince a stroke can impair bimanual activities, enhancing bimanual cooperation through motor skill learning may improve neurorehabilitation. Therefore, robotics and neuromodulation with transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) are promising approaches. To date, tDCS has failed to enhance bimanual motor control after stroke possibly because it was not integrating the hypothesis that the undamaged hemisphere becomes the major poststroke hub for bimanual control.ObjectiveWe tested the following hypotheses: (I) In patients with chronic hemiparetic stroke training on a robotic device, anodal tDCS applied over the primary motor cortex of the undamaged hemisphere enhances bimanual motor skill learning compared to sham tDCS. (II) The severity of impairment correlates with the effect of tDCS on bimanual motor skill learning. (III) Bimanual motor skill learning is less efficient in patients than in healthy individuals (HI).MethodsA total of 17 patients with chronic hemiparetic stroke and 7 healthy individuals learned a complex bimanual cooperation skill on the REAplan® neurorehabilitation robot. The bimanual speed/accuracy trade-off (biSAT), bimanual coordination (biCo), and bimanual force (biFOP) scores were computed for each performance. In patients, real/sham tDCS was applied in a crossover, randomized, double-blind approach.ResultsCompared to sham, real tDCS did not enhance bimanual motor skill learning, retention, or generalization in patients, and no correlation with impairment was noted. The healthy individuals performed better than patients on bimanual motor skill learning, but generalization was similar in both groups.ConclusionA short motor skill learning session with a robotic device resulted in the retention and generalization of a complex skill involving bimanual cooperation. The tDCS strategy that would best enhance bimanual motor skill learning after stroke remains unknown.Clinical trial registrationhttps://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02308852, identifier: NCT02308852.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chloë De Laet
- Stroke Unit/NeuroModulation Unit (NeMU), Department of Neurology, CHU UCL Namur (Mont-Godinne), UCLouvain, Yvoir, Belgium
| | - Benoît Herman
- Louvain Bionics, UCLouvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
- Materials and Civil Engineering (iMMC), Institute of Mechanics, UCLouvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
| | - Audrey Riga
- Stroke Unit/NeuroModulation Unit (NeMU), Department of Neurology, CHU UCL Namur (Mont-Godinne), UCLouvain, Yvoir, Belgium
- Louvain Bionics, UCLouvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
- Clinical Division (NEUR), Institute of NeuroScience (IoNS), UCLouvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Benoît Bihin
- Scientific Support Unit, CHU UCL Namur (Mont-Godinne), UCLouvain, Yvoir, Belgium
| | - Maxime Regnier
- Scientific Support Unit, CHU UCL Namur (Mont-Godinne), UCLouvain, Yvoir, Belgium
| | - Maria Leeuwerck
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, CHU UCL Namur (Mont-Godinne), UCLouvain, Yvoir, Belgium
| | - Jean-Marc Raymackers
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Clinique Saint-Pierre, Ottignies-Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
| | - Yves Vandermeeren
- Stroke Unit/NeuroModulation Unit (NeMU), Department of Neurology, CHU UCL Namur (Mont-Godinne), UCLouvain, Yvoir, Belgium
- Louvain Bionics, UCLouvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
- Clinical Division (NEUR), Institute of NeuroScience (IoNS), UCLouvain, Brussels, Belgium
- *Correspondence: Yves Vandermeeren
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Kobayashi R, Sakurai N, Nagasaka K, Kasai S, Kodama N. Relationship between Tactile Sensation, Motor Activity, and Differential Brain Activity in Young Individuals. Brain Sci 2022; 12:brainsci12070924. [PMID: 35884731 PMCID: PMC9321563 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci12070924] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2022] [Revised: 07/12/2022] [Accepted: 07/13/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
In this study, we compared the differences in brain activation associated with the different types of objects using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Twenty-six participants in their 20s underwent fMRI while grasping four different types of objects. After the experiment, all of the participants completed a questionnaire based on the Likert Scale, which asked them about the sensations they experienced while grasping each object (comfort, hardness, pain, ease in grasping). We investigated the relationship between brain activity and the results of the survey; characteristic brain activity for each object was correlated with the results of the questionnaire, indicating that each object produced a different sensation response in the participants. Additionally, we observed brain activity in the primary somatosensory cortex (postcentral gyrus), the primary motor cortex (precentral gyrus), and the cerebellum exterior during the gripping task. Our study shows that gripping different objects produces activity in specific and distinct brain regions and suggests an “action appraisal” mechanism, which is considered to be the act of integrating multiple different sensory information and connecting it to actual action. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to observe brain activity in response to tactile stimuli and motor activity simultaneously.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryota Kobayashi
- CLAIRVO TECHNOLOGIES, Inc., 1-4-2 Ohtemachi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-8088, Japan
- Correspondence: (R.K.); (N.K.)
| | - Noriko Sakurai
- Department of Radiological Technology, Faculty of Medical Technology, Niigata University of Health and Welfare, 1398 Shimami-cho, Kita-ku, Niigata 950-3198, Japan; (N.S.); (S.K.)
| | - Kazuaki Nagasaka
- Department of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Rehabilitation, Niigata University of Health and Welfare, 1398 Shimami-cho, Kita-ku, Niigata 950-3198, Japan;
| | - Satoshi Kasai
- Department of Radiological Technology, Faculty of Medical Technology, Niigata University of Health and Welfare, 1398 Shimami-cho, Kita-ku, Niigata 950-3198, Japan; (N.S.); (S.K.)
| | - Naoki Kodama
- Department of Radiological Technology, Faculty of Medical Technology, Niigata University of Health and Welfare, 1398 Shimami-cho, Kita-ku, Niigata 950-3198, Japan; (N.S.); (S.K.)
- Correspondence: (R.K.); (N.K.)
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Federico G, Reynaud E, Navarro J, Lesourd M, Gaujoux V, Lamberton F, Ibarrola D, Cavaliere C, Alfano V, Aiello M, Salvatore M, Seguin P, Schnebelen D, Brandimonte MA, Rossetti Y, Osiurak F. The cortical thickness of the area PF of the left inferior parietal cortex mediates technical-reasoning skills. Sci Rep 2022; 12:11840. [PMID: 35821259 PMCID: PMC9276675 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-15587-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2021] [Accepted: 06/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Most recent research highlights how a specific form of causal understanding, namely technical reasoning, may support the increasing complexity of tools and techniques developed by humans over generations, i.e., the cumulative technological culture (CTC). Thus, investigating the neurocognitive foundations of technical reasoning is essential to comprehend the emergence of CTC in our lineage. Whereas functional neuroimaging evidence started to highlight the critical role of the area PF of the left inferior parietal cortex (IPC) in technical reasoning, no studies explored the links between the structural characteristics of such a brain region and technical reasoning skills. Therefore, in this study, we assessed participants’ technical-reasoning performance by using two ad-hoc psycho-technical tests; then, we extracted from participants’ 3 T T1-weighted magnetic-resonance brain images the cortical thickness (i.e., a volume-related measure which is associated with cognitive performance as reflecting the size, density, and arrangement of cells in a brain region) of all the IPC regions for both hemispheres. We found that the cortical thickness of the left area PF predicts participants’ technical-reasoning performance. Crucially, we reported no correlations between technical reasoning and the other IPC regions, possibly suggesting the specificity of the left area PF in generating technical knowledge. We discuss these findings from an evolutionary perspective, by speculating about how the evolution of parietal lobes may have supported the emergence of technical reasoning in our lineage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giovanni Federico
- IRCCS Synlab SDN, Via Emanuele Gianturco, 113, 80143, Naples, Italy.
| | - Emanuelle Reynaud
- Laboratoire d'Etude des Mécanismes Cognitifs (EA 3082), Université de Lyon, Lyon, France
| | - Jordan Navarro
- Laboratoire d'Etude des Mécanismes Cognitifs (EA 3082), Université de Lyon, Lyon, France
| | - Mathieu Lesourd
- Laboratoire de recherches Intégratives en Neurosciences et Psychologie Cognitive (UR 481), Université de Bourgogne Franche-Comté, Besançon, France.,MSHE Ledoux, CNRS, Université de Bourgogne Franche-Comté, F-25000, Besançon, France
| | - Vivien Gaujoux
- Laboratoire d'Etude des Mécanismes Cognitifs (EA 3082), Université de Lyon, Lyon, France
| | - Franck Lamberton
- CERMEP-Imagerie du vivant, MRI Department and CNRS UMS3453, Lyon, France
| | - Danièle Ibarrola
- CERMEP-Imagerie du vivant, MRI Department and CNRS UMS3453, Lyon, France
| | - Carlo Cavaliere
- IRCCS Synlab SDN, Via Emanuele Gianturco, 113, 80143, Naples, Italy
| | - Vincenzo Alfano
- IRCCS Synlab SDN, Via Emanuele Gianturco, 113, 80143, Naples, Italy
| | - Marco Aiello
- IRCCS Synlab SDN, Via Emanuele Gianturco, 113, 80143, Naples, Italy
| | - Marco Salvatore
- IRCCS Synlab SDN, Via Emanuele Gianturco, 113, 80143, Naples, Italy
| | - Perrine Seguin
- Centre de Recherche en Neurosciences de Lyon (CRNL), Computation, Cognition and Neurophysiology Team (Inserm UMR_S 1028-CNRS-UMR 5292-Université de Lyon), Bron, France
| | - Damien Schnebelen
- Laboratoire d'Etude des Mécanismes Cognitifs (EA 3082), Université de Lyon, Lyon, France
| | | | - Yves Rossetti
- Centre de Recherche en Neurosciences de Lyon (CRNL), Trajectoires Team (Inserm UMR_S 1028-CNRS-UMR 5292-Université de Lyon), Bron, France.,Mouvement et Handicap and Neuro-Immersion, Hospices Civils de Lyon et Centre de Recherche en Neurosciences de Lyon, Hôpital Henry Gabrielle, St Genis Laval, France
| | - François Osiurak
- Laboratoire d'Etude des Mécanismes Cognitifs (EA 3082), Université de Lyon, Lyon, France.,Institut Universitaire de France, Paris, France
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