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Tsai SY, Nasemann J, Qiu N, Töllner T, Müller HJ, Shi Z. Little engagement of attention by salient distractors defined in a different dimension or modality to the visual search target. Psychophysiology 2023; 60:e14375. [PMID: 37417320 DOI: 10.1111/psyp.14375] [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: 07/04/2022] [Revised: 05/05/2023] [Accepted: 06/01/2023] [Indexed: 07/08/2023]
Abstract
Singleton distractors may inadvertently capture attention, interfering with the task at hand. The underlying neural mechanisms of how we prevent or handle distractor interference remain elusive. Here, we varied the type of salient distractor introduced in a visual search task: the distractor could be defined in the same (shape) dimension as the target, a different (color) dimension, or a different (tactile) modality (intra-dimensional, cross-dimensional, and, respectively, cross-modal distractor, all matched for physical salience); and besides behavioral interference, we measured lateralized electrophysiological indicators of attentional selectivity (the N2pc, Ppc, PD , CCN/CCP, CDA, and cCDA). The results revealed the intra-dimensional distractor to produce the strongest reaction-time interference, associated with the smallest target-elicited N2pc. In contrast, the cross-dimensional and cross-modal distractors did not engender any significant interference, and the target-elicited N2pc was comparable to the condition in which the search display contained only the target singleton, thus ruling out early attentional capture. Moreover, the cross-modal distractor elicited a significant early CCN/CCP, but did not influence the target-elicited N2pc, suggesting that the tactile distractor is registered by the somatosensory system (rather than being proactively suppressed), without, however, engaging attention. Together, our findings indicate that, in contrast to distractors defined in the same dimension as the target, distractors singled out in a different dimension or modality can be effectively prevented to engage attention, consistent with dimension- or modality-weighting accounts of attentional priority computation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shao-Yang Tsai
- Graduate School of Systemic Neurosciences, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Planegg, Germany
- Allgemeine und Experimentelle Psychologie, Department Psychologie, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Jan Nasemann
- Graduate School of Systemic Neurosciences, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Planegg, Germany
- Allgemeine und Experimentelle Psychologie, Department Psychologie, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Nan Qiu
- Allgemeine und Experimentelle Psychologie, Department Psychologie, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Thomas Töllner
- Allgemeine und Experimentelle Psychologie, Department Psychologie, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Hermann J Müller
- Graduate School of Systemic Neurosciences, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Planegg, Germany
- Allgemeine und Experimentelle Psychologie, Department Psychologie, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Zhuanghua Shi
- Graduate School of Systemic Neurosciences, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Planegg, Germany
- Allgemeine und Experimentelle Psychologie, Department Psychologie, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany
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2
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Friedman G, Turk KW, Budson AE. The Current of Consciousness: Neural Correlates and Clinical Aspects. Curr Neurol Neurosci Rep 2023; 23:345-352. [PMID: 37303019 PMCID: PMC10287796 DOI: 10.1007/s11910-023-01276-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/29/2023] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW In this review, we summarize the current understanding of consciousness including its neuroanatomic basis. We discuss major theories of consciousness, physical exam-based and electroencephalographic metrics used to stratify levels of consciousness, and tools used to shed light on the neural correlates of the conscious experience. Lastly, we review an expanded category of 'disorders of consciousness,' which includes disorders that impact either the level or experience of consciousness. RECENT FINDINGS Recent studies have revealed many of the requisite EEG, ERP, and fMRI signals to predict aspects of the conscious experience. Neurological disorders that disrupt the reticular activating system can affect the level of consciousness, whereas cortical disorders from seizures and migraines to strokes and dementia may disrupt phenomenal consciousness. The recently introduced memory theory of consciousness provides a new explanation of phenomenal consciousness that may explain better than prior theories both experimental studies and the neurologist's clinical experience. Although the complete neurobiological basis of consciousness remains a mystery, recent advances have improved our understanding of the physiology underlying level of consciousness and phenomenal consciousness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Garrett Friedman
- Center for Translational Cognitive Neuroscience, VA Boston Healthcare System, 150 S. Huntington Ave., Jamaica Plain, Boston, MA, 02130, USA
| | - Katherine W Turk
- Center for Translational Cognitive Neuroscience, VA Boston Healthcare System, 150 S. Huntington Ave., Jamaica Plain, Boston, MA, 02130, USA
- Department of Neurology, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Andrew E Budson
- Center for Translational Cognitive Neuroscience, VA Boston Healthcare System, 150 S. Huntington Ave., Jamaica Plain, Boston, MA, 02130, USA.
- Department of Neurology, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA.
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3
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Gherri E, Fiorino FR, Iani C, Rubichi S. Searching for a tactile target: the impact of set-size on the N140cc. Front Hum Neurosci 2023; 17:1209555. [PMID: 37425293 PMCID: PMC10323430 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2023.1209555] [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: 04/20/2023] [Accepted: 06/08/2023] [Indexed: 07/11/2023] Open
Abstract
The time needed to find a visual target amongst distractors (search task) can increase as a function of the distractors' number (set-size) in the search-array (inefficient search). While the allocation of attention in search tasks has been extensively investigated and debated in the visual domain, little is known about these mechanisms in touch. Initial behavioral evidence shows inefficient search behavior when participants have to distinguish between target and distractors defined by their vibro-tactile frequencies. In the present study, to investigate the allocation of attention to items of the search-array we measured the N140cc during a tactile task in which the set-size was manipulated. The N140cc is a lateralized component of event-related brain potentials recently described as a psychophysiological marker of attentional allocation in tactile search tasks. Participants localized the target, a singleton frequency, while ignoring one, three or five homogeneous distractors. Results showed that error rates linearly increased as a function of set-size, while response times were not affected. Reliable N140cc components were observed for all set-sizes. Crucially, the N140cc amplitude decreased as the number of distractors increased. We argue that the presence of additional distractors hindered the preattentive analysis of the search array resulting in increased uncertainty about the target location (inefficient preattentive stage). This, in turn, increased the variability of the deployment of attention to the target, resulting in reduced N140cc amplitudes. Consistent with existing behavioral evidence, these findings highlight systematic differences between the visual and the tactile attentional systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Gherri
- Dipartimento di Filosofia e Comunicazione, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Fabiola Rosaria Fiorino
- Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Science, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - Cristina Iani
- Department of Surgery, Medicine, Dentistry and Morphological Sciences With Interest in Transplant, Oncology and Regenerative Medicine, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
- Center of Neuroscience and Neurotechnology, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - Sandro Rubichi
- Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Science, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
- Center of Neuroscience and Neurotechnology, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
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4
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Nasemann J, Töllner T, Müller HJ, Shi Z. Hierarchy of Intra- and Cross-modal Redundancy Gains in Visuo-tactile Search: Evidence from the Posterior Contralateral Negativity. J Cogn Neurosci 2023; 35:543-570. [PMID: 36735602 DOI: 10.1162/jocn_a_01971] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Redundant combination of target features from separable dimensions can expedite visual search. The dimension-weighting account explains these "redundancy gains" by assuming that the attention-guiding priority map integrates the feature-contrast signals generated by targets within the respective dimensions. The present study investigated whether this hierarchical architecture is sufficient to explain the gains accruing from redundant targets defined by features in different modalities, or whether an additional level of modality-specific priority coding is necessary, as postulated by the modality-weighting account (MWA). To address this, we had observers perform a visuo-tactile search task in which targets popped out by a visual feature (color or shape) or a tactile feature (vibro-tactile frequency) as well as any combination of these features. The RT gains turned out larger for visuo-tactile versus visual redundant targets, as predicted by the MWA. In addition, we analyzed two lateralized event-related EEG components: the posterior (PCN) and central (CCN) contralateral negativities, which are associated with visual and tactile attentional selection, respectively. The CCN proved to be a stable somatosensory component, unaffected by cross-modal redundancies. In contrast, the PCN was sensitive to cross-modal redundancies, evidenced by earlier onsets and higher amplitudes, which could not be explained by linear superposition of the earlier CCN onto the later PCN. Moreover, linear mixed-effect modeling of the PCN amplitude and timing parameters accounted for approximately 25% of the behavioral RT variance. Together, these behavioral and PCN effects support the hierarchy of priority-signal computation assumed by the MWA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan Nasemann
- Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany.,Graduate School of Systemic Neurosciences, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Planegg, Germany
| | | | - Hermann J Müller
- Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany.,Graduate School of Systemic Neurosciences, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Planegg, Germany
| | - Zhuanghua Shi
- Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany.,Graduate School of Systemic Neurosciences, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Planegg, Germany
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5
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Gusso MM, Christison-Lagay KL, Zuckerman D, Chandrasekaran G, Kronemer SI, Ding JZ, Freedman NC, Nohama P, Blumenfeld H. More than a feeling: Scalp EEG and eye signals in conscious tactile perception. Conscious Cogn 2022; 105:103411. [PMID: 36156359 DOI: 10.1016/j.concog.2022.103411] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2022] [Revised: 08/22/2022] [Accepted: 08/28/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Understanding the neural basis of consciousness is a fundamental goal of neuroscience, and sensory perception is often used as a proxy for consciousness in empirical studies. However, most studies rely on reported perception of visual stimuli. Here we present behavior, high density scalp EEG and eye metric recordings collected simultaneously during a novel tactile threshold perception task. We found significant N80, N140 and P300 event related potentials in perceived trials and in perceived versus not perceived trials. Significance was limited to a P100 and P300 in not perceived trials. We also found an increase in pupil diameter and blink rate and a decrease in microsaccade rate following perceived relative to not perceived tactile stimuli. These findings support the use of eye metrics as a measure of physiological arousal associated with conscious perception. Eye metrics may also represent a novel path toward the creation of tactile no-report tasks in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariana M Gusso
- Departments of Neurology, Yale University School of Medicine, 333 Cedar Street, New Haven, CT 06520, USA; Programa de Pós-Graduação em Tecnologia em Saúde, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Paraná, R. Imaculada Conceição, 1155, Prado Velho, Curitiba, Paraná 80215-901, Brazil
| | - Kate L Christison-Lagay
- Departments of Neurology, Yale University School of Medicine, 333 Cedar Street, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - David Zuckerman
- Departments of Neurology, Yale University School of Medicine, 333 Cedar Street, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Ganesh Chandrasekaran
- Departments of Neurology, Yale University School of Medicine, 333 Cedar Street, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Sharif I Kronemer
- Departments of Neurology, Yale University School of Medicine, 333 Cedar Street, New Haven, CT 06520, USA; Departments of Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program, Yale University School of Medicine, 333 Cedar Street, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Julia Z Ding
- Departments of Neurology, Yale University School of Medicine, 333 Cedar Street, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Noah C Freedman
- Departments of Neurology, Yale University School of Medicine, 333 Cedar Street, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Percy Nohama
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Tecnologia em Saúde, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Paraná, R. Imaculada Conceição, 1155, Prado Velho, Curitiba, Paraná 80215-901, Brazil
| | - Hal Blumenfeld
- Departments of Neurology, Yale University School of Medicine, 333 Cedar Street, New Haven, CT 06520, USA; Departments of Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program, Yale University School of Medicine, 333 Cedar Street, New Haven, CT 06520, USA; Departments of Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, 333 Cedar Street, New Haven, CT 06520, USA; Departments of Neurosurgery, Yale University School of Medicine, 333 Cedar Street, New Haven, CT 06520, USA.
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6
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De Havas J, Ito S, Bestmann S, Gomi H. Neural dynamics of illusory tactile pulling sensations. iScience 2022; 25:105018. [PMID: 36105590 PMCID: PMC9464957 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.105018] [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: 01/28/2022] [Revised: 07/13/2022] [Accepted: 08/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Directional tactile pulling sensations are integral to everyday life, but their neural mechanisms remain unknown. Prior accounts hold that primary somatosensory (SI) activity is sufficient to generate pulling sensations, with alternative proposals suggesting that amodal frontal or parietal regions may be critical. We combined high-density EEG with asymmetric vibration, which creates an illusory pulling sensation, thereby unconfounding pulling sensations from unrelated sensorimotor processes. Oddballs that created opposite direction pulls to common stimuli were compared to the same oddballs after neutral common stimuli (symmetric vibration) and to neutral oddballs. We found evidence against the sensory-frontal N140 and in favor of the midline P200 tracking the emergence of pulling sensations, specifically contralateral parietal lobe activity 264-320ms, centered on the intraparietal sulcus. This suggests that SI is not sufficient to generate pulling sensations, which instead depend on the parietal association cortex, and may reflect the extraction of orientation information and related spatial processing. Tactile pulling sensations are difficult to isolate in the human brain Illusory pulls from asymmetric vibration allow neural activity to be isolated Pulling sensations are driven by parietal lobe activity 264-320ms post-stimulus Spatial processing in the parietal lobe may be essential for pulling sensations
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7
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Gherri E, White F, Ambron E. Searching on the Back: Attentional Selectivity in the Periphery of the Tactile Field. Front Psychol 2022; 13:934573. [PMID: 35911043 PMCID: PMC9328746 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.934573] [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: 05/02/2022] [Accepted: 06/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent evidence has identified the N140cc lateralized component of event-related potentials as a reliable index of the deployment of attention to task-relevant items in touch. However, existing ERP studies have presented the tactile search array to participants' limbs, most often to the hands. Here, we investigated distractor interference effects when the tactile search array was presented to a portion of the body that is less lateralized and peripheral compared to the hands. Participants were asked to localize a tactile target presented among distractors in a circular arrangement to their back. The N140cc was elicited contralateral to the target when the singleton distractor was absent. Its amplitude was reduced when the singleton distractor was present and contralateral to the target, suggesting that attention was directed at least in part to the distractor when the singletons are on opposite sides. However, similar N140cc were observed when the singleton distractor was ipsilateral to the target compared to distractor absent trials. We suggest that when target and singleton distractor are ipsilateral, the exact localization of the target requires the attentional processing of all items on the same side of the array, similar to distractor absent trials. Together, these observations replicate the distractor interference effects previously observed for the hands, suggesting that analogous mechanisms guide attentional selectivity across different body parts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Gherri
- Dipartimento di Filosofia e Comunicazione, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
- Human Cognitive Neuroscience, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
- *Correspondence: Elena Gherri
| | - Felicity White
- Human Cognitive Neuroscience, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Elisabetta Ambron
- Laboratory for Cognition and Neural Stimulation, Neurology Department, School of Medicine University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
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8
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Chen S, Geyer T, Zinchenko A, Müller HJ, Shi Z. Multisensory Rather than Unisensory Representations Contribute to Statistical Context Learning in Tactile Search. J Cogn Neurosci 2022; 34:1702-1717. [PMID: 35704553 DOI: 10.1162/jocn_a_01880] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
Using a combination of behavioral and EEG measures in a tactile odd-one-out search task with collocated visual items, we investigated the mechanisms underlying facilitation of search by repeated (vs. nonrepeated) spatial distractor-target configurations ("contextual cueing") when either the tactile (same-modality) or the visual array (different-modality) context was predictive of the location of the tactile singleton target. Importantly, in both conditions, the stimulation was multisensory, consisting of tactile plus visual items, although the target was singled out in the tactile modality and so the visual items were task-irrelevant. We found that when the predictive context was tactile, facilitation of search RTs by repeated configurations was accompanied by, and correlated with, enhanced lateralized ERP markers of pre-attentive (N1, N2) and, respectively focal-attentional processing (contralateral delay activity) not only over central ("somatosensory"), but also posterior ("visual") electrode sites, although the ERP effects were less marked over visual cortex. A similar pattern-of facilitated RTs and enhanced lateralized (N2 and contralateral delay activity) ERP components-was found when the predictive context was visual, although the ERP effects were less marked over somatosensory cortex. These findings indicate that both somatosensory and visual cortical regions contribute to the more efficient processing of the tactile target in repeated stimulus arrays, although their involvement is differentially weighted depending on the sensory modality that contains the predictive information.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siyi Chen
- Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Germany
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9
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Behavioural and electrophysiological evidence for the effect of target-distractor separation in a tactile search task. Biol Psychol 2021; 162:108098. [PMID: 33901576 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2021.108098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2020] [Revised: 03/23/2021] [Accepted: 04/21/2021] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Evidence suggests that the N140cc component of event-related potentials (ERP) observed in tactile search tasks reflects the attentional selection of the target. Here, we investigated whether the target selection processes are affected by the separation between the target and an ipsilateral singleton distractor (singletons delivered to contiguous or non-contiguous fingers of the same hand). In addition, the external distance between search items was varied through posture (splayed or touching fingers). Accuracy improved when target and distractor were delivered to contiguous fingers that were also touching. Regardless of target-distractor separation, the N140cc was larger when the external distance between search-array stimuli decreased (touching fingers). Importantly, a smaller N140cc was observed at reduced target-distractor separations, suggesting a narrower attentional focus for contiguous singletons. These findings reveal that the mechanisms responsible for tactile target selection in the presence of an ipsilateral singleton distractor are fundamentally different from those emerged in vision.
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10
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Cross-modal involvement of the primary somatosensory cortex in visual working memory: A repetitive TMS study. Neurobiol Learn Mem 2020; 175:107325. [PMID: 33059033 DOI: 10.1016/j.nlm.2020.107325] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2020] [Revised: 09/01/2020] [Accepted: 10/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Recent literature suggests that the primary somatosensory cortex (S1), once thought to be a low-level area only modality-specific, is also involved in higher-level, cross-modal, cognitive functions. In particular, electrophysiological studies have highlighted that the cross-modal activation of this area may also extend to visual Working Memory (WM), being part of a mnemonic network specific for the temporary storage and manipulation of visual information concerning bodies and body-related actions. However, the causal recruitment of S1 in the WM network remains speculation. In the present study, by taking advantage of repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS), we look for causal evidence that S1 is implicated in the retention of visual stimuli that are salient for this cortical area. To this purpose, in a first experiment, high-frequency (10 Hz) rTMS was delivered over S1 of the right hemisphere, and over two control sites, the right lateral occipital cortex (LOC) and the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC), during the maintenance phase of a high-load delayed match-to-sample task in which body-related visual stimuli (non-symbolic hand gestures) have to be retained. In a second experiment, the specificity of S1 recruitment was deepened by using a version of the delayed match-to-sample task in which visual stimuli depict geometrical shapes (non-body related stimuli). Results show that rTMS perturbation of S1 activity leads to an enhancement of participants' performance that is selective for body-related visual stimuli; instead, the stimulation of the right LOC and dlPFC does not affect the temporary storage of body-related visual stimuli. These findings suggest that S1 may be recruited in visual WM when information to store (and recall) is salient for this area, corroborating models which suggest the existence of a dedicated mnemonic system for body-related information in which also somatosensory cortices play a key role, likely thanks to their cross-modal (visuo-tactile) properties.
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11
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Galvez-Pol A, Forster B, Calvo-Merino B. Beyond action observation: Neurobehavioral mechanisms of memory for visually perceived bodies and actions. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2020; 116:508-518. [PMID: 32544541 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2020.06.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2019] [Revised: 05/28/2020] [Accepted: 06/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Examining the processing of others' body-related information in the perceivers' brain (action observation) is a key topic in cognitive neuroscience. However, what happens beyond the perceptual stage, when the body is not within view and it is transformed into an associative form that can be stored, updated, and later recalled, remains poorly understood. Here we examine neurobehavioural evidence on the memory processing of visually perceived bodily stimuli (dynamic actions and images of bodies). The reviewed studies indicate that encoding and maintaining bodily stimuli in memory recruits the sensorimotor system. This process arises when bodily stimuli are either recalled through action recognition or reproduction. Interestingly, the memory capacity for these stimuli is rather limited: only 2 or 3 bodily stimuli can be simultaneously held in memory. Moreover, this process is disrupted by increasing concurrent bodily operations; i.e., moving one's body, seeing or memorising additional bodies. Overall, the evidence suggests that the neural circuitry allowing us to move and feel ourselves supports the encoding, retention, and memory recall of others' visually perceived bodies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandro Galvez-Pol
- Cognitive Neuroscience Research Unit, Department of Psychology, City, University of London, Northampton Square, EC1V 0HB, London, UK; University College London, Department of Clinical and Movement Neurosciences, Institute of Neurology. London WC1N 3BG, UK; Human Evolution and Cognition Research Group (EvoCog), University of the Balearic Islands, Psychology Department, 07122, Palma de Mallorca, Spain.
| | - Bettina Forster
- Cognitive Neuroscience Research Unit, Department of Psychology, City, University of London, Northampton Square, EC1V 0HB, London, UK.
| | - Beatriz Calvo-Merino
- Cognitive Neuroscience Research Unit, Department of Psychology, City, University of London, Northampton Square, EC1V 0HB, London, UK.
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12
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Mena CI, Lang K, Gherri E. Electrophysiological correlates of attentional selection in tactile search tasks: The impact of singleton distractors on target selection. Psychophysiology 2020; 57:e13592. [DOI: 10.1111/psyp.13592] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2019] [Accepted: 04/03/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Carlos I. Mena
- Human Cognitive Neuroscience, Psychology University of Edinburgh Edinburgh United Kingdom
| | - Kadi Lang
- Human Cognitive Neuroscience, Psychology University of Edinburgh Edinburgh United Kingdom
| | - Elena Gherri
- Human Cognitive Neuroscience, Psychology University of Edinburgh Edinburgh United Kingdom
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13
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Halfen EJ, Magnotti JF, Rahman MS, Yau JM. Principles of tactile search over the body. J Neurophysiol 2020; 123:1955-1968. [PMID: 32233886 DOI: 10.1152/jn.00694.2019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Although we routinely experience complex tactile patterns over our entire body, how we selectively experience multisite touch over our bodies remains poorly understood. Here, we characterized tactile search behavior over the full body using a tactile analog of the classic visual search task. On each trial, participants judged whether a target stimulus (e.g., 10-Hz vibration) was present or absent anywhere on the body. When present, the target stimulus could occur alone or simultaneously with distractor stimuli (e.g., 30-Hz vibrations) on other body locations. We systematically varied the number and spatial configurations of the distractors as well as the target and distractor frequencies and measured the impact of these factors on tactile search response times. First, we found that response times were faster on target-present trials compared with target-absent trials. Second, response times increased with the number of stimulated sites, suggesting a serial search process. Third, search performance differed depending on stimulus frequencies. This frequency-dependent behavior may be related to perceptual grouping effects based on timing cues. We constructed linear models to explore how the locations of the target and distractor cues influenced tactile search behavior. Our modeling results reveal that, in isolation, cues on the index fingers make relatively greater contributions to search performance compared with stimulation experienced on other body sites. Additionally, costimulation of sites within the same limb or simply on the same body side preferentially influence search behavior. Our collective findings identify some principles of attentional search that are common to vision and touch, but others that highlight key differences that may be unique to body-based spatial perception.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Little is known about how we selectively experience multisite touch patterns over the body. Using a tactile analog of the classic visual target search paradigm, we show that tactile search behavior for flutter cues is generally consistent with a serial search process. Modeling results reveal the preferential contributions of index finger stimulation and two-site stimulus interactions involving ipsilateral patterns and within-limb patterns. Our results offer initial evidence for spatial and temporal principles underlying tactile search behavior over the body.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth J Halfen
- Departments of Neuroscience and Neurosurgery, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - John F Magnotti
- Departments of Neuroscience and Neurosurgery, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Md Shoaibur Rahman
- Departments of Neuroscience and Neurosurgery, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Jeffrey M Yau
- Departments of Neuroscience and Neurosurgery, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
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14
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Arslanova I, Galvez-Pol A, Calvo-Merino B, Forster B. Searching for bodies: ERP evidence for independent somatosensory processing during visual search for body-related information. Neuroimage 2019; 195:140-149. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2019.03.037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2018] [Revised: 03/03/2019] [Accepted: 03/17/2019] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
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15
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Katus T, Eimer M. The N2cc component as an electrophysiological marker of space‐based and feature‐based attentional target selection processes in touch. Psychophysiology 2019; 56:e13391. [DOI: 10.1111/psyp.13391] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2018] [Revised: 03/01/2019] [Accepted: 04/18/2019] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Tobias Katus
- Department of Psychology Birkbeck, University of London London UK
- School of Psychology University of Aberdeen Aberdeen UK
| | - Martin Eimer
- Department of Psychology Birkbeck, University of London London UK
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16
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Ambron E, Mas-Casadesús A, Gherri E. Hand distance modulates the electrophysiological correlates of target selection during a tactile search task. Psychophysiology 2018; 55:e13080. [DOI: 10.1111/psyp.13080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2017] [Revised: 12/30/2017] [Accepted: 02/27/2018] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Elisabetta Ambron
- Laboratory for Cognition and Neural Stimulation, Neurology Department; School of Medicine University of Pennsylvania; Philadelphia Pennsylvania USA
| | - Anna Mas-Casadesús
- Human Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Psychology; University of Edinburgh; Edinburgh United Kingdom
| | - Elena Gherri
- Human Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Psychology; University of Edinburgh; Edinburgh United Kingdom
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