1
|
Arif Y, Wiesman AI, Christopher-Hayes N, Okelberry HJ, Johnson HJ, Willett MP, Wilson TW. Altered age-related alpha and gamma prefrontal-occipital connectivity serving distinct cognitive interference variants. Neuroimage 2023; 280:120351. [PMID: 37659656 PMCID: PMC10545948 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2023.120351] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2023] [Revised: 08/16/2023] [Accepted: 08/25/2023] [Indexed: 09/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The presence of conflicting stimuli adversely affects behavioral outcomes, which could either be at the level of stimulus (Flanker), response (Simon), or both (Multisource). Briefly, flanker interference involves conflicting stimuli requiring selective attention, Simon interference is caused by an incongruity between the spatial location of the task-relevant stimulus and prepotent motor mapping, and multisource is combination of both. Irrespective of the variant, interference resolution necessitates cognitive control to filter irrelevant information and allocate neural resources to task-related goals. Though previously studied in healthy young adults, the direct quantification of changes in oscillatory activity serving such cognitive control and associated inter-regional interactions in healthy aging are poorly understood. Herein, we used an adapted version of the multisource interference task and magnetoencephalography to investigate age-related alterations in the neural dynamics governing both divergent and convergent cognitive interference in 78 healthy participants (age range: 20-66 years). We identified weaker alpha connectivity between bilateral visual and right dorsolateral prefrontal cortices (DLPFC) and left dorsomedial prefrontal cortices (dmPFC), as well as weaker gamma connectivity between bilateral occipital regions and the right dmPFC during flanker interference with advancing age. Further, an age-related decrease in gamma power was observed in the left cerebellum and parietal region for Simon and differential interference effects (i.e., flanker-Simon), respectively. Moreover, the superadditivity model showed decreased gamma power in the right temporoparietal junction (TPJ) with increasing age. Overall, our findings suggest age-related declines in the engagement of top-down attentional control secondary to reduced alpha and gamma coupling between prefrontal and occipital cortices.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yasra Arif
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE, USA.
| | - Alex I Wiesman
- Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | | | - Hannah J Okelberry
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE, USA
| | - Hallie J Johnson
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE, USA
| | - Madelyn P Willett
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE, USA
| | - Tony W Wilson
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE, USA; Department of Pharmacology & Neuroscience, Creighton University, Omaha, NE, USA
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Spooner RK, Wilson TW. Spectral specificity of gamma-frequency transcranial alternating current stimulation over motor cortex during sequential movements. Cereb Cortex 2023; 33:5347-5360. [PMID: 36368895 PMCID: PMC10152093 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhac423] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2022] [Revised: 09/26/2022] [Accepted: 09/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Motor control requires the coordination of spatiotemporally precise neural oscillations in the beta and gamma range within the primary motor cortex (M1). Recent studies have shown that motor performance can be differentially modulated based on the spectral target of noninvasive transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS), with gamma-frequency tACS improving motor performance. However, the spectral specificity for eliciting such improvements remains unknown. Herein, we derived the peak movement-related gamma frequency in 25 healthy adults using magnetoencephalography and a motor control paradigm. These individualized peak gamma frequencies were then used for personalized sessions of tACS. All participants completed 4 sessions of high-definition (HD)-tACS (sham, low-, peak-, and high-gamma frequency) over M1 for 20 min during the performance of sequential movements of varying complexity (e.g. tapping adjacent fingers or nonadjacent fingers). Our primary findings demonstrated that individualized tACS dosing over M1 leads to enhanced motor performance/learning (i.e. greatest reduction in time to complete motor sequences) compared to nonspecific gamma-tACS in humans, which suggests that personalized neuromodulation may be advantageous to optimize behavioral outcomes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rachel K Spooner
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE, United States
- College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center (UMNC), Omaha, NE, United States
- Institute of Clinical Neuroscience and Medical Psychology, Heinrich-Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Tony W Wilson
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE, United States
- College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center (UMNC), Omaha, NE, United States
- Center for Pediatric Brain Health, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE, United States
- Department of Pharmacology & Neuroscience, Creighton University, Omaha, NE, United States
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Rezayat E, Clark K, Dehaqani MRA, Noudoost B. Dependence of Working Memory on Coordinated Activity Across Brain Areas. Front Syst Neurosci 2022; 15:787316. [PMID: 35095433 PMCID: PMC8792503 DOI: 10.3389/fnsys.2021.787316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2021] [Accepted: 12/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Neural signatures of working memory (WM) have been reported in numerous brain areas, suggesting a distributed neural substrate for memory maintenance. In the current manuscript we provide an updated review of the literature focusing on intracranial neurophysiological recordings during WM in primates. Such signatures of WM include changes in firing rate or local oscillatory power within an area, along with measures of coordinated activity between areas based on synchronization between oscillations. In comparing the ability of various neural signatures in any brain area to predict behavioral performance, we observe that synchrony between areas is more frequently and robustly correlated with WM performance than any of the within-area neural signatures. We further review the evidence for alteration of inter-areal synchrony in brain disorders, consistent with an important role for such synchrony during behavior. Additionally, results of causal studies indicate that manipulating synchrony across areas is especially effective at influencing WM task performance. Each of these lines of research supports the critical role of inter-areal synchrony in WM. Finally, we propose a framework for interactions between prefrontal and sensory areas during WM, incorporating a range of experimental findings and offering an explanation for the observed link between intra-areal measures and WM performance.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ehsan Rezayat
- School of Cognitive Sciences, Institute for Research in Fundamental Sciences (IPM), Tehran, Iran
| | - Kelsey Clark
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, United States
| | - Mohammad-Reza A. Dehaqani
- School of Cognitive Sciences, Institute for Research in Fundamental Sciences (IPM), Tehran, Iran
- Cognitive Systems Laboratory, Control and Intelligent Processing Center of Excellence (CIPCE), School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Behrad Noudoost
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, United States
- *Correspondence: Behrad Noudoost,
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Arif Y, Embury CM, Spooner RK, Okelberry HJ, Willett MP, Eastman JA, Wilson TW. High-definition transcranial direct current stimulation of the occipital cortices induces polarity dependent effects within the brain regions serving attentional reorientation. Hum Brain Mapp 2022; 43:1930-1940. [PMID: 34997673 PMCID: PMC8933319 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.25764] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2021] [Revised: 12/05/2021] [Accepted: 12/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Numerous brain stimulation studies have targeted the posterior parietal cortex, a key hub of the attention network, to manipulate attentional reorientation. However, the impact of stimulating brain regions earlier in the pathway, including early visual regions, is poorly understood. In this study, 28 healthy adults underwent three high‐definition transcranial direct current stimulation (HD‐tDCS) visits (i.e., anodal, cathodal, and sham). During each visit, they completed 20 min of occipital HD‐tDCS and then a modified Posner task during magnetoencephalography (MEG). MEG data were transformed into the time‐frequency domain and significant oscillatory events were imaged using a beamformer. Oscillatory response amplitude values were extracted from peak voxels in the whole‐brain maps and were statistically compared. Behaviorally, we found that the participants responded slowly when attention reallocation was needed (i.e., the validity effect), irrespective of the stimulation condition. Our neural findings indicated that cathodal HD‐tDCS was associated with significantly reduced theta validity effects in the occipital cortices, as well as reduced alpha validity effects in the left occipital and parietal cortices relative to anodal HD‐tDCS. Additionally, anodal occipital stimulation significantly increased gamma amplitude in right occipital regions relative to cathodal and sham stimulation. Finally, we also found a negative correlation between the alpha validity effect and reaction time following anodal stimulation. Our findings suggest that HD‐tDCS of the occipital cortices has a polarity dependent impact on the multispectral neural oscillations serving attentional reorientation in healthy adults, and that such effects may reflect altered local GABA concentrations in the neural circuitry serving attentional reorientation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yasra Arif
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Omaha, Nebraska, USA.,College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, USA
| | - Christine M Embury
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Omaha, Nebraska, USA.,Department of Psychology, University of Nebraska, Omaha, Nebraska, USA
| | - Rachel K Spooner
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Omaha, Nebraska, USA.,College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, USA
| | - Hannah J Okelberry
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Omaha, Nebraska, USA
| | - Madelyn P Willett
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Omaha, Nebraska, USA
| | - Jacob A Eastman
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Omaha, Nebraska, USA
| | - Tony W Wilson
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Omaha, Nebraska, USA.,College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, USA.,Department of Psychology, University of Nebraska, Omaha, Nebraska, USA
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Arif Y, Spooner RK, Heinrichs-Graham E, Wilson TW. High-definition transcranial direct current stimulation modulates performance and alpha/beta parieto-frontal connectivity serving fluid intelligence. J Physiol 2021; 599:5451-5463. [PMID: 34783045 DOI: 10.1113/jp282387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2021] [Accepted: 11/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Fluid intelligence (Gƒ) includes logical reasoning abilities and is an essential component of normative cognition. Despite the broad consensus that parieto-prefrontal connectivity is critical for Gƒ (e.g. the parieto-frontal integration theory of intelligence, P-FIT), the dynamics of such functional connectivity during logical reasoning remains poorly understood. Further, given the known importance of these brain regions for Gƒ, numerous studies have targeted one or both of these areas with non-invasive stimulation with the goal of improving Gƒ, but to date there remains little consensus on the overall stimulation-related effects. To examine this, we applied high-definition direct current anodal stimulation to the left and right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) of 24 healthy adults for 20 min in three separate sessions (sham, left, and right active). Following stimulation, participants completed a logical reasoning task during magnetoencephalography (MEG). Significant neural responses at the sensor-level were imaged using a beamformer, and peak task-induced activity was subjected to dynamic functional connectivity analyses to evaluate the impact of distinct stimulation montages on network activity. We found that participants responded faster following right DLPFC stimulation vs. sham. Moreover, our neural findings followed a similar trajectory of effects such that left parieto-frontal connectivity decreased following right and left DLPFC stimulation compared to sham, with connectivity following right stimulation being significantly correlated with the faster reaction times. Importantly, our findings are consistent with P-FIT, as well as the neural efficiency hypothesis (NEH) of intelligence. In sum, this study provides evidence for beneficial effects of right DLPFC stimulation on logical reasoning. KEY POINTS: Logical reasoning is an indispensable component of fluid intelligence and involves multispectral oscillatory activity in parietal and frontal regions. Parieto-frontal integration is well characterized in logical reasoning; however, its direct neural quantification and neuromodulation by brain stimulation remain poorly understood. High-definition transcranial direct current stimulation of dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) had modulatory effects on task performance and neural interactions serving logical reasoning, with right stimulation showing beneficial effects. Right DLPFC stimulation led to a decrease in the response time (i.e. better task performance) and left parieto-frontal connectivity with a marginal positive association between behavioural and neural metrics. Other modes of targeted stimulation of DLPFC (e.g. frequency-specific) can be employed in future studies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yasra Arif
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Omaha, NE, USA.,Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Biomedical Sciences (Neuroscience), University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA
| | - Rachel K Spooner
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Omaha, NE, USA.,Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Biomedical Sciences (Neuroscience), University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA
| | | | - Tony W Wilson
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Omaha, NE, USA
| |
Collapse
|