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Breveglieri R, Borgomaneri S, Bosco A, Filippini M, De Vitis M, Tessari A, Avenanti A, Galletti C, Fattori P. rTMS over the human medial parietal cortex impairs online reaching corrections. Brain Struct Funct 2024; 229:297-310. [PMID: 38141108 PMCID: PMC10917872 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-023-02735-7] [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: 01/03/2023] [Accepted: 11/21/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023]
Abstract
Indirect correlational evidence suggests that the posteromedial sector of the human parietal cortex (area hV6A) is involved in reaching corrections. We interfered with hV6A functions using repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) while healthy participants performed reaching movements and in-flight adjustments of the hand trajectory in presence of unexpected target shifts. rTMS over hV6A specifically altered action reprogramming, causing deviations of the shifted trajectories, particularly along the vertical dimension (i.e., distance). This study provides evidence of the functional relevance of hV6A in action reprogramming while a sudden event requires a change in performance and shows that hV6A also plays a role in state estimation during reaching. These findings are in line with neurological data showing impairments in actions performed along the distance dimension when lesions occur in the dorsal posterior parietal cortex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rossella Breveglieri
- Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, University of Bologna, Piazza di Porta S. Donato 2, 40126, Bologna, Italy.
| | - Sara Borgomaneri
- Center for studies and research in Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, University of Bologna, Cesena Campus, 47521, Cesena, Italy
| | - Annalisa Bosco
- Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, University of Bologna, Piazza di Porta S. Donato 2, 40126, Bologna, Italy
- Alma Mater Research Institute For Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence (Alma Human AI), University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Matteo Filippini
- Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, University of Bologna, Piazza di Porta S. Donato 2, 40126, Bologna, Italy
- Alma Mater Research Institute For Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence (Alma Human AI), University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Marina De Vitis
- Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, University of Bologna, Piazza di Porta S. Donato 2, 40126, Bologna, Italy
| | - Alessia Tessari
- Alma Mater Research Institute For Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence (Alma Human AI), University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
- Department of Psychology, University of Bologna, 40127, Bologna, Italy
| | - Alessio Avenanti
- Center for studies and research in Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, University of Bologna, Cesena Campus, 47521, Cesena, Italy
- Center for research in Neuropsychology and Cognitive Neurosciences, Catholic University of Maule, 3460000, Talca, Chile
| | - Claudio Galletti
- Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, University of Bologna, Piazza di Porta S. Donato 2, 40126, Bologna, Italy
| | - Patrizia Fattori
- Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, University of Bologna, Piazza di Porta S. Donato 2, 40126, Bologna, Italy
- Alma Mater Research Institute For Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence (Alma Human AI), University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
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2
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Baurès R, Leblond S, Dewailly A, Cherubini M, Subramanian LD, Kearney JK, Durand JB, Roux FE. Should I stay or should I go? The cerebral bases of street-crossing decision. J Neurosci Res 2024; 102:e25279. [PMID: 38284833 DOI: 10.1002/jnr.25279] [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: 07/05/2023] [Revised: 10/11/2023] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 01/30/2024]
Abstract
An observer willing to cross a street must first estimate if the approaching cars offer enough time to safely complete the task. The brain areas supporting this perception, known as Time-To-Contact (TTC) perception, have been mainly studied through noninvasive correlational approaches. We carried out an experiment in which patients were tested during an awake brain surgery electrostimulation mapping to examine the causal implication of various brain areas in the street-crossing decision process. Forty patients were tested in a gap acceptance task before their surgery to establish a baseline performance. The task was individually adapted upon this baseline level and carried out during their surgery. We acquired and normalized to MNI space the coordinates of the functional areas that influenced task performance. A total of 103 stimulation sites were tested, allowing to establish a large map of the areas involved in the street-crossing decision. Multiple sites were found to impact the gap acceptance decision. A direct implication was however found mostly for sites within the right parietal lobe, while indirect implication was found for sites within the language, motor, or attentional networks. The right parietal lobe can be considered as causally influencing the gap acceptance decision. Other positive sites were all accompanied with dysfunction in other cognitive functions, and therefore should probably not be considered as the site of TTC estimation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robin Baurès
- CerCo, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, UPS, CHU Purpan, Toulouse, France
| | - Solène Leblond
- CerCo, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, UPS, CHU Purpan, Toulouse, France
| | - Andrea Dewailly
- CerCo, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, UPS, CHU Purpan, Toulouse, France
| | - Marta Cherubini
- CerCo, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, UPS, CHU Purpan, Toulouse, France
| | | | | | | | - Franck Emmanuel Roux
- CerCo, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, UPS, CHU Purpan, Toulouse, France
- Pôle Neurosciences (Neurochirurgie), Centres Hospitalo-Universitaires, Toulouse, France
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3
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Delle Monache S, Paolocci G, Scalici F, Conti A, Lacquaniti F, Indovina I, Bosco G. Interception of vertically approaching objects: temporal recruitment of the internal model of gravity and contribution of optical information. Front Physiol 2023; 14:1266332. [PMID: 38046950 PMCID: PMC10690631 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2023.1266332] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2023] [Accepted: 11/07/2023] [Indexed: 12/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction: Recent views posit that precise control of the interceptive timing can be achieved by combining on-line processing of visual information with predictions based on prior experience. Indeed, for interception of free-falling objects under gravity's effects, experimental evidence shows that time-to-contact predictions can be derived from an internal gravity representation in the vestibular cortex. However, whether the internal gravity model is fully engaged at the target motion outset or reinforced by visual motion processing at later stages of motion is not yet clear. Moreover, there is no conclusive evidence about the relative contribution of internalized gravity and optical information in determining the time-to-contact estimates. Methods: We sought to gain insight on this issue by asking 32 participants to intercept free falling objects approaching directly from above in virtual reality. Object motion had durations comprised between 800 and 1100 ms and it could be either congruent with gravity (1 g accelerated motion) or not (constant velocity or -1 g decelerated motion). We analyzed accuracy and precision of the interceptive responses, and fitted them to Bayesian regression models, which included predictors related to the recruitment of a priori gravity information at different times during the target motion, as well as based on available optical information. Results: Consistent with the use of internalized gravity information, interception accuracy and precision were significantly higher with 1 g motion. Moreover, Bayesian regression indicated that interceptive responses were predicted very closely by assuming engagement of the gravity prior 450 ms after the motion onset, and that adding a predictor related to on-line processing of optical information improved only slightly the model predictive power. Discussion: Thus, engagement of a priori gravity information depended critically on the processing of the first 450 ms of visual motion information, exerting a predominant influence on the interceptive timing, compared to continuously available optical information. Finally, these results may support a parallel processing scheme for the control of interceptive timing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sergio Delle Monache
- Laboratory of Visuomotor Control and Gravitational Physiology, IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, Rome, Italy
- Department of Systems Medicine and Centre for Space BioMedicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Gianluca Paolocci
- Department of Systems Medicine and Centre for Space BioMedicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
- Laboratory of Neuromotor Physiology, IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, Rome, Italy
| | - Francesco Scalici
- Department of Systems Medicine and Centre for Space BioMedicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
- Laboratory of Neuromotor Physiology, IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, Rome, Italy
| | - Allegra Conti
- Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Francesco Lacquaniti
- Department of Systems Medicine and Centre for Space BioMedicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
- Laboratory of Neuromotor Physiology, IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, Rome, Italy
| | - Iole Indovina
- Laboratory of Neuromotor Physiology, IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, Rome, Italy
- Brain Mapping Lab, Department of Biomedical and Dental Sciences and Morphofunctional Imaging, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
| | - Gianfranco Bosco
- Department of Systems Medicine and Centre for Space BioMedicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
- Laboratory of Neuromotor Physiology, IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, Rome, Italy
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4
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Hirano R, Numasawa K, Yoshimura Y, Miyamoto T, Kizuka T, Ono S. The effect of eccentricity on visual motion prediction in peripheral vision. Physiol Rep 2023; 11:e15877. [PMID: 37985195 PMCID: PMC10659946 DOI: 10.14814/phy2.15877] [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: 06/20/2023] [Revised: 11/10/2023] [Accepted: 11/10/2023] [Indexed: 11/22/2023] Open
Abstract
The purpose of the current study was to clarify the effect of eccentricity on visual motion prediction using a time-to-contact (TTC) task. TTC indicates the predictive ability to accurately estimate the time-to-contact of a moving object based on visual motion perception. We also measured motion reaction time (motion RT) as an indicator of the speed of visual motion perception. The TTC task was to press a button when the moving target would arrive at the stationary goal. In the occluded condition, the target dot was occluded 500 ms before the time to contact. The motion RT task was to press a button as soon as the target moved. The visual targets were randomly presented at five different eccentricities (4°, 6°, 8°, 10°, 12°) and moved on a circular trajectory at a constant tangent velocity (8°/s) to keep the eccentricity constant. Our results showed that TTC in the occluded condition showed an earlier response as the eccentricity increased. Furthermore, the motion RT became longer as the eccentricity increased. Therefore, it is most likely that a slower speed perception in peripheral vision delays the perceived speed of motion onset and leads to an earlier response in the TTC task.
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Affiliation(s)
- Riku Hirano
- Graduate School of Comprehensive Human SciencesUniversity of TsukubaIbarakiJapan
| | - Kosuke Numasawa
- Graduate School of Comprehensive Human SciencesUniversity of TsukubaIbarakiJapan
| | - Yusei Yoshimura
- Graduate School of Comprehensive Human SciencesUniversity of TsukubaIbarakiJapan
| | - Takeshi Miyamoto
- Graduate School of MedicineKyoto UniversityKyotoJapan
- Japan Society for the Promotion of ScienceTokyoJapan
| | - Tomohiro Kizuka
- Institute of Health and Sport SciencesUniversity of TsukubaIbarakiJapan
| | - Seiji Ono
- Institute of Health and Sport SciencesUniversity of TsukubaIbarakiJapan
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5
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Pérez O, Delle Monache S, Lacquaniti F, Bosco G, Merchant H. Rhythmic tapping to a moving beat motion kinematics overrules natural gravity. iScience 2023; 26:107543. [PMID: 37744410 PMCID: PMC10517406 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.107543] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2023] [Revised: 05/30/2023] [Accepted: 08/01/2023] [Indexed: 09/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Beat induction is the cognitive ability that allows humans to listen to a regular pulse in music and move in synchrony with it. Although auditory rhythmic cues induce more consistent synchronization than flashing visual metronomes, this auditory-visual asymmetry can be canceled by visual moving stimuli. Here, we investigated whether the naturalness of visual motion or its kinematics could provide a synchronization advantage over flashing metronomes. Subjects were asked to tap in sync with visual metronomes defined by vertically accelerating/decelerating motion, either congruent or not with natural gravity; horizontally accelerating/decelerating motion; or flashing stimuli. We found that motion kinematics was the predominant factor determining rhythm synchronization, as accelerating moving metronomes in any cardinal direction produced more precise and predictive tapping than decelerating or flashing conditions. Our results support the notion that accelerating visual metronomes convey a strong sense of beat, as seen in the cueing movements of an orchestra director.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oswaldo Pérez
- Escuela Nacional de Estudios Superiores Unidad Juriquilla, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Boulevard Juriquilla No. 3001, Querétaro, Qro 76230, México
| | - Sergio Delle Monache
- Laboratory of Visuomotor Control and Gravitational Physiology, IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, 00179 Rome, Italy
- Department of Civil Engineering and Computer Science Engineering, University of Rome Tor Vergata, 00133 Rome, Italy
| | - Francesco Lacquaniti
- Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
- Centre of Space Bio-medicine, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Rome, Italy
- Laboratory of Neuromotor Physiology, IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, Rome, Italy
| | - Gianfranco Bosco
- Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
- Centre of Space Bio-medicine, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Rome, Italy
- Laboratory of Neuromotor Physiology, IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, Rome, Italy
| | - Hugo Merchant
- Instituto de Neurobiología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Campus Juriquilla, Boulevard Juriquilla No. 3001, Querétaro, Qro 76230, México
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van der Weel FR(R, Sokolovskis I, Raja V, van der Meer ALH. Neural Aspects of Prospective Control through Resonating Taus in an Interceptive Timing Task. Brain Sci 2022; 12:brainsci12121737. [PMID: 36552196 PMCID: PMC9776417 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci12121737] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2022] [Revised: 12/14/2022] [Accepted: 12/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
High-density electroencephalography from visual and motor cortices in addition to kinematic hand and target movement recordings were used to investigate τ-coupling between brain activity patterns and physical movements in an interceptive timing task. Twelve adult participants were presented with a target car moving towards a destination at three constant accelerations, and an effector dot was available to intercept the car at the destination with a swift movement of the finger. A τ-coupling analysis was used to investigate involvement of perception and action variables at both the ecological scale of behavior and neural scale. By introducing the concept of resonance, the underlying dynamics of interceptive actions were investigated. A variety of one- and two-scale τ-coupling analyses showed significant differences in distinguishing between slow, medium, and fast target speed when car motion and finger movement, VEP and MRP brain activity, VEP and car motion, and MRP and finger movement were involved. These results suggested that the temporal structure present at the ecological scale is reflected at the neural scale. The results further showed a strong effect of target speed, indicating that τ-coupling constants k and kres increased with higher speeds of the moving target. It was concluded that τ-coupling can be considered a valuable tool when combining different types of variables at both the ecological and neural levels of analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- F. R. (Ruud) van der Weel
- Developmental Neuroscience Laboratory, Department of Psychology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), 7491 Trondheim, Norway
| | - Ingemārs Sokolovskis
- Developmental Neuroscience Laboratory, Department of Psychology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), 7491 Trondheim, Norway
- Kavli Institute for Systems Neuroscience, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), 7491 Trondheim, Norway
| | - Vicente Raja
- Department of Philosophy, University of Murcia, 30100 Murcia, Spain
- Rotman Institute of Philosophy, Western University, London, ON N6A 5B7, Canada
| | - Audrey L. H. van der Meer
- Developmental Neuroscience Laboratory, Department of Psychology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), 7491 Trondheim, Norway
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +47-73552049
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7
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Delle Monache S, Indovina I, Zago M, Daprati E, Lacquaniti F, Bosco G. Watching the Effects of Gravity. Vestibular Cortex and the Neural Representation of "Visual" Gravity. Front Integr Neurosci 2021; 15:793634. [PMID: 34924968 PMCID: PMC8671301 DOI: 10.3389/fnint.2021.793634] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2021] [Accepted: 11/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Gravity is a physical constraint all terrestrial species have adapted to through evolution. Indeed, gravity effects are taken into account in many forms of interaction with the environment, from the seemingly simple task of maintaining balance to the complex motor skills performed by athletes and dancers. Graviceptors, primarily located in the vestibular otolith organs, feed the Central Nervous System with information related to the gravity acceleration vector. This information is integrated with signals from semicircular canals, vision, and proprioception in an ensemble of interconnected brain areas, including the vestibular nuclei, cerebellum, thalamus, insula, retroinsula, parietal operculum, and temporo-parietal junction, in the so-called vestibular network. Classical views consider this stage of multisensory integration as instrumental to sort out conflicting and/or ambiguous information from the incoming sensory signals. However, there is compelling evidence that it also contributes to an internal representation of gravity effects based on prior experience with the environment. This a priori knowledge could be engaged by various types of information, including sensory signals like the visual ones, which lack a direct correspondence with physical gravity. Indeed, the retinal accelerations elicited by gravitational motion in a visual scene are not invariant, but scale with viewing distance. Moreover, the "visual" gravity vector may not be aligned with physical gravity, as when we watch a scene on a tilted monitor or in weightlessness. This review will discuss experimental evidence from behavioral, neuroimaging (connectomics, fMRI, TMS), and patients' studies, supporting the idea that the internal model estimating the effects of gravity on visual objects is constructed by transforming the vestibular estimates of physical gravity, which are computed in the brainstem and cerebellum, into internalized estimates of virtual gravity, stored in the vestibular cortex. The integration of the internal model of gravity with visual and non-visual signals would take place at multiple levels in the cortex and might involve recurrent connections between early visual areas engaged in the analysis of spatio-temporal features of the visual stimuli and higher visual areas in temporo-parietal-insular regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sergio Delle Monache
- UniCamillus—Saint Camillus International University of Health Sciences, Rome, Italy
- Laboratory of Neuromotor Physiology, IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, Rome, Italy
| | - Iole Indovina
- Laboratory of Neuromotor Physiology, IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, Rome, Italy
- Department of Biomedical and Dental Sciences and Morphofunctional Imaging, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
| | - Myrka Zago
- Laboratory of Neuromotor Physiology, IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, Rome, Italy
- Center for Space Biomedicine, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Rome, Italy
- Department of Civil and Computer Engineering, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Rome, Italy
| | - Elena Daprati
- Laboratory of Neuromotor Physiology, IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, Rome, Italy
- Center for Space Biomedicine, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Rome, Italy
- Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Rome, Italy
| | - Francesco Lacquaniti
- Laboratory of Neuromotor Physiology, IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, Rome, Italy
- Center for Space Biomedicine, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Rome, Italy
- Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Rome, Italy
| | - Gianfranco Bosco
- Laboratory of Neuromotor Physiology, IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, Rome, Italy
- Center for Space Biomedicine, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Rome, Italy
- Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Rome, Italy
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8
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Resolving visual motion through perceptual gaps. Trends Cogn Sci 2021; 25:978-991. [PMID: 34489180 DOI: 10.1016/j.tics.2021.07.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2021] [Revised: 07/27/2021] [Accepted: 07/30/2021] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Perceptual gaps can be caused by objects in the foreground temporarily occluding objects in the background or by eyeblinks, which briefly but frequently interrupt visual information. Resolving visual motion across perceptual gaps is particularly challenging, as object position changes during the gap. We examine how visual motion is maintained and updated through externally driven (occlusion) and internally driven (eyeblinks) perceptual gaps. Focusing on both phenomenology and potential mechanisms such as suppression, extrapolation, and integration, we present a framework for how perceptual gaps are resolved over space and time. We finish by highlighting critical questions and directions for future work.
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9
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Gallagher M, Kearney B, Ferrè ER. Where is my hand in space? The internal model of gravity influences proprioception. Biol Lett 2021; 17:20210115. [PMID: 34062087 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2021.0115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Knowing where our limbs are in space is crucial for a successful interaction with the external world. Joint position sense (JPS) relies on both cues from muscle spindles and joint mechanoreceptors, as well as the effort required to move. However, JPS may also rely on the perceived external force on the limb, such as the gravitational field. It is well known that the internal model of gravity plays a large role in perception and behaviour. Thus, we have explored whether direct vestibular-gravitational cues could influence JPS. Participants passively estimated the position of their hand while they were upright and therefore aligned with terrestrial gravity, or pitch-tilted 45° backwards from gravity. Overall participants overestimated the position of their hand in both upright and tilted postures; however, the proprioceptive bias was significantly reduced when participants were tilted. Our findings therefore suggest that the internal model of gravity may influence and update JPS in order to allow the organism to interact with the environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Gallagher
- Department of Psychology, Royal Holloway, University of London, Egham, Surrey TW20 0EX, UK.,School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF10 3AT, UK
| | - Breanne Kearney
- Department of Psychology, Royal Holloway, University of London, Egham, Surrey TW20 0EX, UK
| | - Elisa Raffaella Ferrè
- Department of Psychology, Royal Holloway, University of London, Egham, Surrey TW20 0EX, UK
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10
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Breveglieri R, Bosco A, Borgomaneri S, Tessari A, Galletti C, Avenanti A, Fattori P. Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Over the Human Medial Posterior Parietal Cortex Disrupts Depth Encoding During Reach Planning. Cereb Cortex 2021; 31:267-280. [PMID: 32995831 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhaa224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2020] [Revised: 07/01/2020] [Accepted: 07/23/2020] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Accumulating evidence supports the view that the medial part of the posterior parietal cortex (mPPC) is involved in the planning of reaching, but while plenty of studies investigated reaching performed toward different directions, only a few studied different depths. Here, we investigated the causal role of mPPC (putatively, human area V6A-hV6A) in encoding depth and direction of reaching. Specifically, we applied single-pulse transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) over the left hV6A at different time points while 15 participants were planning immediate, visually guided reaching by using different eye-hand configurations. We found that TMS delivered over hV6A 200 ms after the Go signal affected the encoding of the depth of reaching by decreasing the accuracy of movements toward targets located farther with respect to the gazed position, but only when they were also far from the body. The effectiveness of both retinotopic (farther with respect to the gaze) and spatial position (far from the body) is in agreement with the presence in the monkey V6A of neurons employing either retinotopic, spatial, or mixed reference frames during reach plan. This work provides the first causal evidence of the critical role of hV6A in the planning of visually guided reaching movements in depth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rossella Breveglieri
- Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, University of Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy
| | - Annalisa Bosco
- Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, University of Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy
| | - Sara Borgomaneri
- Center for studies and research in Cognitive Neuroscience, University of Bologna, 47521 Cesena, Italy.,IRCCS, Santa Lucia Foundation, 00179 Rome, Italy
| | - Alessia Tessari
- Department of Psychology, University of Bologna, 40127 Bologna, Italy
| | - Claudio Galletti
- Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, University of Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy
| | - Alessio Avenanti
- Center for studies and research in Cognitive Neuroscience, University of Bologna, 47521 Cesena, Italy.,Center for research in Neuropsychology and Cognitive Neurosciences, Catholic University of Maule, 3460000 Talca, Chile
| | - Patrizia Fattori
- Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, University of Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy
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11
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Villacorta-Atienza JA, Calvo Tapia C, Díez-Hermano S, Sánchez-Jiménez A, Lobov S, Krilova N, Murciano A, López-Tolsa GE, Pellón R, Makarov VA. Static internal representation of dynamic situations reveals time compaction in human cognition. J Adv Res 2020; 28:111-125. [PMID: 33364049 PMCID: PMC7753960 DOI: 10.1016/j.jare.2020.08.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2020] [Revised: 08/05/2020] [Accepted: 08/11/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction The human brain has evolved under the constraint of survival in complex dynamic situations. It makes fast and reliable decisions based on internal representations of the environment. Whereas neural mechanisms involved in the internal representation of space are becoming known, entire spatiotemporal cognition remains a challenge. Growing experimental evidence suggests that brain mechanisms devoted to spatial cognition may also participate in spatiotemporal information processing. Objectives The time compaction hypothesis postulates that the brain represents both static and dynamic situations as purely static maps. Such an internal reduction of the external complexity allows humans to process time-changing situations in real-time efficiently. According to time compaction, there may be a deep inner similarity between the representation of conventional static and dynamic visual stimuli. Here, we test the hypothesis and report the first experimental evidence of time compaction in humans. Methods We engaged human subjects in a discrimination-learning task consisting in the classification of static and dynamic visual stimuli. When there was a hidden correspondence between static and dynamic stimuli due to time compaction, the learning performance was expected to be modulated. We studied such a modulation experimentally and by a computational model. Results The collected data validated the predicted learning modulation and confirmed that time compaction is a salient cognitive strategy adopted by the human brain to process time-changing situations. Mathematical modelling supported the finding. We also revealed that men are more prone to exploit time compaction in accordance with the context of the hypothesis as a cognitive basis for survival. Conclusions The static internal representation of dynamic situations is a human cognitive mechanism involved in decision-making and strategy planning to cope with time-changing environments. The finding opens a new venue to understand how humans efficiently interact with our dynamic world and thrive in nature.
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Affiliation(s)
- José Antonio Villacorta-Atienza
- B.E.E. Department, Faculty of Biology, Complutense University of Madrid, Spain.,Institute of Interdisciplinary Mathematics, Complutense University of Madrid, Spain
| | - Carlos Calvo Tapia
- Institute of Interdisciplinary Mathematics, Complutense University of Madrid, Spain
| | - Sergio Díez-Hermano
- B.E.E. Department, Faculty of Biology, Complutense University of Madrid, Spain
| | - Abel Sánchez-Jiménez
- B.E.E. Department, Faculty of Biology, Complutense University of Madrid, Spain.,Institute of Interdisciplinary Mathematics, Complutense University of Madrid, Spain
| | - Sergey Lobov
- Neural Network Technologies Lab, Lobachevsky State University of Nizhny Novgorod, Russia
| | - Nadia Krilova
- Neural Network Technologies Lab, Lobachevsky State University of Nizhny Novgorod, Russia
| | - Antonio Murciano
- B.E.E. Department, Faculty of Biology, Complutense University of Madrid, Spain
| | - Gabriela E López-Tolsa
- Department of Basic Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, National Distance Education University, Spain
| | - Ricardo Pellón
- Department of Basic Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, National Distance Education University, Spain
| | - Valeri A Makarov
- Institute of Interdisciplinary Mathematics, Complutense University of Madrid, Spain.,Neural Network Technologies Lab, Lobachevsky State University of Nizhny Novgorod, Russia
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12
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Baurès R, Fourteau M, Thébault S, Gazard C, Pasquio L, Meneghini G, Perrin J, Rosito M, Durand JB, Roux FE. Time-to-contact perception in the brain. J Neurosci Res 2020; 99:455-466. [PMID: 33070400 DOI: 10.1002/jnr.24740] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2020] [Revised: 09/14/2020] [Accepted: 09/30/2020] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Time-to-contact (TTC) perception refers to the ability of an observer to estimate the remaining time before an object reaches a point in the environment, and is of crucial importance in daily life. Noninvasive correlational approaches have identified several brain areas sensitive to TTC information. Here we report the results of two studies, including one during an awake brain surgery, that aimed to identify the specific areas causally engaged in the TTC estimation process. In Study 1, we tested 40 patients with brain tumor in a TTC estimation task. The results showed that four of the six patients with impaired performance had tumors in right upper parietal cortex, although this tumoral location represented only six over 40 patients. In Study 2, 15 patients underwent awake brain surgery electrostimulation mapping to examine the implication of various brain areas in the TTC estimation process. We acquired and normalized to MNI space the coordinates of the functional areas that influenced task performance. Our results seem to demonstrate that the early stage of the TTC estimation process involved specific cortical territories in the ventral region of the right intraparietal sulcus. Downstream processing of TTC could also involve the frontal eye field (middle frontal gyrus) related to ocular search. We also found that deactivating language areas in the left hemisphere interfered with the TTC estimation process. These findings demonstrate a fine grained, cortical representation of TTC processing close to the ventral right intraparietal sulcus and complement those described in other human studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robin Baurès
- CerCo, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, UPS, CHU Purpan, Toulouse Cedex 9, France
| | - Marie Fourteau
- CerCo, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, UPS, CHU Purpan, Toulouse Cedex 9, France
| | - Salomé Thébault
- CerCo, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, UPS, CHU Purpan, Toulouse Cedex 9, France
| | - Chloé Gazard
- CerCo, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, UPS, CHU Purpan, Toulouse Cedex 9, France
| | - Léa Pasquio
- CerCo, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, UPS, CHU Purpan, Toulouse Cedex 9, France
| | - Giulia Meneghini
- CerCo, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, UPS, CHU Purpan, Toulouse Cedex 9, France
| | - Juliette Perrin
- CerCo, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, UPS, CHU Purpan, Toulouse Cedex 9, France
| | - Maxime Rosito
- CerCo, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, UPS, CHU Purpan, Toulouse Cedex 9, France
| | | | - Franck-Emmanuel Roux
- CerCo, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, UPS, CHU Purpan, Toulouse Cedex 9, France.,Pôle Neurosciences (Neurochirurgie), Centres Hospitalo-Universitaires, Toulouse, France
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13
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The role of cortical areas hMT/V5+ and TPJ on the magnitude of representational momentum and representational gravity: a transcranial magnetic stimulation study. Exp Brain Res 2019; 237:3375-3390. [PMID: 31728598 DOI: 10.1007/s00221-019-05683-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2019] [Accepted: 11/07/2019] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
The perceived vanishing location of a moving target is systematically displaced forward, in the direction of motion-representational momentum-, and downward, in the direction of gravity-representational gravity. Despite a wealth of research on the factors that modulate these phenomena, little is known regarding their neurophysiological substrates. The present experiment aims to explore which role is played by cortical areas hMT/V5+, linked to the processing of visual motion, and TPJ, thought to support the functioning of an internal model of gravity, in modulating both effects. Participants were required to perform a standard spatial localization task while the activity of the right hMT/V5+ or TPJ sites was selectively disrupted with an offline continuous theta-burst stimulation (cTBS) protocol, interspersed with control blocks with no stimulation. Eye movements were recorded during all spatial localizations. Results revealed an increase in representational gravity contingent on the disruption of the activity of hMT/V5+ and, conversely, some evidence suggested a bigger representational momentum when TPJ was stimulated. Furthermore, stimulation of hMT/V5+ led to a decreased ocular overshoot and to a time-dependent downward drift of gaze location. These outcomes suggest that a reciprocal balance between perceived kinematics and anticipated dynamics might modulate these spatial localization responses, compatible with a push-pull mechanism.
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14
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Delle Monache S, Lacquaniti F, Bosco G. Ocular tracking of occluded ballistic trajectories: Effects of visual context and of target law of motion. J Vis 2019; 19:13. [PMID: 30952164 DOI: 10.1167/19.4.13] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
In tracking a moving target, the visual context may provide cues for an observer to interpret the causal nature of the target motion and extract features to which the visual system is weakly sensitive, such as target acceleration. This information could be critical when vision of the target is temporarily impeded, requiring visual motion extrapolation processes. Here we investigated how visual context influences ocular tracking of motion either congruent or not with natural gravity. To this end, 28 subjects tracked computer-simulated ballistic trajectories either perturbed in the descending segment with altered gravity effects (0g/2g) or retaining natural-like motion (1g). Shortly after the perturbation (550 ms), targets disappeared for either 450 or 650 ms and became visible again until landing. Target motion occurred with either quasi-realistic pictorial cues or a uniform background, presented in counterbalanced order. We analyzed saccadic and pursuit movements after 0g and 2g target-motion perturbations and for corresponding intervals of unperturbed 1g trajectories, as well as after corresponding occlusions. Moreover, we considered the eye-to-target distance at target reappearance. Tracking parameters differed significantly between scenarios: With a neutral background, eye movements did not depend consistently on target motion, whereas with pictorial background they showed significant dependence, denoting better tracking of accelerated targets. These results suggest that oculomotor control is tuned to realistic properties of the visual scene.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sergio Delle Monache
- Department of Systems Medicine, Neuroscience Section, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy.,Center of Space Biomedicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy.,Laboratory of Neuromotor Physiology, Santa Lucia Foundation, Rome, Italy
| | - Francesco Lacquaniti
- Department of Systems Medicine, Neuroscience Section, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy.,Center of Space Biomedicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy.,Laboratory of Neuromotor Physiology, Santa Lucia Foundation, Rome, Italy
| | - Gianfranco Bosco
- Department of Systems Medicine, Neuroscience Section, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy.,Center of Space Biomedicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy.,Laboratory of Neuromotor Physiology, Santa Lucia Foundation, Rome, Italy
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15
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La Scaleia B, Lacquaniti F, Zago M. Body orientation contributes to modelling the effects of gravity for target interception in humans. J Physiol 2019; 597:2021-2043. [PMID: 30644996 DOI: 10.1113/jp277469] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2018] [Accepted: 01/09/2019] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
KEY POINTS It is known that interception of targets accelerated by gravity involves internal models coupled with visual signals. Non-visual signals related to head and body orientation relative to gravity may also contribute, although their role is poorly understood. In a novel experiment, we asked pitched observers to hit a virtual target approaching with an acceleration that was either coherent or incoherent with their pitch-tilt. Initially, the timing errors were large and independent of the coherence between target acceleration and observer's pitch. With practice, however, the timing errors became substantially smaller in the coherent conditions. The results show that information about head and body orientation can contribute to modelling the effects of gravity on a moving target. Orientation cues from vestibular and somatosensory signals might be integrated with visual signals in the vestibular cortex, where the internal model of gravity is assumed to be encoded. ABSTRACT Interception of moving targets relies on visual signals and internal models. Less is known about the additional contribution of non-visual cues about head and body orientation relative to gravity. We took advantage of Galileo's law of motion along an incline to demonstrate the effects of vestibular and somatosensory cues about head and body orientation on interception timing. Participants were asked to hit a ball rolling in a gutter towards the eyes, resulting in image expansion. The scene was presented in a head-mounted display, without any visual information about gravity direction. In separate blocks of trials participants were pitched backwards by 20° or 60°, whereas ball acceleration was randomized across trials so as to be compatible with rolling down a slope of 20° or 60°. Initially, the timing errors were large, independently of the coherence between ball acceleration and pitch angle, consistent with responses based exclusively on visual information because visual stimuli were identical at both tilts. At the end of the experiment, however, the timing errors were systematically smaller in the coherent conditions than the incoherent ones. Moreover, the responses were significantly (P = 0.007) earlier when participants were pitched by 60° than when they were pitched by 20°. Therefore, practice with the task led to incorporation of information about head and body orientation relative to gravity for response timing. Instead, posture did not affect response timing in a control experiment in which participants hit a static target in synchrony with the last of a predictable series of stationary audiovisual stimuli.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbara La Scaleia
- Laboratory of Neuromotor Physiology, IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, Rome, Italy
| | - Francesco Lacquaniti
- Laboratory of Neuromotor Physiology, IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, Rome, Italy.,Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy.,Centre of Space Bio-medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Myrka Zago
- Laboratory of Neuromotor Physiology, IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, Rome, Italy.,Department of Civil Engineering and Computer Science Engineering, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
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16
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Brenner E, Smeets JBJ. Continuously updating one’s predictions underlies successful interception. J Neurophysiol 2018; 120:3257-3274. [DOI: 10.1152/jn.00517.2018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
This paper reviews our understanding of the interception of moving objects. Interception is a demanding task that requires both spatial and temporal precision. The required precision must be achieved on the basis of imprecise and sometimes biased sensory information. We argue that people make precise interceptive movements by continuously adjusting their movements. Initial estimates of how the movement should progress can be quite inaccurate. As the movement evolves, the estimate of how the rest of the movement should progress gradually becomes more reliable as prediction is replaced by sensory information about the progress of the movement. The improvement is particularly important when things do not progress as anticipated. Constantly adjusting one’s estimate of how the movement should progress combines the opportunity to move in a way that one anticipates will best meet the task demands with correcting for any errors in such anticipation. The fact that the ongoing movement might have to be adjusted can be considered when determining how to move, and any systematic anticipation errors can be corrected on the basis of the outcome of earlier actions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eli Brenner
- Department of Human Movement Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Jeroen B. J. Smeets
- Department of Human Movement Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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