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Frank SM. Transfer of Tactile Learning to Untrained Body Parts: Emerging Cortical Mechanisms. Neuroscientist 2024:10738584241256277. [PMID: 38813891 DOI: 10.1177/10738584241256277] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/31/2024]
Abstract
Pioneering investigations in the mid-19th century revealed that the perception of tactile cues presented to the surface of the skin improves with training, which is referred to as tactile learning. Surprisingly, tactile learning also occurs for body parts and skin locations that are not physically involved in the training. For example, after training of a finger, tactile learning transfers to adjacent untrained fingers. This suggests that the transfer of tactile learning follows a somatotopic pattern and involves brain regions such as the primary somatosensory cortex (S1), in which the trained and untrained body parts and skin locations are represented close to each other. However, other results showed that transfer occurs between body parts that are not represented close to each other in S1-for example, between the hand and the foot. These and similar findings have led to the suggestion of additional cortical mechanisms to explain the transfer of tactile learning. Here, different mechanisms are reviewed, and the extent to which they can explain the transfer of tactile learning is discussed. What all of these mechanisms have in common is that they assume a representational or functional relationship between the trained and untrained body parts and skin locations. However, none of these mechanisms alone can explain the complex pattern of transfer results, and it is likely that different mechanisms interact to enable transfer, perhaps in concert with higher somatosensory and decision-making areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian M Frank
- Institute for Experimental Psychology, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
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2
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Belavy DL, Tagliaferri SD, Tegenthoff M, Enax-Krumova E, Schlaffke L, Bühring B, Schulte TL, Schmidt S, Wilke HJ, Angelova M, Trudel G, Ehrenbrusthoff K, Fitzgibbon B, Van Oosterwijck J, Miller CT, Owen PJ, Bowe S, Döding R, Kaczorowski S. Evidence- and data-driven classification of low back pain via artificial intelligence: Protocol of the PREDICT-LBP study. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0282346. [PMID: 37603539 PMCID: PMC10441794 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0282346] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2022] [Accepted: 02/10/2023] [Indexed: 08/23/2023] Open
Abstract
In patients presenting with low back pain (LBP), once specific causes are excluded (fracture, infection, inflammatory arthritis, cancer, cauda equina and radiculopathy) many clinicians pose a diagnosis of non-specific LBP. Accordingly, current management of non-specific LBP is generic. There is a need for a classification of non-specific LBP that is both data- and evidence-based assessing multi-dimensional pain-related factors in a large sample size. The "PRedictive Evidence Driven Intelligent Classification Tool for Low Back Pain" (PREDICT-LBP) project is a prospective cross-sectional study which will compare 300 women and men with non-specific LBP (aged 18-55 years) with 100 matched referents without a history of LBP. Participants will be recruited from the general public and local medical facilities. Data will be collected on spinal tissue (intervertebral disc composition and morphology, vertebral fat fraction and paraspinal muscle size and composition via magnetic resonance imaging [MRI]), central nervous system adaptation (pain thresholds, temporal summation of pain, brain resting state functional connectivity, structural connectivity and regional volumes via MRI), psychosocial factors (e.g. depression, anxiety) and other musculoskeletal pain symptoms. Dimensionality reduction, cluster validation and fuzzy c-means clustering methods, classification models, and relevant sensitivity analyses, will classify non-specific LBP patients into sub-groups. This project represents a first personalised diagnostic approach to non-specific LBP, with potential for widespread uptake in clinical practice. This project will provide evidence to support clinical trials assessing specific treatments approaches for potential subgroups of patients with non-specific LBP. The classification tool may lead to better patient outcomes and reduction in economic costs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel L. Belavy
- Division of Physiotherapy, Department of Applied Health Sciences, Hochschule für Gesundheit (University of Applied Sciences), Bochum, Germany
| | - Scott D. Tagliaferri
- Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition, School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria, Australia
| | - Martin Tegenthoff
- Department of Neurology, BG-University Hospital Bergmannsheil gGmbH, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Elena Enax-Krumova
- Department of Neurology, BG-University Hospital Bergmannsheil gGmbH, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Lara Schlaffke
- Department of Neurology, BG-University Hospital Bergmannsheil gGmbH, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Björn Bühring
- Internistische Rheumatologie, Krankenhaus St. Josef Wuppertal, Wuppertal, Germany
| | - Tobias L. Schulte
- Department of Orthopaedics and Trauma Surgery, St. Josef-Hospital Bochum, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Sein Schmidt
- Berlin Institute of Health, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Hans-Joachim Wilke
- Institute of Orthopaedic Research and Biomechanics, Trauma Research Center Ulm, University Hospital Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Maia Angelova
- School of Information Technology, Deakin University, Geelong, Australia
| | - Guy Trudel
- Clinical Epidemiology Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, Canada
| | - Katja Ehrenbrusthoff
- Division of Physiotherapy, Department of Applied Health Sciences, Hochschule für Gesundheit (University of Applied Sciences), Bochum, Germany
| | - Bernadette Fitzgibbon
- Monarch Research Institute, Monarch Mental Health Group, Melbourne, Australia
- School of Psychology and Medicine, Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
- Department of Psychiatry, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | | | - Clint T. Miller
- Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition, School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria, Australia
| | - Patrick J. Owen
- Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition, School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria, Australia
| | - Steven Bowe
- Faculty of Health, Deakin University, Geelong, Australia
- Te Kura Tātai Hauora-The School of Health, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Rebekka Döding
- Division of Physiotherapy, Department of Applied Health Sciences, Hochschule für Gesundheit (University of Applied Sciences), Bochum, Germany
| | - Svenja Kaczorowski
- Division of Physiotherapy, Department of Applied Health Sciences, Hochschule für Gesundheit (University of Applied Sciences), Bochum, Germany
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3
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Torres FDF, Ramalho BL, Rodrigues MR, Schmaedeke AC, Moraes VH, Reilly KT, Carvalho RDP, Vargas CD. Plasticity of face-hand sensorimotor circuits after a traumatic brachial plexus injury. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1221777. [PMID: 37609451 PMCID: PMC10440702 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1221777] [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: 05/12/2023] [Accepted: 07/17/2023] [Indexed: 08/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Interactions between the somatosensory and motor cortices are of fundamental importance for motor control. Although physically distant, face and hand representations are side by side in the sensorimotor cortex and interact functionally. Traumatic brachial plexus injury (TBPI) interferes with upper limb sensorimotor function, causes bilateral cortical reorganization, and is associated with chronic pain. Thus, TBPI may affect sensorimotor interactions between face and hand representations. Objective The aim of this study was to investigate changes in hand-hand and face-hand sensorimotor integration in TBPI patients using an afferent inhibition (AI) paradigm. Method The experimental design consisted of electrical stimulation (ES) applied to the hand or face followed by transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to the primary motor cortex to activate a hand muscle representation. In the AI paradigm, the motor evoked potential (MEP) in a target muscle is significantly reduced when preceded by an ES at short-latency (SAI) or long-latency (LAI) interstimulus intervals. We tested 18 healthy adults (control group, CG), evaluated on the dominant upper limb, and nine TBPI patients, evaluated on the injured or the uninjured limb. A detailed clinical evaluation complemented the physiological investigation. Results Although hand-hand SAI was present in both the CG and the TBPI groups, hand-hand LAI was present in the CG only. Moreover, less AI was observed in TBPI patients than the CG both for face-hand SAI and LAI. Conclusion Our results indicate that sensorimotor integration involving both hand and face sensorimotor representations is affected by TBPI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fernanda de Figueiredo Torres
- Laboratory of Neurobiology of Movement, Institute of Biophysics Carlos Chagas Filho, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Laboratory of Neuroscience and Rehabilitation, Institute of Neurology Deolindo Couto, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Bia Lima Ramalho
- Laboratory of Neurobiology of Movement, Institute of Biophysics Carlos Chagas Filho, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Laboratory of Neuroscience and Rehabilitation, Institute of Neurology Deolindo Couto, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Research, Innovation and Dissemination Center for Neuromathematics, Institute of Mathematics and Statistics, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Marcelle Ribeiro Rodrigues
- Laboratory of Neurobiology of Movement, Institute of Biophysics Carlos Chagas Filho, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Laboratory of Neuroscience and Rehabilitation, Institute of Neurology Deolindo Couto, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Ana Carolina Schmaedeke
- Laboratory of Neurobiology of Movement, Institute of Biophysics Carlos Chagas Filho, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Laboratory of Neuroscience and Rehabilitation, Institute of Neurology Deolindo Couto, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Victor Hugo Moraes
- Laboratory of Neurobiology of Movement, Institute of Biophysics Carlos Chagas Filho, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Laboratory of Neuroscience and Rehabilitation, Institute of Neurology Deolindo Couto, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Karen T. Reilly
- Trajectoires Team, Lyon Neuroscience Research Center, Lyon, France
- University UCBL Lyon 1, University of Lyon, Lyon, France
| | - Raquel de Paula Carvalho
- Laboratory of Neuroscience and Rehabilitation, Institute of Neurology Deolindo Couto, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Research, Innovation and Dissemination Center for Neuromathematics, Institute of Mathematics and Statistics, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
- Laboratory of Child Development and Motricity, Department of Human Movement Science, Institute of Health and Society, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Santos, Brazil
| | - Claudia D. Vargas
- Laboratory of Neurobiology of Movement, Institute of Biophysics Carlos Chagas Filho, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Laboratory of Neuroscience and Rehabilitation, Institute of Neurology Deolindo Couto, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Research, Innovation and Dissemination Center for Neuromathematics, Institute of Mathematics and Statistics, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
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Zlatkina V, Sprung-Much T, Petrides M. Spatial probability maps of the segments of the postcentral sulcus in the human brain. Cereb Cortex 2021; 32:3651-3668. [PMID: 34963136 PMCID: PMC9433426 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhab439] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2021] [Revised: 11/01/2021] [Accepted: 11/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
The postcentral sulcus is the posterior boundary of the postcentral gyrus where the somatosensory cortex is represented. In the human brain, the postcentral sulcus is composed of five distinct segments that are related to the somatosensory representation of different parts of the body. Segment 1 of the postcentral sulcus, located near the dorsomedial boundary of each hemisphere, is associated with toe/leg representations, segment 2 with arm/hand representations, segment 3 with blinking, and segments 4 and 5, which are near the lateral fissure and the parietal operculum, with the mouth and tongue representations. The variability in location and spatial extent of these five segments were quantified in 40 magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) anatomical brain scans registered to the stereotaxic space of the Montreal Neurological Institute (MNI space), in the form of volumetric (using MINC Toolkit) and surface (using FreeSurfer) spatial probability maps. These probability maps can be used by researchers and clinicians to improve the localization of the segments of the postcentral sulcus in MRI images of interest and also to improve the interpretation of the location of activation peaks generated in functional neuroimaging studies investigating somatosensory cortex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veronika Zlatkina
- Address correspondence to Veronika Zlatkina, Montreal Neurological Institute, 3801 University St., Montreal, QC H3A 2B4, Canada.
| | - Trisanna Sprung-Much
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 2B4, Canada
| | - Michael Petrides
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 2B4, Canada
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Ramalho BL, Moly J, Raffin E, Bouet R, Harquel S, Farnè A, Reilly KT. Face-hand sensorimotor interactions revealed by afferent inhibition. Eur J Neurosci 2021; 55:189-200. [PMID: 34796553 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.15536] [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: 01/18/2021] [Accepted: 11/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Reorganization of the sensorimotor cortex following permanent (e.g., amputation) or temporary (e.g., local anaesthesia) deafferentation of the hand has revealed large-scale plastic changes between the hand and face representations that are accompanied by perceptual correlates. The physiological mechanisms underlying this reorganization remain poorly understood. The aim of this study was to investigate sensorimotor interactions between the face and hand using an afferent inhibition transcranial magnetic stimulation protocol in which the motor evoked potential elicited by the magnetic pulse is inhibited when it is preceded by an afferent stimulus. We hypothesized that if face and hand representations in the sensorimotor cortex are functionally coupled, then electrocutaneous stimulation of the face would inhibit hand muscle motor responses. In two separate experiments, we delivered an electrocutaneous stimulus to either the skin over the right upper lip (Experiment 1) or right cheek (Experiment 2) and recorded muscular activity from the right first dorsal interosseous. Both lip and cheek stimulation inhibited right first dorsal interosseous motor evoked potentials. To investigate the specificity of this effect, we conducted two additional experiments in which electrocutaneous stimulation was applied to either the right forearm (Experiment 3) or right upper arm (Experiment 4). Forearm and upper arm stimulation also significantly inhibited the right first dorsal interosseous motor evoked potentials, but this inhibition was less robust than the inhibition associated with face stimulation. These findings provide the first evidence for face-to-hand afferent inhibition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bia Lima Ramalho
- IMPACT and Trajectoires Teams, INSERM U1028, CNRS UMR5292, Lyon Neuroscience Research Center (CRNL), Lyon, France.,University UCBL Lyon 1, University of Lyon, Lyon, France.,Laboratory of Neurobiology II, Institute of Biophysics Carlos Chagas Filho, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.,Research Division, National Institute of Traumatology and Orthopedics Jamil Haddad, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Julien Moly
- IMPACT and Trajectoires Teams, INSERM U1028, CNRS UMR5292, Lyon Neuroscience Research Center (CRNL), Lyon, France.,University UCBL Lyon 1, University of Lyon, Lyon, France
| | - Estelle Raffin
- University Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble Institute of Neuroscience, INSERM U1216, Grenoble, France
| | - Romain Bouet
- University UCBL Lyon 1, University of Lyon, Lyon, France.,Brain Dynamics and Cognition Team - DyCog, Lyon Neuroscience Research Center, INSERM U1028, CRNS-UMR5292, Lyon, France
| | - Sylvain Harquel
- University Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble Institute of Neuroscience, INSERM U1216, Grenoble, France.,Laboratoire de Psychologie et NeuroCognition - LPNC, University Grenoble Alpes, CNRS UMR5105, Grenoble, France.,IRMaGe, University Grenoble-Alpes, CHU Grenoble Alpes, INSERM US17, CNRS UMS3552, Grenoble, France
| | - Alessandro Farnè
- IMPACT and Trajectoires Teams, INSERM U1028, CNRS UMR5292, Lyon Neuroscience Research Center (CRNL), Lyon, France.,University UCBL Lyon 1, University of Lyon, Lyon, France.,Hospices Civils de Lyon, Neuro-immersion, Mouvement and Handicap, Lyon, France.,Center for Mind/Brain Sciences (CIMeC), University of Trento, Trento, Italy
| | - Karen T Reilly
- IMPACT and Trajectoires Teams, INSERM U1028, CNRS UMR5292, Lyon Neuroscience Research Center (CRNL), Lyon, France.,University UCBL Lyon 1, University of Lyon, Lyon, France
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6
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Fuchs X, Diers M, Trojan J, Kirsch P, Milde C, Bekrater-Bodmann R, Rance M, Foell J, Andoh J, Becker S, Flor H. Phantom limb pain after unilateral arm amputation is associated with decreased heat pain thresholds in the face. Eur J Pain 2021; 26:114-132. [PMID: 34288253 DOI: 10.1002/ejp.1842] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The mechanisms underlying chronic phantom limb pain (PLP) are complex and insufficiently understood. Altered sensory thresholds are often associated with chronic pain but quantitative sensory testing (QST) in PLP has so far been inconclusive due to large methodological variation between studies and small sample sizes. METHODS In this study, we applied QST in 37 unilateral upper-limb amputees (23 with and 14 without PLP) and 19 healthy controls. We assessed heat pain (HPT), pressure pain, warmth detection and two-point discrimination thresholds at the residual limb, a homologous point and the thenar of the intact limb as well as both corners of the mouth. RESULTS We did not find significant differences in any of the thresholds between the groups. However, PLP intensity was negatively associated with HPT at all measured body sites except for the residual limb, indicating lower pain thresholds with higher PLP levels. Correlations between HPT and PLP were strongest in the contralateral face (r = -0.65, p < 0.001). Facial HPT were specifically associated with PLP, independent of residual limb pain (RLP) and various other covariates. HPT at the residual limb, however, were significantly associated with RLP, but not with PLP. CONCLUSION We conclude that the association between PLP and, especially facial, HPT could be related to central mechanisms. SIGNIFICANCE Phantom limb pain (PLP) is still poorly understood. We show that PLP intensity is associated with lower heat pain thresholds, especially in the face. This finding could be related to central nervous changes in PLP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xaver Fuchs
- Institute of Cognitive and Clinical Neuroscience, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany.,Biopsychology and Cognitive Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology and Sports Science, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Martin Diers
- Institute of Cognitive and Clinical Neuroscience, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany.,Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, LWL University Hospital, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Jörg Trojan
- Institute of Cognitive and Clinical Neuroscience, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Pinar Kirsch
- Institute of Cognitive and Clinical Neuroscience, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Christopher Milde
- Institute of Cognitive and Clinical Neuroscience, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany.,Department of Psychology, University of Koblenz-Landau, Landau, Germany
| | - Robin Bekrater-Bodmann
- Institute of Cognitive and Clinical Neuroscience, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Mariela Rance
- Institute of Cognitive and Clinical Neuroscience, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany.,Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Jens Foell
- Institute of Cognitive and Clinical Neuroscience, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany.,Department of Psychology, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida, USA
| | - Jamila Andoh
- Institute of Cognitive and Clinical Neuroscience, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany.,Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Central Institute of Mental Health, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Susanne Becker
- Institute of Cognitive and Clinical Neuroscience, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany.,Integrative Spinal Research, Research Chiropractic, Balgrist University Hospital, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Herta Flor
- Institute of Cognitive and Clinical Neuroscience, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
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7
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Akselrod M, Martuzzi R, van der Zwaag W, Blanke O, Serino A. Relation between palm and finger cortical representations in primary somatosensory cortex: A 7T fMRI study. Hum Brain Mapp 2021; 42:2262-2277. [PMID: 33621380 PMCID: PMC8046155 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.25365] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2020] [Revised: 01/20/2021] [Accepted: 01/28/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Many studies focused on the cortical representations of fingers, while the palm is relatively neglected despite its importance for hand function. Here, we investigated palm representation (PR) and its relationship with finger representations (FRs) in primary somatosensory cortex (S1). Few studies in humans suggested that PR is located medially with respect to FRs in S1, yet to date, no study directly quantified the somatotopic organization of PR and the five FRs. Importantly, the link between the somatotopic organization of PR and FRs and their activation properties remains largely unexplored. Using 7T fMRI, we mapped PR and the five FRs at the single subject level. First, we analyzed the cortical distance between PR and FRs to determine their somatotopic organization. Results show that PR was located medially with respect to D5. Second, we tested whether the observed cortical distances would predict the relationship between PR and FRs activations. Using three complementary measures (cross-activations, pattern similarity and resting-state connectivity), we show that the relationship between PR and FRs activations were not determined by their somatotopic organization, that is, there was no gradient moving from D5 to D1, except for resting-state connectivity, which was predicted by the somatotopy. Instead, we show that the representational geometry of PR and FRs activations reflected the physical structure of the hand. Collectively, our findings suggest that the spatial proximity between topographically organized neuronal populations do not necessarily predicts their functional properties, rather the structure of the sensory space (e.g., the hand shape) better describes the observed results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michel Akselrod
- Laboratory MySpace, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, University Hospital of Lausanne (CHUV), Lausanne, Switzerland.,Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience, Brain Mind Institute and Center for Neuroprosthetics, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology of Lausanne (EPFL), Geneva, Switzerland.,Minded Program, CMON Unit, Italian Institute of Technology, Genoa, Italy
| | - Roberto Martuzzi
- Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience, Brain Mind Institute and Center for Neuroprosthetics, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology of Lausanne (EPFL), Geneva, Switzerland.,Foundation Campus Biotech Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | | | - Olaf Blanke
- Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience, Brain Mind Institute and Center for Neuroprosthetics, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology of Lausanne (EPFL), Geneva, Switzerland.,Department of Neurology, University Hospital, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Andrea Serino
- Laboratory MySpace, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, University Hospital of Lausanne (CHUV), Lausanne, Switzerland.,Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience, Brain Mind Institute and Center for Neuroprosthetics, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology of Lausanne (EPFL), Geneva, Switzerland
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8
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Giurgola S, Pisoni A, Maravita A, Vallar G, Bolognini N. Somatosensory cortical representation of the body size. Hum Brain Mapp 2019; 40:3534-3547. [PMID: 31056809 PMCID: PMC6865590 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.24614] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2019] [Revised: 04/12/2019] [Accepted: 04/24/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The knowledge of the size of our own body parts is essential for accurately moving in space and efficiently interact with objects. A distorted perceptual representation of the body size often represents a core diagnostic criterion for some psychopathological conditions. The metric representation of the body was shown to depend on somatosensory afferences: local deafferentation indeed causes a perceptual distortion of the size of the anesthetized body part. A specular effect can be induced by altering the cortical map of body parts in the primary somatosensory cortex. Indeed, the present study demonstrates, in healthy adult participants, that repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation to the somatosensory cortical map of the hand in both hemispheres causes a perceptual distortion (i.e., an overestimation) of the size of the participants' own hand (Experiments 1-3), which does not involve other body parts (i.e., the foot, Experiment 2). Instead, the stimulation of the inferior parietal lobule of both hemispheres does not affect the perception of the own body size (Experiment 4). These results highlight the role of the primary somatosensory cortex in the building up and updating of the metric of body parts: somatosensory cortical activity not only shapes our somatosensation, it also affects how we perceive the dimension of our body.
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Affiliation(s)
- Serena Giurgola
- Department of Medicine and SurgeryPh.D. Program in Neuroscience, University of Milano‐BicoccaMonzaItaly
- Department of Psychology & Milan Center for Neuroscience (NeuroMI)University of Milano‐BicoccaMilanItaly
| | - Alberto Pisoni
- Department of Psychology & Milan Center for Neuroscience (NeuroMI)University of Milano‐BicoccaMilanItaly
| | - Angelo Maravita
- Department of Psychology & Milan Center for Neuroscience (NeuroMI)University of Milano‐BicoccaMilanItaly
| | - Giuseppe Vallar
- Department of Psychology & Milan Center for Neuroscience (NeuroMI)University of Milano‐BicoccaMilanItaly
- IRCCS Istituto Auxologico ItalianoLaboratory of NeuropsychologyMilanItaly
| | - Nadia Bolognini
- Department of Psychology & Milan Center for Neuroscience (NeuroMI)University of Milano‐BicoccaMilanItaly
- IRCCS Istituto Auxologico ItalianoLaboratory of NeuropsychologyMilanItaly
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9
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Marzoll A, Saygi T, Dinse HR. The effect of LTP- and LTD-like visual stimulation on modulation of human orientation discrimination. Sci Rep 2018; 8:16156. [PMID: 30385849 PMCID: PMC6212525 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-34276-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2018] [Accepted: 10/15/2018] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Studies showing that repetitive visual stimulation protocols alter perception and induce cortical reorganization, as well-reported for the tactile domain, have been sparse. In this study, we investigated how “long-term potentiation [LTP]-like” and “long-term depression [LTD]-like” repetitive visual stimulation affects orientation discrimination ability in human observers. LTP-like stimulation with features most closely resembling the stimuli used during behavioral assessment evoked the largest improvement, while the effects were smaller in protocols that differed in shape or orientation features. This gradient suggests lower learning specificity than classical perceptual learning experiments, possibly because of an interplay of task- and feature-based factors. All modulatory effects of repetitive stimulation were superimposed on top of spontaneous task learning. Moreover, blockwise analysis revealed that LTP-like stimulation, in contrast to LTD-like or sham stimulation, prevented a loss of practice-related gain of orientation discrimination thresholds. This observation highlights a critical role of LTP-like stimulation for consolidation, typically observed during sleep.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreas Marzoll
- Neural Plasticity Lab, Institute for Neuroinformatics, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Tan Saygi
- Neural Plasticity Lab, Institute for Neuroinformatics, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Hubert R Dinse
- Neural Plasticity Lab, Institute for Neuroinformatics, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum, Germany. .,Department of Neurology, BG University Hospital Bergmannsheil, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum, Germany.
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10
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Tactile learning transfer from the hand to the face but not to the forearm implies a special hand-face relationship. Sci Rep 2018; 8:11752. [PMID: 30082760 PMCID: PMC6079060 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-30183-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2018] [Accepted: 07/20/2018] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
In the primary somatosensory cortex, large-scale cortical and perceptual changes have been demonstrated following input deprivation. Recently, we found that the cortical and perceptual changes induced by repetitive somatosensory stimulation (RSS) at a finger transfer to the face. However, whether such cross-border changes are specific to the face remains elusive. Here, we investigated whether RSS-induced acuity changes at the finger can also transfer to the forearm, which is the body part represented on the other side of the hand representation. Our results confirmed the transfer of tactile learning from the stimulated finger to the lip, but no significant changes were observed at the forearm. A second experiment revealed that the same regions on the forearm exhibited improved tactile acuity when RSS was applied there, excluding the possibility of low plastic ability at the arm representation. This provides also the first evidence that RSS can be efficient on body parts other than the hand. These results suggest that RSS-induced tactile learning transfers preferentially from the hand to the face rather than to the forearm. This specificity could arise from a stronger functional connectivity between the cortical hand and face representations, reflecting a fundamental coupling between these body parts.
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Anatomical and functional properties of the foot and leg representation in areas 3b, 1 and 2 of primary somatosensory cortex in humans: A 7T fMRI study. Neuroimage 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2017.06.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
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Miller LE, Cawley-Bennett A, Longo MR, Saygin AP. The recalibration of tactile perception during tool use is body-part specific. Exp Brain Res 2017; 235:2917-2926. [PMID: 28702834 DOI: 10.1007/s00221-017-5028-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2017] [Accepted: 07/07/2017] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Two decades of research have demonstrated that using a tool modulates spatial representations of the body. Whether this embodiment is specific to representations of the tool-using limb or extends to representations of other body parts has received little attention. Several studies of other perceptual phenomena have found that modulations to the primary somatosensory representation of the hand transfers to the face, due in part to their close proximity in primary somatosensory cortex. In the present study, we investigated whether tool-induced recalibration of tactile perception on the hand transfers to the cheek. Participants verbally estimated the distance between two tactile points applied to either their hand or face, before and after using a hand-shaped tool. Tool use recalibrated tactile distance perception on the hand-in line with previous findings-but left perception on the cheek unchanged. This finding provides support for the idea that embodiment is body-part specific. Furthermore, it suggests that tool-induced perceptual recalibration occurs at a level of somatosensory processing, where representations of the hand and face have become functionally disentangled.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luke E Miller
- Department of Cognitive Science, University of California, San Diego, USA. .,Kavli Institute for Brain and Mind, University of California, San Diego, USA.
| | | | - Matthew R Longo
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Birkbeck, University of London, London, UK
| | - Ayse P Saygin
- Department of Cognitive Science, University of California, San Diego, USA.,Kavli Institute for Brain and Mind, University of California, San Diego, USA
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