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Mezzarobba S, Grassi M, Galliussi J, Murena L, Bernardis P. Perception of biological motion. No sensitivity differences between patients with Parkinson's disease and healthy observers. APPLIED NEUROPSYCHOLOGY. ADULT 2023; 30:63-70. [PMID: 33886377 DOI: 10.1080/23279095.2021.1910511] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
The use of biological motion (BM) stimuli (point-light walkers PLW) may be a novel alternative to improve the clinical impact of Action Observation treatments in Parkinson's Disease, by directing the patient's attentional focus on gait kinematics. However, the recognition of biological motion in Parkinson's patients has thus far been controversial. To evaluate the clinical feasibility of using BM stimuli in Action Observation treatments, we aimed at investigating whether Parkinson's patients in the ON-state condition can identify and use gender-specific cues conveyed by the body structure and by the kinematics of gait of a PLW. 30 Parkinson's patients and 30 healthy elderly observers were tested in a gender identification task with PLW. Parkinson's patients were able to correctly identify the gender of PLW; no differences were found between the two groups of observers. While for both groups, the gender identification task was easier when it required a judgment on a healthy PLW. Lastly, we found that females were more sensitive than males in our identification task. Our study shows that Parkinson's patients in the ON-state condition are able to extract subtle structural and kinematic characteristics from biological motion stimuli, which is favorable to the use of BM in Action Observation treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susanna Mezzarobba
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy.,Azienda Sanitaria Universitaria Giuliano Isontina, Trieste, Italy.,Department of Medical, Surgical and Health Sciences, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy
| | - Michele Grassi
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy
| | | | - Luigi Murena
- Azienda Sanitaria Universitaria Giuliano Isontina, Trieste, Italy.,Department of Medical, Surgical and Health Sciences, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy
| | - Paolo Bernardis
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy
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Miyawaki EK. Review: Subjective Time Perception, Dopamine Signaling, and Parkinsonian Slowness. Front Neurol 2022; 13:927160. [PMID: 35899266 PMCID: PMC9311331 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2022.927160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2022] [Accepted: 06/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The association between idiopathic Parkinson's disease, a paradigmatic dopamine-deficiency syndrome, and problems in the estimation of time has been studied experimentally for decades. I review that literature, which raises a question about whether and if dopamine deficiency relates not only to the motor slowness that is an objective and cardinal parkinsonian sign, but also to a compromised neural substrate for time perception. Why does a clinically (motorically) significant deficiency in dopamine play a role in the subjective perception of time's passage? After a discussion of a classical conception of basal ganglionic control of movement under the influence of dopamine, I describe recent work in healthy mice using optogenetics; the methodology visualizes dopaminergic neuronal firing in very short time intervals, then allows for correlation with motor behaviors in trained tasks. Moment-to-moment neuronal activity is both highly dynamic and variable, as assessed by photometry of genetically defined dopaminergic neurons. I use those animal data as context to review a large experimental experience in humans, spanning decades, that has examined subjective time perception mainly in Parkinson's disease, but also in other movement disorders. Although the human data are mixed in their findings, I argue that loss of dynamic variability in dopaminergic neuronal activity over very short intervals may be a fundamental sensory aspect in the pathophysiology of parkinsonism. An important implication is that therapeutic response in Parkinson's disease needs to be understood in terms of short-term alterations in dynamic neuronal firing, as has already been examined in novel ways—for example, in the study of real-time changes in neuronal network oscillations across very short time intervals. A finer analysis of a treatment's network effects might aid in any effort to augment clinical response to either medications or functional neurosurgical interventions in Parkinson's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edison K. Miyawaki
- Department of Neurology, Mass General Brigham, Boston, MA, United States
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
- *Correspondence: Edison K. Miyawaki
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Isernia S, Sokolov AN, Fallgatter AJ, Pavlova MA. Untangling the Ties Between Social Cognition and Body Motion: Gender Impact. Front Psychol 2020; 11:128. [PMID: 32116932 PMCID: PMC7016199 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.00128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2020] [Accepted: 01/16/2020] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
We proved the viability of the general hypothesis that biological motion (BM) processing serves as a hallmark of social cognition. We assumed that BM processing and inferring emotions through BM (body language reading) are firmly linked and examined whether this tie is gender-specific. Healthy females and males completed two tasks with the same set of point-light BM displays portraying angry and neutral locomotion of female and male actors. For one task, perceivers had to indicate actor gender, while for the other, they had to infer the emotional content of locomotion. Thus, with identical visual input, we directed task demands either to BM processing or inferring of emotion. This design allows straight comparison between sensitivity to BM and recognition of emotions conveyed by the same BM. In addition, perceivers were administered a set of photographs from the Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test (RMET), with which they identified either emotional state or actor gender. Although there were no gender differences in performance on BM tasks, a tight link occurred between recognition accuracy of emotions and gender through BM in males. In females only, body language reading (both accuracy and response time) was associated with performance on the RMET. The outcome underscores gender-specific modes in visual social cognition and triggers investigation of body language reading in a wide range of neuropsychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Isernia
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical School and University Hospital, Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- Department of Psychology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Milan, Italy
- CADITeR, IRCCS Fondazione Don Carlo Gnocchi ONLUS, Milan, Italy
| | - Alexander N. Sokolov
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical School and University Hospital, Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Andreas J. Fallgatter
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical School and University Hospital, Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Marina A. Pavlova
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical School and University Hospital, Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
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Hirai M, Sakurada T, Muramatsu SI. Face-to-trait inferences in patients with Parkinson's disease. J Clin Exp Neuropsychol 2018; 41:170-178. [PMID: 30198816 DOI: 10.1080/13803395.2018.1513452] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
Introduction: Parkinson's disease is a progressive neurological disorder characterized by the preferential loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra, which project to the striatum. The disease is characterized by prominent motor symptoms, which are its cardinal features. Consequently, Parkinson's disease has been primarily considered a disorder of movement. However, increasing evidence has indicated that Parkinson's disease affects not only the motor domain but also the cognitive domain. Increasing evidence indicates that patients with Parkinson's disease have an impaired ability to recognize emotional facial expressions. Recent studies have reported that other socially relevant information from faces, including face-to-trait inferences for traits such as dominance, competence, and trustworthiness, may be processed in subcortical regions, including the amygdala and caudate nucleus. However, the mechanism underlying the processing of face-to-trait inferences for these traits in patients with Parkinson's disease is still unknown. This study aimed to assess the face-to-trait inference ability in patients with Parkinson's disease. Method: Face-to-trait inference ability was assessed using a forced-choice method in patients with Parkinson's disease and age- and sex-matched healthy controls. Results: Overall correct face-to-trait inferences occurred significantly less frequently in the Parkinson's disease group than in the control group. Further analysis revealed a significant interaction between groups and the extent to which facial features were exaggerated. Conclusions: The present results suggest that the sensitivity of face-to-trait processing was linear in the Parkinson's disease group but not in the healthy controls. These deficits may have resulted from dysfunction in subcortical regions, which may also lead to impairment in other social inferential abilities in patients with Parkinson's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masahiro Hirai
- a Center for Development of Advanced Medical Technology , Jichi Medical University , Tochigi , Japan.,b Centre for Brain & Cognitive Development, Birkbeck , University of London , London , UK
| | - Takeshi Sakurada
- a Center for Development of Advanced Medical Technology , Jichi Medical University , Tochigi , Japan.,c Department of Neurosurgery , Jichi Medical University , Tochigi , Japan
| | - Shin-Ichi Muramatsu
- d Division of Neurology , Jichi Medical University , Tochigi , Japan.,e Center for Gene & Cell Therapy, The Institute of Medical Science , The University of Tokyo , Tokyo , Japan
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Eddy CM, Cook JL. Emotions in action: The relationship between motor function and social cognition across multiple clinical populations. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2018; 86:229-244. [PMID: 29857027 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2018.05.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2018] [Revised: 05/17/2018] [Accepted: 05/25/2018] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Clare M Eddy
- National Centre for Mental Health and College of Medical and Dental Sciences, BSMHFT, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Jennifer L Cook
- School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK.
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Dopaminergic Modulation of Biological Motion Perception in patients with Parkinson's disease. Sci Rep 2017; 7:10159. [PMID: 28860519 PMCID: PMC5579208 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-10463-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2016] [Accepted: 08/09/2017] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder pathologically characterized by a selective loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra. In previous studies, greater attention was paid to impairments in motor disturbances in contrast to impairments of cognitive function in PD that was often ignored. In present study, a duration discrimination paradigm was used to assess global and local biological motion (BM) perception in healthy controls(HCs) and PD patients with and without dopamine substitution treatment (DST). Biological motion sequences and inanimate motion sequences (inverted BM sequences) were sequentially presented on a screen. Observers were required to verbally make a 2-alternative forced-choice to indicate whether the first or second interval appeared longer. The stimuli involved global and local BM sequences. Statistical analyses were conducted on points of subjective equality (PSE). We found significant differences between untreated PD patients and HCs as well as differences between global and local BM conditions. PD patients have a deficit in both global and local BM perception. Nevertheless, these two BM conditions can be improved under DST. Our data indicates that BM perception may be damaged in PD patients and dopaminergic medication is conducive to maintain the BM perception in PD patients.
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Kloeters S, Hartmann CJ, Pundmann VD, Schnitzler A, Südmeyer M, Lange J. Impaired perception of human movements in Parkinson’s disease. Behav Brain Res 2017; 317:88-94. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2016.09.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2016] [Revised: 08/30/2016] [Accepted: 09/03/2016] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
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Cook J. From movement kinematics to social cognition: the case of autism. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2016; 371:rstb.2015.0372. [PMID: 27069049 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2015.0372] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/27/2016] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The way in which we move influences our ability to perceive, interpret and predict the actions of others. Thus movements play an important role in social cognition. This review article will appraise the literature concerning movement kinematics and motor control in individuals with autism, and will argue that movement differences between typical and autistic individuals may contribute to bilateral difficulties in reciprocal social cognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer Cook
- School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, UK
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Correction: Exploring Biological Motion Processing in Parkinson's Disease Using Temporal Dilation. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0140517. [PMID: 26448553 PMCID: PMC4598030 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0140517] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
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