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Dominik T, Mele A, Schurger A, Maoz U. Libet's legacy: A primer to the neuroscience of volition. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2024; 157:105503. [PMID: 38072144 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105503] [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: 08/03/2023] [Revised: 11/09/2023] [Accepted: 12/04/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
The neuroscience of volition is an emerging subfield of the brain sciences, with hundreds of papers on the role of consciousness in action formation published each year. This makes the state-of-the-art in the discipline poorly accessible to newcomers and difficult to follow even for experts in the field. Here we provide a comprehensive summary of research in this field since its inception that will be useful to both groups. We also discuss important ideas that have received little coverage in the literature so far. We systematically reviewed a set of 2220 publications, with detailed consideration of almost 500 of the most relevant papers. We provide a thorough introduction to the seminal work of Benjamin Libet from the 1960s to 1980s. We also discuss common criticisms of Libet's method, including temporal introspection, the interpretation of the assumed physiological correlates of volition, and various conceptual issues. We conclude with recent advances and potential future directions in the field, highlighting modern methodological approaches to volition, as well as important recent findings.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Alfred Mele
- Department of Philosophy, Florida State University, FL, USA
| | | | - Uri Maoz
- Brain Institute, Chapman University, CA, USA
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2
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Caruso VC, Wray AH, Lescht E, Chang SE. Neural oscillatory activity and connectivity in children who stutter during a non-speech motor task. J Neurodev Disord 2023; 15:40. [PMID: 37964200 PMCID: PMC10647051 DOI: 10.1186/s11689-023-09507-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2022] [Accepted: 10/25/2023] [Indexed: 11/16/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Neural motor control rests on the dynamic interaction of cortical and subcortical regions, which is reflected in the modulation of oscillatory activity and connectivity in multiple frequency bands. Motor control is thought to be compromised in developmental stuttering, particularly involving circuits in the left hemisphere that support speech, movement initiation, and timing control. However, to date, evidence comes from adult studies, with a limited understanding of motor processes in childhood, closer to the onset of stuttering. METHODS We investigated the neural control of movement initiation in children who stutter and children who do not stutter by evaluating transient changes in EEG oscillatory activity (power, phase locking to button press) and connectivity (phase synchronization) during a simple button press motor task. We compared temporal changes in these oscillatory dynamics between the left and right hemispheres and between children who stutter and children who do not stutter, using mixed-model analysis of variance. RESULTS We found reduced modulation of left hemisphere oscillatory power, phase locking to button press and phase connectivity in children who stutter compared to children who do not stutter, consistent with previous findings of dysfunction within the left sensorimotor circuits. Interhemispheric connectivity was weaker at lower frequencies (delta, theta) and stronger in the beta band in children who stutter than in children who do not stutter. CONCLUSIONS Taken together, these findings indicate weaker engagement of the contralateral left motor network in children who stutter even during low-demand non-speech tasks, and suggest that the right hemisphere might be recruited to support sensorimotor processing in childhood stuttering. Differences in oscillatory dynamics occurred despite comparable task performance between groups, indicating that an altered balance of cortical activity might be a core aspect of stuttering, observable during normal motor behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valeria C Caruso
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
| | - Amanda Hampton Wray
- Department of Communication Science & Disorders, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Erica Lescht
- Department of Communication Science & Disorders, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Soo-Eun Chang
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Department of Communication Disorders, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, South Korea
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3
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Maiquez BM, Smith C, Dyke K, Chou C, Kasbia B, McCready C, Wright H, Jackson JK, Farr I, Badinger E, Jackson GM, Jackson SR. A double-blind, sham-controlled, trial of home-administered rhythmic 10-Hz median nerve stimulation for the reduction of tics, and suppression of the urge-to-tic, in individuals with Tourette syndrome and chronic tic disorder. J Neuropsychol 2023; 17:540-563. [PMID: 37133932 PMCID: PMC10947020 DOI: 10.1111/jnp.12313] [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: 12/19/2020] [Accepted: 03/23/2023] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Tourette syndrome (TS) and chronic tic disorder (CTD) are neurological disorders of childhood onset characterized by the occurrence of tics; repetitive, purposeless, movements or vocalizations of short duration which can occur many times throughout a day. Currently, effective treatment for tic disorders is an area of considerable unmet clinical need. We aimed to evaluate the efficacy of a home-administered neuromodulation treatment for tics involving the delivery of rhythmic pulse trains of median nerve stimulation (MNS) delivered via a wearable 'watch-like' device worn at the wrist. We conducted a UK-wide parallel double-blind sham-controlled trial for the reduction of tics in individuals with tic disorder. The device was programmed to deliver rhythmic (10 Hz) trains of low-intensity (1-19 mA) electrical stimulation to the median nerve for a pre-determined duration each day, and was intended to be used by each participant in their home once each day, 5 days each week, for a period of 4 weeks. Between 18th March 2022 and 26th September 2022, 135 participants (45 per group) were initially allocated, using stratified randomization, to one of the following groups; active stimulation; sham stimulation or to a waitlist (i.e. treatment as usual) control group. Recruited participants were individuals with confirmed or suspected TS/CTD aged 12 years of age or upward with moderate to severe tics. Researchers involved in the collection or processing of measurement outcomes and assessing the outcomes, as well as participants in the active and sham groups and their legal guardians were all blind to the group allocation. The primary outcome measure used to assess the 'offline' or treatment effect of stimulation was the Yale Global Tic Severity Scale-Total Tic Severity Score (YGTSS-TTSS) assessed at the conclusion of 4 weeks of stimulation. The primary outcome measure used to assess the 'online' effects of stimulation was tic frequency, measured as the number of tics per minute (TPM) observed, based upon blind analysis of daily video recordings obtained while stimulation was delivered. The results demonstrated that after 4-week stimulation, tic severity (YGTSS-TTSS) had reduced by 7.1 points (35 percentile reduction) for the active stimulation group compared to 2.13/2.11 points for the sham stimulation and waitlist control groups. The reduction in YGTSS-TTSS for the active stimulation group was substantially larger, clinically meaningful (effect size = .5) and statistically significant (p = .02) compared to both the sham stimulation and waitlist control groups, which did not differ from one another (effect size = -.03). Furthermore, blind analyses of video recordings demonstrated that tic frequency (tics per minute) reduced substantially (-15.6 TPM) during active stimulation compared to sham stimulation (-7.7 TPM). This difference represents a statistically significant (p < .03) and clinically meaningful reduction in tic frequency (>25 percentile reduction: effect size = .3). These findings indicate that home-administered rhythmic MNS delivered through a wearable wrist-worn device has the potential to be an effective community-based treatment for tic disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbara Morera Maiquez
- School of PsychologyUniversity of NottinghamNottinghamUK
- Neurotherapeutics Ltd, The Ingenuity CentreUniversity of Nottingham Innovation ParkTriumph RoadNottinghamNG7 2TUUK
| | - Caitlin Smith
- School of PsychologyUniversity of NottinghamNottinghamUK
- Neurotherapeutics Ltd, The Ingenuity CentreUniversity of Nottingham Innovation ParkTriumph RoadNottinghamNG7 2TUUK
| | - Katherine Dyke
- School of PsychologyUniversity of NottinghamNottinghamUK
| | - Chia‐Ping Chou
- Neurotherapeutics Ltd, The Ingenuity CentreUniversity of Nottingham Innovation ParkTriumph RoadNottinghamNG7 2TUUK
| | - Belinda Kasbia
- Neurotherapeutics Ltd, The Ingenuity CentreUniversity of Nottingham Innovation ParkTriumph RoadNottinghamNG7 2TUUK
| | - Ciara McCready
- Neurotherapeutics Ltd, The Ingenuity CentreUniversity of Nottingham Innovation ParkTriumph RoadNottinghamNG7 2TUUK
| | - Hannah Wright
- Neurotherapeutics Ltd, The Ingenuity CentreUniversity of Nottingham Innovation ParkTriumph RoadNottinghamNG7 2TUUK
| | - Jessica K. Jackson
- Neurotherapeutics Ltd, The Ingenuity CentreUniversity of Nottingham Innovation ParkTriumph RoadNottinghamNG7 2TUUK
| | - Isabel Farr
- School of PsychologyUniversity of NottinghamNottinghamUK
| | - Erika Badinger
- School of PsychologyUniversity of NottinghamNottinghamUK
| | - Georgina M. Jackson
- Neurotherapeutics Ltd, The Ingenuity CentreUniversity of Nottingham Innovation ParkTriumph RoadNottinghamNG7 2TUUK
- Institute of Mental Health, School of MedicineUniversity of NottinghamNottinghamUK
| | - Stephen R. Jackson
- School of PsychologyUniversity of NottinghamNottinghamUK
- Neurotherapeutics Ltd, The Ingenuity CentreUniversity of Nottingham Innovation ParkTriumph RoadNottinghamNG7 2TUUK
- Institute of Mental Health, School of MedicineUniversity of NottinghamNottinghamUK
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Readman MR, Crawford TJ, Linkenauger SA, Bek J, Poliakoff E. Motor imagery vividness and symptom severity in Parkinson's disease. J Neuropsychol 2023; 17:180-192. [PMID: 36229225 PMCID: PMC10946738 DOI: 10.1111/jnp.12293] [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: 02/17/2022] [Revised: 09/12/2022] [Accepted: 09/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Motor imagery (MI), the mental simulation of movement in the absence of overt motor output, has demonstrated potential as a technique to support rehabilitation of movement in neurological conditions such as Parkinson's disease (PD). Existing evidence suggests that MI is largely preserved in PD, but previous studies have typically examined global measures of MI and have not considered the potential impact of individual differences in symptom presentation on MI. The present study investigated the influence of severity of overall motor symptoms, bradykinesia and tremor on MI vividness scores in 44 individuals with mild to moderate idiopathic PD. Linear mixed effects modelling revealed that imagery modality and the severity of left side bradykinesia significantly influenced MI vividness ratings. Consistent with previous findings, participants rated visual motor imagery (VMI) to be more vivid than kinesthetic motor imagery (KMI). Greater severity of left side bradykinesia (but not right side bradykinesia) predicted increased vividness of KMI, while tremor severity and overall motor symptom severity did not predict vividness of MI. The specificity of the effect of bradykinesia to the left side may reflect greater premorbid vividness for the dominant (right) side or increased attention to more effortful movements on the left side of the body resulting in more vivid motor imagery.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Judith Bek
- Centre for Motor Control, Faculty of Kinesiology & Physical Education, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Division of Psychology, Communication and Human Neuroscience, School of Health Sciences., University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Ellen Poliakoff
- Division of Psychology, Communication and Human Neuroscience, School of Health Sciences., University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
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5
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Very low-frequency transcranial electrical stimulation over the primary motor area can influence the voluntary movement initiation in humans. Brain Stimul 2023; 16:442-444. [PMID: 36736619 DOI: 10.1016/j.brs.2023.01.1679] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2023] [Accepted: 01/29/2023] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
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6
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Catania AC. Prolegomena to any future philosophy of behavior analysis as a science. J Exp Anal Behav 2023; 119:209-230. [PMID: 36597188 DOI: 10.1002/jeab.807] [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: 08/03/2022] [Revised: 10/26/2022] [Accepted: 11/04/2022] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
This tribute to Howard Rachlin speculates about scholarly work that might have been. It explores how behavioral data might bear on philosophical issues, with examples that might be called case studies in experimental philosophy. In 1964, an issue of the Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society served a similar function. It was entitled "Psychology: A Behavioral Interpretation"; the papers included "Will," "Experience," "Appetite," "Humors," "Anxiety," and "Man." This presentation imagines what a contemporary project devoted to philosophical and behavior analytic perspectives on the topics of causation, freedom and volition, good and evil, time, words, and mind might have looked like. Along the way it notes how the project would have benefitted from Howard Rachlin's seminal contributions to both behavior analysis and philosophy. If ever such a project comes to pass, it will inevitably bear the stamp of his contributions.
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Miasnikova A, Franz E. Brain dynamics in alpha and beta frequencies underlies response activation during readiness of goal-directed hand movement. Neurosci Res 2022; 180:36-47. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neures.2022.03.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2021] [Revised: 02/07/2022] [Accepted: 03/08/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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Armstrong SR, Bland NS, Sale MV, Cunnington R. Unconscious Influences on "Free Will" Movement Initiation: Slow-wave Brain Stimulation and the Readiness Potential. J Cogn Neurosci 2022; 34:1038-1052. [PMID: 35195727 DOI: 10.1162/jocn_a_01840] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
A central objective in the study of volition has been to identify how changes in neural activity relate to voluntary-"free will"-movement. The readiness potential (RP) is observed in the EEG as a slow-building signal that precedes action onset. Many consider the RP as a marker of an underlying preparatory process for initiating voluntary movement. However, the RP may emerge from ongoing slow-wave brain oscillations that influence the timing of movement initiation in a phase-dependent manner. Transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) enables brain oscillations to be entrained at the frequency of stimulation. We delivered tACS at a slow-wave frequency over frontocentral motor areas while participants (n = 30) performed a simple, self-paced button press task. During the active tACS condition, participants showed a tendency to initiate actions in the phase of the tACS cycle that corresponded to increased negative potentials across the frontocentral motor region. Comparisons of premovement EEG activity observed over frontocentral and central scalp electrodes showed earlier onset and increased amplitude of RPs from active stimulation compared with sham stimulation. This suggests that movement-related activity in the brain can be modulated by the delivery of weak, nonconsciously perceptible alternating currents over frontocentral motor regions. We present novel findings that support existing theories, which suggest the timing of voluntary movement is influenced by the phase of slow-changing oscillating brain states.
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Padfield N, Ren J, Qing C, Murray P, Zhao H, Zheng J. Multi-segment Majority Voting Decision Fusion for MI EEG Brain-Computer Interfacing. Cognit Comput 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s12559-021-09953-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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10
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Neafsey EJ. Conscious intention and human action: Review of the rise and fall of the readiness potential and Libet's clock. Conscious Cogn 2021; 94:103171. [PMID: 34325185 DOI: 10.1016/j.concog.2021.103171] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2021] [Revised: 06/26/2021] [Accepted: 07/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Is consciousness-the subjective awareness of the sensations, perceptions, beliefs, desires, and intentions of mental life-a genuine cause of human action or a mere impotent epiphenomenon accompanying the brain's physical activity but utterly incapable of making anything actually happen? This article will review the history and current status of experiments and commentary related to Libet's influential paper (Brain 106:623-664, 1983) whose conclusion "that cerebral initiation even of a spontaneous voluntary act …can and usually does begin unconsciously" has had a huge effect on debate about the efficacy of conscious intentions. Early (up to 2008) and more recent (2008 on) experiments replicating and criticizing Libet's conclusions and especially his methods will be discussed, focusing especially on recent observations that the readiness potential (RP) may only be an "artifact of averaging" and that, when intention is measured using "tone probes," the onset of intention is found much earlier and often before the onset of the RP. Based on these findings, Libet's methodology was flawed and his results are no longer valid reasons for rejecting Fodor's "good old commonsense belief/desire psychology" that "my wanting is causally responsible for my reaching.".
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Affiliation(s)
- Edward J Neafsey
- Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Neuroscience, 2160 S. First Ave., Maywood, IL 60153, United States.
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11
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Morera Maiquez B, Jackson GM, Jackson SR. Examining the neural antecedents of tics in Tourette syndrome using electroencephalography. J Neuropsychol 2021; 16:1-20. [PMID: 33949779 DOI: 10.1111/jnp.12245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2020] [Revised: 03/05/2021] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Tourette syndrome (TS) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by the occurrence of motor and vocal tics. TS is associated with cortical-striatal-thalamic-cortical circuit dysfunction and hyper-excitability of cortical limbic and motor regions that lead to the occurrence of tics. Importantly, individuals with TS often report that their tics are preceded by premonitory sensory/urge phenomena (PU) that are described as uncomfortable bodily sensations that precede the execution of a tic and are experienced as an urge for motor discharge. While tics are most often referred to as involuntary movements, it has been argued by some that tics should be viewed as voluntary movements that are executed in response to the presence of PU. To investigate this issue further, we conducted a study using electroencephalography (EEG). We recorded movement-related EEG (mu- and beta-band oscillations) during (1) the immediate period leading up to the execution of voluntary movements by a group of individuals with TS and a group of matched healthy control participants, and (2) the immediate period leading up to the execution of a tic in a group of individuals with TS. We demonstrate that movement-related mu and beta oscillations are not reliably observed prior to tics in individuals with TS. We interpret this effect as reflecting the greater involvement of a network of brain areas, including the insular and cingulate cortices, the basal ganglia and the cerebellum, in the generation of tics in TS. We also show that beta-band desynchronization does occur when individuals with TS initiate voluntary movements, but, in contrast to healthy controls, desynchronization of mu-band oscillations is not observed during the execution of voluntary movements for individuals with TS. We interpret this finding as reflecting a dysfunction of physiological inhibition in TS, thereby contributing to an impaired ability to suppress neuronal populations that may compete with movement preparation processes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Georgina M Jackson
- Institute of Mental Health, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, UK
| | - Stephen R Jackson
- School of Psychology, University of Nottingham, UK.,Institute of Mental Health, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, UK
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12
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Darch HT, Cerminara NL, Gilchrist ID, Apps R. Pre-movement changes in sensorimotor beta oscillations predict motor adaptation drive. Sci Rep 2020; 10:17946. [PMID: 33087847 PMCID: PMC7578788 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-74833-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2019] [Accepted: 09/28/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Beta frequency oscillations in scalp electroencephalography (EEG) recordings over the primary motor cortex have been associated with the preparation and execution of voluntary movements. Here, we test whether changes in beta frequency are related to the preparation of adapted movements in human, and whether such effects generalise to other species (cat). Eleven healthy adult humans performed a joystick visuomotor adaptation task. Beta (15-25 Hz) scalp EEG signals recorded over the motor cortex during a pre-movement preparatory phase were, on average, significantly reduced in amplitude during early adaptation trials compared to baseline, late adaptation, or aftereffect trials. The changes in beta were not related to measurements of reaction time or reach duration. We also recorded local field potential (LFP) activity within the primary motor cortex of three cats during a prism visuomotor adaptation task. Analysis of these signals revealed similar reductions in motor cortical LFP beta frequencies during early adaptation. This effect was present when controlling for any influence of the reaction time and reach duration. Overall, the results are consistent with a reduction in pre-movement beta oscillations predicting an increase in adaptive drive in upcoming task performance when motor errors are largest in magnitude and the rate of adaptation is greatest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henry T Darch
- School of Physiology, Pharmacology and Neuroscience, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS8 1TD, UK.,APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Nadia L Cerminara
- School of Physiology, Pharmacology and Neuroscience, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS8 1TD, UK
| | - Iain D Gilchrist
- School of Psychological Science, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS8 1TU, UK.
| | - Richard Apps
- School of Physiology, Pharmacology and Neuroscience, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS8 1TD, UK.
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14
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Gaidica M, Hurst A, Cyr C, Leventhal DK. Interactions Between Motor Thalamic Field Potentials and Single-Unit Spiking Are Correlated With Behavior in Rats. Front Neural Circuits 2020; 14:52. [PMID: 32922268 PMCID: PMC7457120 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2020.00052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2020] [Accepted: 07/16/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Field potential (FP) oscillations are believed to coordinate brain activity over large spatiotemporal scales, with specific features (e.g., phase and power) in discrete frequency bands correlated with motor output. Furthermore, complex correlations between oscillations in distinct frequency bands (phase-amplitude, amplitude-amplitude, and phase-phase coupling) are commonly observed. However, the mechanisms underlying FP-behavior correlations and cross-frequency coupling remain unknown. The thalamus plays a central role in generating many circuit-level neural oscillations, and single-unit activity in motor thalamus (Mthal) is correlated with behavioral output. We, therefore, hypothesized that motor thalamic spiking coordinates motor system FPs and underlies FP-behavior correlations. To investigate this possibility, we recorded wideband motor thalamic (Mthal) electrophysiology as healthy rats performed a two-alternative forced-choice task. Delta (1–4 Hz), beta (13–30 Hz), low gamma (30–70 Hz), and high gamma (70–200 Hz) power were strongly modulated by task performance. As in the cortex, the delta phase was correlated with beta/low gamma power and reaction time. Most interestingly, subpopulations of Mthal neurons defined by their relationship to the behavior exhibited distinct relationships with FP features. Specifically, neurons whose activity was correlated with action selection and movement speed were entrained to delta oscillations. Furthermore, changes in their activity anticipated power fluctuations in beta/low gamma bands. These complex relationships suggest mechanisms for commonly observed FP-FP and spike-FP correlations, as well as subcortical influences on motor output.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matt Gaidica
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Amy Hurst
- Department of Neurology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Christopher Cyr
- Department of Neurology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Daniel K Leventhal
- Department of Neurology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States.,Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States.,Parkinson Disease Foundation Research Center of Excellence, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States.,Department of Neurology, VA Ann Arbor Health System, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
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15
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Entraining Movement-Related Brain Oscillations to Suppress Tics in Tourette Syndrome. Curr Biol 2020; 30:2334-2342.e3. [PMID: 32502412 PMCID: PMC7308804 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2020.04.044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/29/2020] [Revised: 03/26/2020] [Accepted: 04/20/2020] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
Tourette syndrome (TS) is a neuropsychiatric disorder characterized by the occurrence of vocal and motor tics. Tics are involuntary, repetitive movements and vocalizations that occur in bouts, typically many times in a single day, and are often preceded by a strong urge-to-tic-referred to as a premonitory urge (PU). TS is associated with the following: dysfunction within cortical-striatal-thalamic-cortical (CSTC) brain circuits implicated in the selection of movements, impaired operation of GABA signaling within the striatum, and hyper-excitability of cortical sensorimotor regions that might contribute to the occurrence of tics. Non-invasive brain stimulation delivered to cortical motor areas can modulate cortical motor excitability, entrain brain oscillations, and reduce tics in TS. However, these techniques are not optimal for treatment outside of the clinic. We investigated whether rhythmic pulses of median nerve stimulation (MNS) could entrain brain oscillations linked to the suppression of movement and influence the initiation of tics in TS. We demonstrate that pulse trains of rhythmic MNS, delivered at 12 Hz, entrain sensorimotor mu-band oscillations, whereas pulse trains of arrhythmic MNS do not. Furthermore, we demonstrate that although rhythmic mu stimulation has statistically significant but small effects on the initiation of volitional movements and no discernable effect on performance of an attentionally demanding cognitive task, it nonetheless leads to a large reduction in tic frequency and tic intensity in individuals with TS. This approach has considerable potential, in our view, to be developed into a therapeutic device suitable for use outside of the clinic to suppress tics and PU in TS.
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Brown AM, White JJ, van der Heijden ME, Zhou J, Lin T, Sillitoe RV. Purkinje cell misfiring generates high-amplitude action tremors that are corrected by cerebellar deep brain stimulation. eLife 2020; 9:e51928. [PMID: 32180549 PMCID: PMC7077982 DOI: 10.7554/elife.51928] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2019] [Accepted: 02/26/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Tremor is currently ranked as the most common movement disorder. The brain regions and neural signals that initiate the debilitating shakiness of different body parts remain unclear. Here, we found that genetically silencing cerebellar Purkinje cell output blocked tremor in mice that were given the tremorgenic drug harmaline. We show in awake behaving mice that the onset of tremor is coincident with rhythmic Purkinje cell firing, which alters the activity of their target cerebellar nuclei cells. We mimic the tremorgenic action of the drug with optogenetics and present evidence that highly patterned Purkinje cell activity drives a powerful tremor in otherwise normal mice. Modulating the altered activity with deep brain stimulation directed to the Purkinje cell output in the cerebellar nuclei reduced tremor in freely moving mice. Together, the data implicate Purkinje cell connectivity as a neural substrate for tremor and a gateway for signals that mediate the disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda M Brown
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Baylor College of MedicineHoustonUnited States
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of MedicineHoustonUnited States
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute of Texas Children's HospitalHoustonUnited States
| | - Joshua J White
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Baylor College of MedicineHoustonUnited States
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of MedicineHoustonUnited States
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute of Texas Children's HospitalHoustonUnited States
| | - Meike E van der Heijden
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Baylor College of MedicineHoustonUnited States
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute of Texas Children's HospitalHoustonUnited States
| | - Joy Zhou
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Baylor College of MedicineHoustonUnited States
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of MedicineHoustonUnited States
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute of Texas Children's HospitalHoustonUnited States
| | - Tao Lin
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Baylor College of MedicineHoustonUnited States
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute of Texas Children's HospitalHoustonUnited States
| | - Roy V Sillitoe
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Baylor College of MedicineHoustonUnited States
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of MedicineHoustonUnited States
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute of Texas Children's HospitalHoustonUnited States
- Development, Disease Models & Therapeutics Graduate Program, Baylor College of MedicineHoustonUnited States
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