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Mazzi C, Mele S, Bagattini C, Sanchez-Lopez J, Savazzi S. Coherent activity within and between hemispheres: cortico-cortical connectivity revealed by rTMS of the right posterior parietal cortex. Front Hum Neurosci 2024; 18:1362742. [PMID: 38516308 PMCID: PMC10954802 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2024.1362742] [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: 12/28/2023] [Accepted: 02/23/2024] [Indexed: 03/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Low frequency (1 Hz) repetitive transcranial stimulation (rTMS) applied over right posterior parietal cortex (rPPC) has been shown to reduce cortical excitability both of the stimulated area and of the interconnected contralateral homologous areas. In the present study, we investigated the whole pattern of intra- and inter-hemispheric cortico-cortical connectivity changes induced by rTMS over rPPC. Methods To do so, 14 healthy participants underwent resting state EEG recording before and after 30 min of rTMS at 1 Hz or sham stimulation over the rPPC (electrode position P6). Real stimulation was applied at 90% of motor threshold. Coherence values were computed on the electrodes nearby the stimulated site (i.e., P4, P8, and CP6) considering all possible inter- and intra-hemispheric combinations for the following frequency bands: delta (0.5-4 Hz), theta (4-8 Hz), alpha (8-12Hz), low beta (12-20 Hz), high beta (20-30 Hz), and gamma (30-50 Hz). Results and discussion Results revealed a significant increase in coherence in delta, theta, alpha and beta frequency bands between rPPC and the contralateral homologous sites. Moreover, an increase in coherence in theta, alpha, beta and gamma frequency bands was found between rPPC and right frontal sites, reflecting the activation of the fronto-parietal network within the right hemisphere. Summarizing, subthreshold rTMS over rPPC revealed cortico-cortical inter- and intra-hemispheric connectivity as measured by the increase in coherence among these areas. Moreover, the present results further confirm previous evidence indicating that the increase of coherence values is related to intra- and inter-hemispheric inhibitory effects of rTMS. These results can have implications for devising evidence-based rehabilitation protocols after stroke.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Mazzi
- Perception and Awareness (PandA) Laboratory, Department of Neuroscience, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Sonia Mele
- Perception and Awareness (PandA) Laboratory, Department of Neuroscience, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Chiara Bagattini
- Perception and Awareness (PandA) Laboratory, Department of Neuroscience, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
- Section of Neurosurgery, Department of Neuroscience, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Javier Sanchez-Lopez
- Escuela Nacional de Estudios Superiores Unidad Juriquilla, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, Santiago de Querétaro, Mexico
| | - Silvia Savazzi
- Perception and Awareness (PandA) Laboratory, Department of Neuroscience, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
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Fornaro S, Vallesi A. Functional connectivity abnormalities of brain networks in obsessive–compulsive disorder: a systematic review. CURRENT PSYCHOLOGY 2023. [DOI: 10.1007/s12144-023-04312-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/19/2023]
Abstract
Abstract
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is characterized by cognitive abnormalities encompassing several executive processes. Neuroimaging studies highlight functional abnormalities of executive fronto-parietal network (FPN) and default-mode network (DMN) in OCD patients, as well as of the prefrontal cortex (PFC) more specifically. We aim at assessing the presence of functional connectivity (FC) abnormalities of intrinsic brain networks and PFC in OCD, possibly underlying specific computational impairments and clinical manifestations. A systematic review of resting-state fMRI studies investigating FC was conducted in unmedicated OCD patients by querying three scientific databases (PubMed, Scopus, PsycInfo) up to July 2022 (search terms: “obsessive–compulsive disorder” AND “resting state” AND “fMRI” AND “function* *connect*” AND “task-positive” OR “executive” OR “central executive” OR “executive control” OR “executive-control” OR “cognitive control” OR “attenti*” OR “dorsal attention” OR “ventral attention” OR “frontoparietal” OR “fronto-parietal” OR “default mode” AND “network*” OR “system*”). Collectively, 20 studies were included. A predominantly reduced FC of DMN – often related to increased symptom severity – emerged. Additionally, intra-network FC of FPN was predominantly increased and often positively related to clinical scores. Concerning PFC, a predominant hyper-connectivity of right-sided prefrontal links emerged. Finally, FC of lateral prefrontal areas correlated with specific symptom dimensions. Several sources of heterogeneity in methodology might have affected results in unpredictable ways and were discussed. Such findings might represent endophenotypes of OCD manifestations, possibly reflecting computational impairments and difficulties in engaging in self-referential processes or in disengaging from cognitive control and monitoring processes.
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Accelerated atrophy in dopaminergic targets and medial temporo-parietal regions precedes the onset of delusions in patients with Alzheimer's disease. Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Neurosci 2023; 273:229-241. [PMID: 35554669 PMCID: PMC9958148 DOI: 10.1007/s00406-022-01417-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2021] [Accepted: 04/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
People with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and delusions have worse quality of life and prognosis. However, early markers of delusions have not been identified yet. The present study investigated whether there are any detectable differences in grey matter (GM) volume and cognitive changes in the year before symptom onset between patients with AD who did and did not develop delusions. Two matched samples of AD patients, 63 who did (PT-D) and 63 who did not develop delusions (PT-ND) over 1 year, were identified from the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative database. The Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI) was used to assess the presence of delusions. Sixty-three additional matched healthy controls (HC) were selected. Repeated-measures ANCOVA models were used to investigate group-by-time effects on the volume of selected GM regions of interest and on cognitive performance. No neurocognitive differences were observed between patient groups prior to symptom onset. Greater episodic memory decline and GM loss in bilateral caudate nuclei, medio-temporal and midline cingulo-parietal regions were found in the PT-D compared with the PT-ND group. A pattern of faster GM loss in brain areas typically affected by AD and in cortical and subcortical targets of dopaminergic pathways, paralleled by worsening of episodic memory and behavioural symptoms, may explain the emergence of delusions in patients with AD.
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Timmer K, Costa A, Wodniecka Z. The source of attention modulations in bilingual language contexts. BRAIN AND LANGUAGE 2021; 223:105040. [PMID: 34715439 DOI: 10.1016/j.bandl.2021.105040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2021] [Revised: 10/05/2021] [Accepted: 10/07/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Bilinguals who switch from a monolingual context to a bilingual context enhance their domain-general attentional system. But what drives the adaptation process and translates into the observed increased efficiency of the attentional system? To uncover the origin of the plasticity in a bilingual's language experience, we investigated whether switching between other types of categories also modulated domain-general attentional processes. We compared performance of Catalan-Spanish bilinguals across three experiments in which participants performed the Attentional Network Test in a mixed context and in two single contexts that were created by interleaving words with flankers. The contexts were related to switching (or not) between languages (Experiment-1) or between low-level perceptual color categories (Experiment-2) or between linguistic categories (Experiment-3). Both switching between languages and linguistic categories revealed increased target-P3 amplitudes in mixed contexts compared to single contexts. These findings can inform the Inhibitory Control model regarding the locus and domain-generality of attentional adaptations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kalinka Timmer
- Psychology of Language and Bilingualism Lab, Institute of Psychology, Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland; Center for Brain and Cognition (CBC), Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Albert Costa
- Center for Brain and Cognition (CBC), Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain; Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats (ICREA), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Zofia Wodniecka
- Psychology of Language and Bilingualism Lab, Institute of Psychology, Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland
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Prehn K, Skoglund A, Strobach T. Enhancement of task-switching performance with transcranial direct current stimulation over the right lateral prefrontal cortex. Exp Brain Res 2021; 239:3447-3456. [PMID: 34510254 PMCID: PMC8599339 DOI: 10.1007/s00221-021-06212-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2021] [Accepted: 08/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Switching between two or more tasks is a key component in our modern world. Task switching, however, requires time-consuming executive control processes and thus produces performance costs when compared to task repetitions. While executive control during task switching has been associated with activation in the lateral prefrontal cortex (lPFC), only few studies so far have investigated the causal relation between lPFC activation and task-switching performance by modulating lPFC activation. In these studies, the results of lPFC modulation were not conclusive or limited to the left lPFC. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the effect of non-invasive transcranial direct current stimulation [tDCS; anodal tDCS (1 mA, 20 min) vs. cathodal tDCS (1 mA, 20 min) vs. sham tDCS (1 mA, 30 s)] over the right inferior frontal junction on task-switching performance in a well-established task-switching paradigm. In response times, we found a significant effect of tDCS Condition (atDCS, ctDCS vs. sham) on task-switching costs, indicating the modulation of task-switching performance by tDCS. In addition, we found a task-unspecific tDCS Condition effect in the first experimental session, in which participants were least familiar with the task, indicating a general enhancement of task performance in both task repetitions and task-switching trials. Taken together, our study provides evidence that the right lPFC is involved in task switching as well as in general task processing. Further studies are needed to investigate whether these findings can be translated into clinically relevant improvement in older subjects or populations with executive function impairment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristin Prehn
- Department of Psychology, MSH Medical School Hamburg - University of Applied Sciences and Medical University, Am Kaiserkai 1, 20457, Hamburg, Germany.
| | - Anja Skoglund
- Department of Psychology, MSH Medical School Hamburg - University of Applied Sciences and Medical University, Am Kaiserkai 1, 20457, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Tilo Strobach
- Department of Psychology, MSH Medical School Hamburg - University of Applied Sciences and Medical University, Am Kaiserkai 1, 20457, Hamburg, Germany.
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Arbula S, Della Puppa A, De Pellegrin S, Denaro L, D'Avella D, Semenza C, Corbetta M, Vallesi A. Rule Perseveration during Task-Switching in Brain Tumor: A Severe Form of Task-Setting Impairment. J Cogn Neurosci 2021; 33:1766-1783. [PMID: 34375415 DOI: 10.1162/jocn_a_01674] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
It has been proposed that at least two distinct processes are engaged during task-switching: reconfiguration of the currently relevant task-set and interference resolution arising from the competing task-set. Whereas in healthy individuals the two are difficult to disentangle, their disruption is thought to cause different impairments in brain-damaged patients. Yet, the observed deficits are inconsistent across studies and do not allow drawing conclusions regarding their independence. Forty-one brain tumor patients were tested on a task-switching paradigm. We compared their performance between switch and repeat trials (switch cost) to assess rule reconfiguration, and between trials requiring the same response (congruent) and a different response for the two tasks (incongruent) to assess interference control. In line with previous studies, we found the greatest proportion of errors on incongruent trials, suggesting an interference control impairment. However, a closer look at the distribution of errors between two task rules revealed a rule perseveration impairment: Patients with high error rate on incongruent trials often applied only one task rule throughout the task and less frequently switched to the alternative one. Multivariate lesion-symptom mapping analysis unveiled the relationship between lesions localized in left orbitofrontal and posterior subcortical regions and perseveration scores, measured as absolute difference in accuracy between two task rules. This finding points to a more severe task-setting impairment, not reflected as a mere switching deficit, but instead as a difficulty in creating multiple stable task representations, in line with recent accounts of OFC functions suggesting its critical role in representing task states.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Alessandro Della Puppa
- Neurosurgery, Department of NEUROFARBA, University of Florence, Italy.,University Hospital of Careggi, Florence, Italy
| | | | - Luca Denaro
- University Hospital of Padova, Padova, Italy.,Department of Neuroscience & Padua Neuroscience Center, University of Padova, Italy
| | - Domenico D'Avella
- University Hospital of Padova, Padova, Italy.,Department of Neuroscience & Padua Neuroscience Center, University of Padova, Italy
| | - Carlo Semenza
- Department of Neuroscience & Padua Neuroscience Center, University of Padova, Italy
| | - Maurizio Corbetta
- University Hospital of Padova, Padova, Italy.,IRCCS San Camillo Hospital, Venice, Italy
| | - Antonino Vallesi
- Department of Neuroscience & Padua Neuroscience Center, University of Padova, Italy.,IRCCS San Camillo Hospital, Venice, Italy
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Vallesi A. The Quest for Hemispheric Asymmetries Supporting and Predicting Executive Functioning. J Cogn Neurosci 2021; 33:1679-1697. [PMID: 33135967 DOI: 10.1162/jocn_a_01646] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
This narrative review addresses the neural bases of two executive functions: criterion setting, that is, the capacity to flexibly set up and select task rules and associations between stimuli, responses, and nonresponses, and monitoring, that is, the process of continuously evaluating whether task rules are being applied optimally. There is a documented tendency for criterion setting and monitoring to differentially recruit left and right lateral prefrontal regions and connected networks, respectively, above and beyond the specific task context. This model, known as the ROtman-Baycrest Battery to Investigate Attention (ROBBIA) model, initially sprung from extensive neuropsychological work led by Don Stuss. In subsequent years, multimodal lines of empirical investigation on both healthy individuals and patients with brain damage, coming from functional neuroimaging, EEG, neurostimulation, individual difference approaches, and, again, neuropsychology, so to "complete the circle," corroborated the functional mapping across the two hemispheres as predicted by the model. More recent electrophysiological evidence has further shown that hemispheric differences in intrinsic prefrontal dynamics are able to predict cognitive performance in tasks tapping these domain-general functions. These empirical contributions will be presented together with contrasting evidence, limits, and possible future directions to better fine-tune this model and extend its scope to new fields.
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Miraglia F, Vecchio F, Alù F, Orticoni A, Judica E, Cotelli M, Rossini PM. Brain sources' activity in resting state before a visuo-motor task. J Neural Eng 2021; 18. [PMID: 33601343 DOI: 10.1088/1741-2552/abe7ba] [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: 06/16/2020] [Accepted: 02/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Objective In modern neuroscience, the underlying mechanisms of the elaboration and reaction to different kinds of stimuli of the brain hemispheres remain still very challenging to understand, together with the possibility to anticipate certain behaviors to improve the performance. Approach The purpose of the present study was to investigate the brain rhythms characteristics of EEG recordings and in particular, their interhemispheric differences in resting state condition before a visuo-motor task in a population of healthy adults. During the task, subjects were asked to react to a sequence of visual cues as quick as possible. The reaction times (RTs) to the task were measured, collected and correlated with the EEG signals recorded in a resting state condition immediately preceding the task. The EEG data were analyzed in the space of cortical sources of EEG rhythms by the computation of the Global Spectra Power Density (GSPD) in the left and in the right hemisphere, and of an index of brain Laterality L. Main results The results showed a negative correlation between the RTs and the GSPD in the central areas in the left and in the right hemisphere in both eyes open and eyes closed conditions. A close to significant and negative correlation was found in the parietal areas. Furthermore, RTs negatively correlated with L in the central areas in eyes closed condition. The results showed a negative correlation between the RTs and the GSPD in the central areas in the left and in the right hemisphere in both eyes open and eyes closed conditions. Significance The correlations between the brain activity before a task and the RTs to the task can represent an interesting tool for exploring the brain state characterization for the upcoming tasks performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Miraglia
- Brain Connectivity Laboratory, Department of Neuroscience and Neurorehabilitation, IRCCS San Raffaele Pisana, Via di Val Cannuta, 247, Roma, 00166, ITALY
| | - Fabrizio Vecchio
- Brain Connectivity Laboratory, Department of Neuroscience and Neurorehabilitation, IRCCS San Raffaele Pisana, Via di Val Cannuta, 247, Roma, Lazio, 00166, ITALY
| | - Francesca Alù
- Brain Connectivity Laboratory, Department of Neuroscience and Neurorehabilitation, IRCCS San Raffaele Pisana, Via di Val Cannuta, 247, Roma, Lazio, 00166, ITALY
| | - Alessandro Orticoni
- Brain Connectivity Laboratory, Department of Neuroscience and Neurorehabilitation, IRCCS San Raffaele Pisana, Via di Val Cannuta, 247, Roma, Lazio, 00166, ITALY
| | - Elda Judica
- Department of Neurorehabilitation Sciences, Casa di Cura del Policlinico SpA, Via Giuseppe Dezza, 48, Milano, Lombardia, 20144, ITALY
| | - Maria Cotelli
- Neuropsychology Unit, IRCCS Centro San Giovanni di Dio Fatebenefratelli, Via Pilastroni, 4, Brescia, Lombardia, 25125, ITALY
| | - Paolo Maria Rossini
- Brain Connectivity Laboratory, Department of Neuroscience and Neurorehabilitation, IRCCS San Raffaele Pisana, Via di Val Cannuta, 247, Roma, Lazio, 00166, ITALY
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Vallesi A, Del Felice A, Capizzi M, Tafuro A, Formaggio E, Bisiacchi P, Masiero S, Ambrosini E. Natural oscillation frequencies in the two lateral prefrontal cortices induced by Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation. Neuroimage 2020; 227:117655. [PMID: 33333318 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2020.117655] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2020] [Revised: 10/26/2020] [Accepted: 12/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Different cortical regions respond with distinct rhythmic patterns of neural oscillations to Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS). We investigated natural frequencies induced by TMS in left and right homologous dorsolateral prefrontal cortices (DLPFC) and related hemispheric differences. In 12 healthy young adults, single-pulse TMS was delivered in different blocks close to F3 and F4 channels to target left and right DLPFC. An occipital site near PO3 was stimulated as control. TMS-related spectral perturbation analyses were performed on recorded EEG data. A widespread unspecific increase in theta power was observed for all stimulation sites. However, occipital TMS induced greater alpha activity and a 10.58 Hz natural frequency, while TMS over the left and right DLPFC resulted in similar beta band modulations and a natural frequency of 18.77 and 18.5 Hz, respectively. In particular, TMS-related specific increase in beta activity was stronger for the right than the left DLPFC. The right DLPFC is more specifically tuned to its natural beta frequency when it is directly stimulated by TMS than with TMS over the left counterpart (or a posterior region), while the left DLPFC increases its beta activity more similarly irrespective of whether it is directly stimulated or through right homologous stimulation. These results yield important implications for both basic neuroscience research on inter-hemispheric prefrontal interactions and clinical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonino Vallesi
- Department of Neuroscience & Padova Neuroscience Center, University of Padua, Padua, Italy; Brain Imaging and Neural Dynamics Research Group, IRCCS, San Camillo Hospital, Venice Italy.
| | - Alessandra Del Felice
- Section of Rehabilitation Department of Neuroscience, University of Padua, Padua, Italy; Padova Neuroscience Center, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | - Mariagrazia Capizzi
- Section of Rehabilitation Department of Neuroscience, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | | | - Emanuela Formaggio
- Section of Rehabilitation Department of Neuroscience, University of Padua, Padua, Italy; Padova Neuroscience Center, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | - Patrizia Bisiacchi
- Padova Neuroscience Center, University of Padua, Padua, Italy; EA 4556 EPSYLON, Université Paul Valéry, Montpellier 3, France
| | - Stefano Masiero
- Section of Rehabilitation Department of Neuroscience, University of Padua, Padua, Italy; Padova Neuroscience Center, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | - Ettore Ambrosini
- Padova Neuroscience Center, University of Padua, Padua, Italy; Department of Neuroscience, University of Padua, Padua, Italy; Department of General Psychology, University of Padua, Padua, Italy.
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