scholarly journals Impaired reach-to-grasp kinematics in parkinsonian patients relates to dopamine-dependent, subthalamic beta bursts

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Matteo Vissani ◽  
Chiara Palmisano ◽  
Jens Volkmann ◽  
Gianni Pezzoli ◽  
Silvestro Micera ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Motor Task ◽  
Neural Correlates ◽  
Joint Movement ◽  
Beta Band ◽  
Reach To Grasp ◽  
Dopaminergic Tone ◽  
Insight Into ◽  
Bursting Activity ◽  
Deep Brain ◽  
High Range

AbstractExcessive beta-band oscillations in the subthalamic nucleus are key neural features of Parkinson’s disease. Yet the distinctive contributions of beta low and high bands, their dependency on striatal dopamine, and their correlates with movement kinematics are unclear. Here, we show that the movement phases of the reach-to-grasp motor task are coded by the subthalamic bursting activity in a maximally-informative beta high range. A strong, three-fold correlation linked beta high range bursts, imbalanced inter-hemispheric striatal dopaminergic tone, and impaired inter-joint movement coordination. These results provide new insight into the neural correlates of motor control in parkinsonian patients, paving the way for more informative use of beta-band features for adaptive deep brain stimulation devices.

scholarly journals Catching the wandering mind: Meditation as a window into spontaneous thought

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wendy Hasenkamp
Keyword(s):  
Mind Wandering ◽  
Neural Correlates ◽  
Physiological Measures ◽  
Great Utility ◽  
Spontaneous Thought ◽  
New Research ◽  
The Mind ◽  
Subjective Reports ◽  
Insight Into ◽  
Research Recommendations

This chapter considers a form of attention-based meditation as a novel means to gain insight into the mechanisms and phenomenology of spontaneous thought. Focused attention (FA) meditation involves keeping one’s attention on a chosen object, and repeatedly catching the mind when it strays from the object into spontaneous thought. This practice can thus be viewed as a kind of self-caught mind wandering paradigm, which suggests it may have great utility for research on spontaneous thought. Current findings about the effects of meditation on mind wandering and meta-awareness are reviewed, and implications for new research paradigms that leverage first-person reporting during FA meditation are discussed. Specifically, research recommendations are made that may enable customized analysis of individual episodes of mind wandering and their neural correlates. It is hoped that by combining detailed subjective reports from experienced meditators with rigorous objective physiological measures, we can advance our understanding of human consciousness.

Neural correlates of pride and joy recognition in early childhood

2021 ◽  
Vol 49 (9) ◽  
pp. 1-13
Author(s):  
Yue Jiang
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
Neural Mechanism ◽  
Neural Correlates ◽  
Event Related Potential ◽  
Central Component ◽  
Positive Component ◽  
Negative Component ◽  
Late Positive Component ◽  
Three Stages ◽  
Insight Into

I investigated neural processing during the recognition of pride and joy in early childhood using the event-related potential (ERP) technique. Electroencephalography recording was taken of 21 children aged between 4 and 6 years. They were shown photographs of familiar peers and strangers whose facial expressions displayed the emotion of either pride or joy. ERPs were recorded for the children's judgment of the expression of these two emotions when an image was presented. The results demonstrate that the neural dynamics during children's recognition of pride and joy involve three stages: The early negative component is spontaneously responsive to familiar faces, the midlatency negative central component is responsive to expression of familiar faces, and the late positive component marks greater extended processing of an expression of pride. These findings provide new insight into the neural mechanism of pride and joy recognition in children aged 4 to 6 years.

scholarly journals Enhanced pre-ictal cortical responsivity in migraine patients assessed by visual chirp stimulation

Cephalalgia ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 40 (9) ◽  
pp. 913-923 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthijs JL Perenboom ◽  
Mark van de Ruit ◽  
Ronald Zielman ◽  
Arn MJM van den Maagdenberg ◽  
Michel D Ferrari ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Migraine With Aura ◽  
Sensory Processing ◽  
Brain Network ◽  
Dynamic Features ◽  
Beta Band ◽  
Reliable Technique ◽  
Headache Onset ◽  
Interictal State ◽  
Insight Into ◽  
40 Hz

Background Migraine is associated with altered sensory processing and cortical responsivity that may contribute to susceptibility to attacks by changing brain network excitability dynamics. To gain better insight into cortical responsivity changes in migraine we subjected patients to a short series of light inputs over a broad frequency range (“chirp” stimulation), designed to uncover dynamic features of visual cortex responsivity. Methods EEG responses to visual chirp stimulation (10–40 Hz) were measured in controls (n = 24) and patients with migraine with aura (n = 19) or migraine without aura (n = 20). Average EEG responses were assessed at (i) all EEG frequencies between 5 and 125 Hz, (ii) stimulation frequencies, and (iii) harmonic frequencies. We compared average responses in a low (10–18 Hz), medium (19–26 Hz) and high (27–40 Hz) frequency band. Results Responses to chirp stimulation were similar in controls and migraine subtypes. Eight measurements (n = 3 migraine with aura; n = 5 without aura) were assigned as “pre-ictal”, based on reported headache within 48 hours after investigation. Pre-ictally, an increased harmonic response to 22–32 Hz stimulation (beta band) was observed ( p = 0.001), compared to interictal state measurements. Conclusions We found chirp responses to be enhanced in the 48 hours prior to migraine headache onset. Visual chirp stimulation proved a simple and reliable technique with potential to detect changes in cortical responsivity associated with the onset of migraine attacks.

scholarly journals Connectivity of EEG synchronization networks increases for Parkinson’s disease patients with freezing of gait

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Eitan E. Asher ◽  
Meir Plotnik ◽  
Moritz Günther ◽  
Shay Moshel ◽  
Orr Levy ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Parkinson’S Disease ◽  
Parkinson's Disease ◽  
Freezing Of Gait ◽  
Motor Task ◽  
Frequency Bands ◽  
Hand Tapping ◽  
Patient Groups ◽  
Beta Frequency ◽  
Relationship Of ◽  
Insight Into

AbstractFreezing of gait (FoG), a paroxysmal gait disturbance commonly experienced by patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD), is characterized by sudden episodes of inability to generate effective forward stepping. Recent studies have shown an increase in beta frequency of local-field potentials in the basal-ganglia during FoG, however, comprehensive research on the synchronization between different brain locations and frequency bands in PD patients is scarce. Here, by developing tools based on network science and non-linear dynamics, we analyze synchronization networks of electroencephalography (EEG) brain waves of three PD patient groups with different FoG severity. We find higher EEG amplitude synchronization (stronger network links) between different brain locations as PD and FoG severity increase. These results are consistent across frequency bands (theta, alpha, beta, gamma) and independent of the specific motor task (walking, still standing, hand tapping) suggesting that an increase in severity of PD and FoG is associated with stronger EEG networks over a broad range of brain frequencies. This observation of a direct relationship of PD/FoG severity with overall EEG synchronization together with our proposed EEG synchronization network approach may be used for evaluating FoG propensity and help to gain further insight into PD and the pathophysiology leading to FoG.

scholarly journals Changing pattern in the basal ganglia: motor switching under reduced dopaminergic drive

2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Vincenzo G. Fiore ◽  
Francesco Rigoli ◽  
Max-Philipp Stenner ◽  
Tino Zaehle ◽  
Frank Hirth ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Basal Ganglia ◽  
Standard Model ◽  
Sensory Input ◽  
Effective Connectivity ◽  
Individual Variability ◽  
Indirect Pathway ◽  
The Standard Model ◽  
Insight Into ◽  
New Framework ◽  
Deep Brain

Abstract Action selection in the basal ganglia is often described within the framework of a standard model, associating low dopaminergic drive with motor suppression. Whilst powerful, this model does not explain several clinical and experimental data, including varying therapeutic efficacy across movement disorders. We tested the predictions of this model in patients with Parkinson’s disease, on and off subthalamic deep brain stimulation (DBS), focussing on adaptive sensory-motor responses to a changing environment and maintenance of an action until it is no longer suitable. Surprisingly, we observed prolonged perseverance under on-stimulation, and high inter-individual variability in terms of the motor selections performed when comparing the two conditions. To account for these data, we revised the standard model exploring its space of parameters and associated motor functions and found that, depending on effective connectivity between external and internal parts of the globus pallidus and saliency of the sensory input, a low dopaminergic drive can result in increased, dysfunctional, motor switching, besides motor suppression. This new framework provides insight into the biophysical mechanisms underlying DBS, allowing a description in terms of alteration of the signal-to-baseline ratio in the indirect pathway, which better account of known electrophysiological data in comparison with the standard model.

scholarly journals Dorsolateral subthalamic neuronal activity enhanced by median nerve stimulation characterizes Parkinson’s disease during deep brain stimulation with general anesthesia

2015 ◽  
Vol 123 (6) ◽  
pp. 1394-1400 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sheng-Tzung Tsai ◽  
Wei-Yi Chuang ◽  
Chung-Chih Kuo ◽  
Paul C. P. Chao ◽  
Tsung-Ying Chen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Deep Brain Stimulation ◽  
Median Nerve ◽  
Neuronal Activity ◽  
Nerve Stimulation ◽  
Background Activity ◽  
Neuronal Firing ◽  
General Anesthetics ◽  
Beta Band ◽  
Median Nerve Stimulation ◽  
Deep Brain

OBJECT Deep brain stimulation (DBS) surgery under general anesthesia is an alternative option for patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD). However, few studies are available that report whether neuronal firing can be accurately recorded during this condition. In this study the authors attempted to characterize the neuronal activity of the subthalamic nucleus (STN) and elucidate the influence of general anesthetics on neurons during DBS surgery in patients with PD. The benefit of median nerve stimulation (MNS) for localization of the dorsolateral subterritory of the STN, which is involved in sensorimotor function, was explored. METHODS Eight patients with PD were anesthetized with desflurane and underwent contralateral MNS at the wrist during microelectrode recording of the STN. The authors analyzed the spiking patterns and power spectral density (PSD) of the background activity along each penetration track and determined the spatial correlation to the target location, estimated mated using standard neurophysiological procedures. RESULTS The dorsolateral STN spiking pattern showed a more prominent bursting pattern without MNS and more oscillation with MNS. In terms of the neural oscillation of the background activity, beta-band oscillation dominated within the sensorimotor STN and showed significantly more PSD during MNS (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS Neuronal firing within the STN could be accurately identified and differentiated when patients with PD received general anesthetics. Median nerve stimulation can enhance the neural activity in beta-band oscillations, which can be used as an index to ensure optimal electrode placement via successfully tracked dorsolateral STN topography.

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