“Distinct roles of dorsal and ventral subthalamic neurons in action selection and cancellation.”

AbstractThe subthalamic nucleus (STN) supports action selection by inhibiting all motor programs except the desired one. Recent evidence suggests that STN can also cancel an already selected action when goals change, a key aspect of cognitive control. However, there is little neurophysiological evidence for a dissociation between selecting and cancelling actions in the human STN. We recorded single neurons in the STN of humans performing a stop-signal task. Movement-related neurons suppressed their activity during successful stopping whereas stop-signal neurons activated at low-latencies regardless of behavioral outcome. In contrast, STN and motor-cortical beta-bursting occurred only later in the stopping process. Task-related neuronal properties varied by recording location from dorsolateral movement to ventromedial stop-signal tuning. Therefore, action selection and cancellation coexist in STN but are anatomically segregated. These results show that human ventromedial STN neurons carry fast stop-related signals suitable for implementing cognitive control.

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The motor inhibitory network in patients with asymmetrical Parkinson’s disease: An fMRI study

Brain Imaging and Behavior ◽

10.1007/s11682-021-00587-5 ◽

2022 ◽

Author(s):

Francis R. Loayza ◽

Ignacio Obeso ◽

Rafael González Redondo ◽

Federico Villagra ◽

Elkin Luis ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Parkinson’S Disease ◽

Parkinson's Disease ◽

Subthalamic Nucleus ◽

Inferior Frontal Gyrus ◽

Stop Signal ◽

Stop Signal Task ◽

Healthy Controls ◽

Inhibitory Network ◽

Fmri Study ◽

The Right

AbstractRecent imaging studies with the stop-signal task in healthy individuals indicate that the subthalamic nucleus, the pre-supplementary motor area and the inferior frontal gyrus are key components of the right hemisphere “inhibitory network”. Limited information is available regarding neural substrates of inhibitory processing in patients with asymmetric Parkinson’s disease. The aim of the current fMRI study was to identify the neural changes underlying deficient inhibitory processing on the stop-signal task in patients with predominantly left-sided Parkinson’s disease. Fourteen patients and 23 healthy controls performed a stop-signal task with the left and right hands. Behaviorally, patients showed delayed response inhibition with either hand compared to controls. We found small imaging differences for the right hand, however for the more affected left hand when behavior was successfully inhibited we found reduced activation of the inferior frontal gyrus bilaterally and the insula. Using the stop-signal delay as regressor, contralateral underactivation in the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, inferior frontal and anterior putamen were found in patients. This finding indicates dysfunction of the right inhibitory network in left-sided Parkinson’s disease. Functional connectivity analysis of the left subthalamic nucleus showed a significant increase of connectivity with bilateral insula. In contrast, the right subthalamic nucleus showed increased connectivity with visuomotor and sensorimotor regions of the cerebellum. We conclude that altered inhibitory control in left-sided Parkinson’s disease is associated with reduced activation in regions dedicated to inhibition in healthy controls, which requires engagement of additional regions, not observed in controls, to successfully stop ongoing actions.

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Functional networks for cognitive control in a stop signal task: Independent component analysis

Human Brain Mapping ◽

10.1002/hbm.21197 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 33 (1) ◽

pp. 89-104 ◽

Cited By ~ 138

Author(s):

Sheng Zhang ◽

Chiang-shan R. Li

Keyword(s):

Independent Component Analysis ◽

Cognitive Control ◽

Component Analysis ◽

Stop Signal ◽

Independent Component ◽

Stop Signal Task ◽

Functional Networks

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The subthalamic nucleus is involved in successful inhibition in the stop-signal task: A local field potential study in Parkinson's disease

Experimental Neurology ◽

10.1016/j.expneurol.2012.08.027 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 239 ◽

pp. 1-12 ◽

Cited By ~ 86

Author(s):

Manuel Alegre ◽

Jon Lopez-Azcarate ◽

Ignacio Obeso ◽

Leonora Wilkinson ◽

Maria C. Rodriguez-Oroz ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Parkinson’S Disease ◽

Parkinson's Disease ◽

Subthalamic Nucleus ◽

Local Field ◽

Local Field Potential ◽

Field Potential ◽

Stop Signal ◽

Stop Signal Task ◽

Potential Study

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Dissociable Processes of Cognitive Control during Error and Non-Error Conflicts: A Study of the Stop Signal Task

PLoS ONE ◽

10.1371/journal.pone.0013155 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 5 (10) ◽

pp. e13155 ◽

Cited By ~ 44

Author(s):

Olivia M. Hendrick ◽

Jaime S. Ide ◽

Xi Luo ◽

Chiang-shan R. Li

Keyword(s):

Cognitive Control ◽

Stop Signal ◽

Stop Signal Task

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Individual stopping times and cognitive control: Converging evidence for the stop signal task from a continuous tracking paradigm

The Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology Section A ◽

10.1080/02724980244000495 ◽

2003 ◽

Vol 56 (3) ◽

pp. 469-490 ◽

Cited By ~ 12

Author(s):

Sharon Morein-Zamir ◽

Nachshon Meiran

Keyword(s):

Cognitive Control ◽

Stop Signal ◽

Stopping Times ◽

Stop Signal Task

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Exercise Improves Cognitive Control: Evidence from the Stop Signal Task

Applied Cognitive Psychology ◽

10.1002/acp.2929 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 27 (4) ◽

pp. 505-511 ◽

Cited By ~ 15

Author(s):

Concepcion Padilla ◽

Laura Perez ◽

Pilar Andres ◽

Fabrice B. R. Parmentier

Keyword(s):

Cognitive Control ◽

Stop Signal ◽

Stop Signal Task

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The Phenomenology of Error Processing: The Dorsal ACC Response to Stop-signal Errors Tracks Reports of Negative Affect

Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience ◽

10.1162/jocn_a_00242 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 24 (8) ◽

pp. 1753-1765 ◽

Cited By ~ 65

Author(s):

Robert P. Spunt ◽

Matthew D. Lieberman ◽

Jessica R. Cohen ◽

Naomi I. Eisenberger

Keyword(s):

Cognitive Control ◽

Negative Affect ◽

Task Performance ◽

Subjective Experience ◽

Stop Signal ◽

Stop Signal Task ◽

Affective States ◽

Subject Variability ◽

Fear And Anxiety ◽

Within Subject Variability

A reliable observation in neuroimaging studies of cognitive control is the response of dorsal ACC (dACC) to events that demand increased cognitive control (e.g., response conflicts and performance errors). This observation is apparently at odds with a comparably reliable association of the dACC with the subjective experience of negative affective states such as pain, fear, and anxiety. Whereas “affective” associates of the dACC are based on studies that explicitly manipulate and/or measure the subjective experience of negative affect, the “cognitive” associates of dACC are based on studies using tasks designed to manipulate the demand for cognitive control, such as the Stroop, flanker, and stop-signal tasks. Critically, extant neuroimaging research has not systematically considered the extent to which these cognitive tasks induce negative affective experiences and, if so, to what extent negative affect can account for any variance in the dACC response during task performance. While undergoing fMRI, participants in this study performed a stop-signal task while regularly reporting their experience of performance on several dimensions. We observed that within-subject variability in the dACC response to stop-signal errors tracked changes in subjective frustration throughout task performance. This association remained when controlling for within-subject variability in subjective reports of cognitive engagement and several performance-related variables indexing task difficulty. These results fit with existing models characterizing the dACC as a hub for monitoring ongoing behavior and motivating adjustments when necessary and further emphasize that such a function may be linked to the subjective experience of negative affect.

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Cortico-subcortical β burst dynamics underlying movement cancellation in humans

10.1101/2021.02.06.430074 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Darcy A. Diesburg ◽

Jeremy D. W. Greenlee ◽

Jan R. Wessel

Keyword(s):

Empirical Evidence ◽

Subthalamic Nucleus ◽

Direct Evidence ◽

Stop Signal ◽

Stop Signal Task ◽

Recording Site ◽

Depth Recording

SummaryDominant neuroanatomical models hold that humans regulate their movements via loop-like cortico-subcortical networks, including the subthalamic nucleus (STN), thalamus, and sensorimotor cortices (SMC). Inhibitory commands across these networks are purportedly sent via transient, burst-like signals in the β frequency (15-29Hz). However, since human depth-recording studies are typically limited to one recording site, direct evidence for this proposition is hitherto lacking. Here, we present simultaneous multi-site depth-recordings from SMC and either STN or thalamus in humans performing the stop-signal task. In line with their purported function as inhibitory signals, subcortical β-bursts were increased on successful stop-trials and were followed within 50ms by increased β-bursting over SMC. Moreover, between-site comparisons (including in a patient with simultaneous recordings from all three sites) confirmed that β-bursts in STN precede thalamic β-bursts. This provides first empirical evidence for the role of β-bursts in conveying inhibitory commands along long-proposed cortico-subcortical networks underlying movement regulation in humans.

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Subthalamic Nucleus Activation Occurs Early during Stopping and Is Associated with Trait Impulsivity

Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience ◽

10.1162/jocn_a_01370 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 31 (4) ◽

pp. 510-521

Author(s):

Jong H. Yoon ◽

Edward Dong Bo Cui ◽

Michael J. Minzenberg ◽

Cameron S. Carter

Keyword(s):

Individual Differences ◽

Subthalamic Nucleus ◽

Time Course ◽

Stop Signal ◽

Stop Signal Task ◽

Native Space ◽

Novel Approach ◽

Range Function ◽

Trait Impulsivity ◽

Time Required

The subthalamic nucleus (STN) is thought to be a central regulator of behavioral inhibition, which is thought to be a major determinant of impulsivity. Thus, it would be reasonable to hypothesize that STN function is related to impulsivity. However, it has been difficult to test this hypothesis because of the challenges in noninvasively and accurately measuring this structure's signal in humans. We utilized a novel approach for STN signal localization that entails identifying this structure directly on fMRI images for each individual participant in native space. Using this approach, we measured STN responses during the stop signal task in a sample of healthy adult participants. We confirmed that the STN exhibited selective activation during “Stop” trials. Furthermore, the magnitude of STN activation during successful Stop trials inversely correlated with individual differences in trait impulsivity as measured by a personality inventory. Time course analysis revealed that early STN activation differentiated successful from unsuccessful Stop trials, and individual differences in the magnitude of STN activation inversely correlated with stop signal RT, an estimate of time required to stop. These results are consistent with the STN playing a central role in inhibition and related behavioral proclivities, with implications for both normal range function and clinical syndromes of inhibitory dyscontrol. Moreover, the methods utilized in this study for measuring STN fMRI signal in humans may be gainfully applied in future studies to further our understanding of the role of the STN in regulating behavior and neuropsychiatric conditions.

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