On primary cortical hand representation in the left and right hemispheres

Functional balance at rest of hemispheric homologs assessed via normalized compression distance

Introduction

The formation and functioning of neural networks hinge critically on the balance between structurally homologous areas in the hemispheres. This balance, reflecting their physiological relationship, is fundamental for learning processes. In our study, we explore this functional homology in the resting state, employing a complexity measure that accounts for the temporal patterns in neurodynamics.

Methods

We used Normalized Compression Distance (NCD) to assess the similarity over time, neurodynamics, of the somatosensory areas associated with hand perception (S1). This assessment was conducted using magnetoencephalography (MEG) in conjunction with Functional Source Separation (FSS). Our primary hypothesis posited that neurodynamic similarity would be more pronounced within individual subjects than across different individuals. Additionally, we investigated whether this similarity is influenced by hemisphere or age at a population level.

Results

Our findings validate the hypothesis, indicating that NCD is a robust tool for capturing balanced functional homology between hemispheric regions. Notably, we observed a higher degree of neurodynamic similarity in the population within the left hemisphere compared to the right. Also, we found that intra-subject functional homology displayed greater variability in older individuals than in younger ones.

Discussion

Our approach could be instrumental in investigating chronic neurological conditions marked by imbalances in brain activity, such as depression, addiction, fatigue, and epilepsy. It holds potential for aiding in the development of new therapeutic strategies tailored to these complex conditions, though further research is needed to fully realize this potential.

Hemispheric differences in corticospinal excitability and in transcallosal inhibition in relation to degree of handedness

In this study, we examined hemispheric differences in corticospinal excitability and in transcallosal inhibition in a selected group of young adults (n = 34) grouped into three handedness categories (RH: strongly right-handed, n = 17; LH: strongly left-handed, n = 10; MH: mixed-handed, n = 7) based on laterality quotients (LQ) derived from the Edinburgh Handedness Inventory. Performance measures were also used to derive a laterality index reflecting right-left asymmetries in manual dexterity (Dext_li) and in finger tapping speed (Speed_li). Corticospinal excitability was assessed in each hemisphere by means of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) using the first dorsal interosseus as the target muscle. TMS measures consisted of resting motor threshold (rMT), motor evoked potential (MEP) recruitment curve (RC) and the contralateral silent period (cSP) with the accompanying MEP facilitation. Hemispheric interactions were assessed by means of the ipsilateral silent period (iSP) to determine the onset latency and the duration of transcallosal inhibition (i.e., LTI and DTI). Analysis of hemispheric variations in measures of corticospinal excitability revealed no major asymmetries in relation to degrees of laterality or handedness, with the exception of a rightward increase in rMTs in the LH group. Similarly, no clear asymmetries were found when looking at hemispheric variations in measures of transcallosal inhibition. However, a large group effect was detected for LTI measures, which were found to be significantly shorter in the MH group than in either the LH or RH group. MH participants also tended to show longer DTI than the other participants. Further inspection of overall variations in LTI and DTI measures as a function of LQs revealed that both variables followed a non-linear relationship, which was best described by a 2^nd order polynomial function. Overall, these findings provide converging evidence for a link between mixed-handedness and more efficient interhemispheric communication when compared to either right- or left-handedness.

Physiological aging impacts the hemispheric balances of resting state primary somatosensory activities

To hone knowledge of sensorimotor cerebral organization changes with physiological aging, we focused on the primary somatosensory cortical area (S1). S1 neuronal pools (FS_S1) were identified by the functional source separation (FSS) algorithm applied to magnetoencephalographic recordings during median nerve stimulation. Age-dependence of FS_S1 was then studied at rest separately in the left and right hemispheres of 26 healthy, right-handed subjects between the ages of 24 and 95 years. The resting state FS_S1 spectral features changed with increasing age: (1) alpha activity slowed down; (2) total power increased only in the right hemisphere; (3) right>left interhemispheric asymmetry increased in the whole spectrum; (4) spectral entropy increased with age selectively in the left hemisphere. The present FSS-enriched electrophysiological procedure provided measures of resting state hand representation area sensitive to changes with age. Alterations were stronger in the right hemisphere. Relationships between resting state S1 activity and its responsiveness to external stimuli, revealed that the interhemispheric unbalances which emerged with age were conceivably due to an increased excitability within the right thalamocortical circuit impacting left versus right unbalances of spontaneous firing rates and of local inhibitory-excitatory networks.