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Chiappini E, Turrini S, Zanon M, Marangon M, Borgomaneri S, Avenanti A. Driving Hebbian plasticity over ventral premotor-motor projections transiently enhances motor resonance. Brain Stimul 2024; 17:211-220. [PMID: 38387557 DOI: 10.1016/j.brs.2024.02.011] [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: 09/07/2023] [Revised: 12/23/2023] [Accepted: 02/16/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Making sense of others' actions relies on the activation of an action observation network (AON), which maps visual information about observed actions onto the observer's motor system. This motor resonance process manifests in the primary motor cortex (M1) as increased corticospinal excitability finely tuned to the muscles engaged in the observed action. Motor resonance in M1 is facilitated by projections from higher-order AON regions. However, whether manipulating the strength of AON-to-M1 connectivity affects motor resonance remains unclear. METHODS We used transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) in 48 healthy humans. Cortico-cortical paired associative stimulation (ccPAS) was administered over M1 and the ventral premotor cortex (PMv), a key AON node, to induce spike-timing-dependent plasticity (STDP) in the pathway connecting them. Single-pulse TMS assessed motor resonance during action observation. RESULTS Before ccPAS, action observation increased corticospinal excitability in the muscles corresponding to the observed movements, reflecting motor resonance in M1. Notably, ccPAS aimed at strengthening projections from PMv to M1 (PMv→M1) induced short-term enhancement of motor resonance. The enhancement specifically occurred with the ccPAS configuration consistent with forward PMv→M1 projections and dissipated 20 min post-stimulation; ccPAS administered in the reverse order (M1→PMv) and sham stimulation did not affect motor resonance. CONCLUSIONS These findings provide the first evidence that inducing STDP to strengthen PMv input to M1 neurons causally enhances muscle-specific motor resonance in M1. Our study sheds light on the plastic mechanisms that shape AON functionality and demonstrates that exogenous manipulation of AON connectivity can influence basic mirror mechanisms that underlie social perception.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emilio Chiappini
- Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, University of Vienna, 1010, Vienna, Austria; Centro Studi e Ricerche in Neuroscienze Cognitive, Dipartimento di Psicologia "Renzo Canestrari", Campus di Cesena, Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna, 47521, Cesena, Italy; Department of Psychology and Neurosciences, Leibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors (IfADo), 44139, Dortmund, Germany.
| | - Sonia Turrini
- Centro Studi e Ricerche in Neuroscienze Cognitive, Dipartimento di Psicologia "Renzo Canestrari", Campus di Cesena, Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna, 47521, Cesena, Italy; Precision Neuroscience & Neuromodulation Program, Gordon Center for Medical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital & Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02114, United States
| | - Marco Zanon
- Centro Studi e Ricerche in Neuroscienze Cognitive, Dipartimento di Psicologia "Renzo Canestrari", Campus di Cesena, Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna, 47521, Cesena, Italy; Neuroscience Area, International School for Advanced Studies (SISSA), 34136, Trieste, Italy
| | - Mattia Marangon
- Centro Studi e Ricerche in Neuroscienze Cognitive, Dipartimento di Psicologia "Renzo Canestrari", Campus di Cesena, Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna, 47521, Cesena, Italy; Dipartimento di Neuroscienze, Biomedicina e Scienze del Movimento, Sezione di Fisiologia e Psicologia, Università di Verona, 37124, Verona, Italy
| | - Sara Borgomaneri
- Centro Studi e Ricerche in Neuroscienze Cognitive, Dipartimento di Psicologia "Renzo Canestrari", Campus di Cesena, Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna, 47521, Cesena, Italy
| | - Alessio Avenanti
- Centro Studi e Ricerche in Neuroscienze Cognitive, Dipartimento di Psicologia "Renzo Canestrari", Campus di Cesena, Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna, 47521, Cesena, Italy; Centro de Investigación en Neuropsicología y Neurociencias Cognitivas (CINPSI Neurocog), Universidad Católica Del Maule, 346000, Talca, Chile.
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2
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Held LK, Cracco E, Bardi L, Kiraga M, Cristianelli E, Brass M, Abrahamse EL, Braem S. Associative Visuomotor Learning Using Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Induces Stimulus-Response Interference. J Cogn Neurosci 2024; 36:522-533. [PMID: 38165734 DOI: 10.1162/jocn_a_02100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2024]
Abstract
Classical conditioning states that the systematic co-occurrence of a neutral stimulus with an unconditioned stimulus can cause the neutral stimulus to, over time, evoke the same response as the unconditioned stimulus. On a neural level, Hebbian learning suggests that this type of learning occurs through changes in synaptic plasticity when two neurons are simultaneously active, resulting in increased connectivity between them. Inspired by associative learning theories, we here investigated whether the mere co-activation of visual stimuli and stimulation of the primary motor cortex using TMS would result in stimulus-response associations that can impact future behavior. During a learning phase, we repeatedly paired the presentation of a specific color (but not other colors) with a TMS pulse over the motor cortex. Next, participants performed a two-alternative forced-choice task where they had to categorize simple shapes and we studied whether the shapes' task-irrelevant color (and its potentially associated involuntary motor activity) affected the required motor response. Participants showed more errors on incongruent trials for stimuli that were previously paired with high intensity TMS pulses, but only when tested on the same day. Using a drift diffusion model for conflict tasks, we further demonstrate that this interference occurred early, and gradually increased as a function of associated TMS intensity. Taken together, our findings show that the human brain can learn stimulus-response associations using externally induced motor cortex stimulation. Although we were inspired by the Hebbian learning literature, future studies should investigate whether Hebbian or other learning processes were also what brought about this effect.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Lara Bardi
- Ghent University, Belgium
- Institut des Sciences Cognitives Marc Jeannerod, Bron, France
- Université Claude Bernard, Lyon 1, Villeurbanne, France
| | | | | | - Marcel Brass
- Ghent University, Belgium
- Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, Germany
| | - Elger L Abrahamse
- Tilburg University, The Netherlands
- Atlántico Medio University, Spain
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Rizzo G, Martino D, Avanzino L, Avenanti A, Vicario CM. Social cognition in hyperkinetic movement disorders: a systematic review. Soc Neurosci 2023; 18:331-354. [PMID: 37580305 DOI: 10.1080/17470919.2023.2248687] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2022] [Revised: 07/10/2023] [Accepted: 08/09/2023] [Indexed: 08/16/2023]
Abstract
Numerous lines of research indicate that our social brain involves a network of cortical and subcortical brain regions that are responsible for sensing and controlling body movements. However, it remains unclear whether movement disorders have a systematic impact on social cognition. To address this question, we conducted a systematic review examining the influence of hyperkinetic movement disorders (including Huntington disease, Tourette syndrome, dystonia, and essential tremor) on social cognition. Following the PRISMA guidelines and registering the protocol in the PROSPERO database (CRD42022327459), we analyzed 50 published studies focusing on theory of mind (ToM), social perception, and empathy. The results from these studies provide evidence of impairments in ToM and social perception in all hyperkinetic movement disorders, particularly during the recognition of negative emotions. Additionally, individuals with Huntington's Disease and Tourette syndrome exhibit empathy disorders. These findings support the functional role of subcortical structures (such as the basal ganglia and cerebellum), which are primarily responsible for movement disorders, in deficits related to social cognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gaetano Rizzo
- Dipartimento di Scienze Cognitive, Psicologiche, Pedagogiche e degli studi culturali, Università di Messina, Messina, Italy
| | - Davide Martino
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Laura Avanzino
- Department of Experimental Medicine, Section of Human Physiology, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Alessio Avenanti
- Centro studi e ricerche in Neuroscienze Cognitive, Dipartimento di Psicologia "Renzo Canestrari", Campus di Cesena, Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna, Cesena, Italy
- Centro de Investigación en Neuropsicología y Neurociencias Cognitivas, Universidad Católica del Maule, Talca, Chile
| | - Carmelo Mario Vicario
- Dipartimento di Scienze Cognitive, Psicologiche, Pedagogiche e degli studi culturali, Università di Messina, Messina, Italy
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Hernandez-Pavon JC, San Agustín A, Wang MC, Veniero D, Pons JL. Can we manipulate brain connectivity? A systematic review of cortico-cortical paired associative stimulation effects. Clin Neurophysiol 2023; 154:169-193. [PMID: 37634335 DOI: 10.1016/j.clinph.2023.06.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2022] [Revised: 05/09/2023] [Accepted: 06/16/2023] [Indexed: 08/29/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Cortico-cortical paired associative stimulation (ccPAS) is a form of dual-site transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) entailing a series of single-TMS pulses paired at specific interstimulus intervals (ISI) delivered to distant cortical areas. The goal of this article is to systematically review its efficacy in inducing plasticity in humans focusing on stimulation parameters and hypotheses of underlying neurophysiology. METHODS A systematic review of the literature from 2009-2023 was undertaken to identify all articles utilizing ccPAS to study brain plasticity and connectivity. Six electronic databases were searched and included. RESULTS 32 studies were identified. The studies targeted connections within the same hemisphere or between hemispheres. 28 ccPAS studies were in healthy participants, 1 study in schizophrenia, and 1 in Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients. 2 additional studies used cortico-cortical repetitive paired associative stimulation (cc-rPAS) in generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) patients. Outcome measures include electromyography (EMG), behavioral measures, electroencephalography (EEG), and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). ccPAS seems to be able to modulate brain connectivity depending on the ISI. CONCLUSIONS ccPAS can be used to modulate corticospinal excitability, brain activity, and behavior. Although the stimulation parameters used across studies reviewed in this paper are varied, ccPAS is a promising approach for basic research and potential clinical applications. SIGNIFICANCE Recent advances in neuroscience have caused a shift of interest from the study of single areas to a more complex approach focusing on networks of areas that orchestrate brain activity. Consequently, the TMS community is also witnessing a change, with a growing interest in targeting multiple brain areas rather than a single locus, as evidenced by an increasing number of papers using ccPAS. In light of this new enthusiasm for brain connectivity, this review summarizes existing literature and stimulation parameters that have proven effective in changing electrophysiological, behavioral, or neuroimaging-derived measures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julio C Hernandez-Pavon
- Legs + Walking Lab, Shirley Ryan AbilityLab (Formerly, The Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago), Chicago, IL, USA; Center for Brain Stimulation, Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, Chicago, IL, USA; Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA; Department of Psychological Sciences, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, USA.
| | - Arantzazu San Agustín
- Legs + Walking Lab, Shirley Ryan AbilityLab (Formerly, The Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago), Chicago, IL, USA; Center for Brain Stimulation, Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, Chicago, IL, USA; Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA; Neural Rehabilitation Group, Cajal Institute, CSIC, Madrid, Spain; PhD Program in Neuroscience, Autonoma de Madrid University-Cajal Institute, Madrid 28029, Spain
| | - Max C Wang
- Department of Physical Therapy and Human Movement Science, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
| | | | - Jose L Pons
- Legs + Walking Lab, Shirley Ryan AbilityLab (Formerly, The Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago), Chicago, IL, USA; Center for Brain Stimulation, Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, Chicago, IL, USA; Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, McCormick School of Engineering, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
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Trajkovic J, Romei V, Rushworth MFS, Sel A. Changing connectivity between premotor and motor cortex changes inter-areal communication in the human brain. Prog Neurobiol 2023; 228:102487. [PMID: 37353108 DOI: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2023.102487] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2023] [Revised: 04/28/2023] [Accepted: 06/16/2023] [Indexed: 06/25/2023]
Abstract
The ventral premotor cortex (PMv) is an important component of cortico-cortical pathways mediating prefrontal control over primary motor cortex (M1) function. Paired associative stimulation (ccPAS) is known to change PMv influence over M1 in humans, which manifests differently depending on the behavioural context. Here we show that these changes in influence are functionally linked to PMv-M1 phase synchrony changes induced by repeated paired stimulation of the two areas. PMv-to-M1 ccPAS leads to increased phase synchrony in alpha and beta bands, while reversed order M1-to-PMv ccPAS leads to decreased theta phase synchrony. These changes are visible at rest but are predictive of changes in oscillatory power in the same frequencies during movement execution and inhibition, respectively. The results unveil a link between the physiology of the motor network and the resonant frequencies mediating its interactions and provide a putative mechanism underpinning the relationship between synaptic efficacy and brain oscillations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jelena Trajkovic
- Centro studi e ricerche in Neuroscienze Cognitive, Dipartimento di Psicologia, Alma Mater Studiorum, Università di Bologna, Campus di Cesena, 47521 Cesena, Italy; Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, 6229 ER, Netherlands
| | - Vincenzo Romei
- Centro studi e ricerche in Neuroscienze Cognitive, Dipartimento di Psicologia, Alma Mater Studiorum, Università di Bologna, Campus di Cesena, 47521 Cesena, Italy; Facultad de Lenguas y Educación, Universidad Antonio de Nebrija, Madrid, 28015, Spain
| | - Matthew F S Rushworth
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging (WIN), Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3UD, UK
| | - Alejandra Sel
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging (WIN), Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3UD, UK; Centre for Brain Science, Department of Psychology, University of Essex, Wivenhoe Park, Colchester CO4 3SQ, UK.
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6
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Turrini S, Bevacqua N, Cataneo A, Chiappini E, Fiori F, Battaglia S, Romei V, Avenanti A. Neurophysiological Markers of Premotor-Motor Network Plasticity Predict Motor Performance in Young and Older Adults. Biomedicines 2023; 11:biomedicines11051464. [PMID: 37239135 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines11051464] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2023] [Revised: 05/08/2023] [Accepted: 05/12/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Aging is commonly associated with a decline in motor control and neural plasticity. Tuning cortico-cortical interactions between premotor and motor areas is essential for controlling fine manual movements. However, whether plasticity in premotor-motor circuits predicts hand motor abilities in young and elderly humans remains unclear. Here, we administered transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) over the ventral premotor cortex (PMv) and primary motor cortex (M1) using the cortico-cortical paired-associative stimulation (ccPAS) protocol to manipulate the strength of PMv-to-M1 connectivity in 14 young and 14 elderly healthy adults. We assessed changes in motor-evoked potentials (MEPs) during ccPAS as an index of PMv-M1 network plasticity. We tested whether the magnitude of MEP changes might predict interindividual differences in performance in two motor tasks that rely on premotor-motor circuits, i.e., the nine-hole pegboard test and a choice reaction task. Results show lower motor performance and decreased PMv-M1 network plasticity in elderly adults. Critically, the slope of MEP changes during ccPAS accurately predicted performance at the two tasks across age groups, with larger slopes (i.e., MEP increase) predicting better motor performance at baseline in both young and elderly participants. These findings suggest that physiological indices of PMv-M1 plasticity could provide a neurophysiological marker of fine motor control across age-groups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sonia Turrini
- Centro Studi e Ricerche in Neuroscienze Cognitive, Dipartimento di Psicologia "Renzo Canestriari", Campus di Cesena, Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna, 47521 Cesena, Italy
- Precision Neuroscience & Neuromodulation Program, Gordon Center for Medical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital & Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Naomi Bevacqua
- Centro Studi e Ricerche in Neuroscienze Cognitive, Dipartimento di Psicologia "Renzo Canestriari", Campus di Cesena, Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna, 47521 Cesena, Italy
- Dipartimento di Psicologia, Sapienza Università di Roma, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Antonio Cataneo
- Centro Studi e Ricerche in Neuroscienze Cognitive, Dipartimento di Psicologia "Renzo Canestriari", Campus di Cesena, Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna, 47521 Cesena, Italy
| | - Emilio Chiappini
- Centro Studi e Ricerche in Neuroscienze Cognitive, Dipartimento di Psicologia "Renzo Canestriari", Campus di Cesena, Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna, 47521 Cesena, Italy
- Institut für Klinische und Gesundheitspsychologie, Universität Wien, 1010 Vienna, Austria
| | - Francesca Fiori
- Centro Studi e Ricerche in Neuroscienze Cognitive, Dipartimento di Psicologia "Renzo Canestriari", Campus di Cesena, Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna, 47521 Cesena, Italy
- NeXT: Unità di Ricerca di Neurofisiologia e Neuroingegneria dell'Interazione Uomo-Tecnologia, Dipartimento di Medicina, Università Campus Bio-Medico, 00128 Rome, Italy
| | - Simone Battaglia
- Centro Studi e Ricerche in Neuroscienze Cognitive, Dipartimento di Psicologia "Renzo Canestriari", Campus di Cesena, Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna, 47521 Cesena, Italy
| | - Vincenzo Romei
- Centro Studi e Ricerche in Neuroscienze Cognitive, Dipartimento di Psicologia "Renzo Canestriari", Campus di Cesena, Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna, 47521 Cesena, Italy
| | - Alessio Avenanti
- Centro Studi e Ricerche in Neuroscienze Cognitive, Dipartimento di Psicologia "Renzo Canestriari", Campus di Cesena, Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna, 47521 Cesena, Italy
- Centro de Investigación en Neuropsicología y Neurociencias Cognitivas, Universidad Católica del Maule, Talca 346000, Chile
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7
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Turrini S, Fiori F, Chiappini E, Lucero B, Santarnecchi E, Avenanti A. Cortico-cortical paired associative stimulation (ccPAS) over premotor-motor areas affects local circuitries in the human motor cortex via Hebbian plasticity. Neuroimage 2023; 271:120027. [PMID: 36925088 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2023.120027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2022] [Revised: 03/09/2023] [Accepted: 03/13/2023] [Indexed: 03/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) studies have shown that cortico-cortical paired associative stimulation (ccPAS) can strengthen connectivity between the ventral premotor cortex (PMv) and the primary motor cortex (M1) by modulating convergent input over M1 via Hebbian spike-timing-dependent plasticity (STDP). However, whether ccPAS locally affects M1 activity remains unclear. We tested 60 right-handed young healthy humans in two studies, using a combination of dual coil TMS and ccPAS over the left PMv and M1 to probe and manipulate PMv-to-M1 connectivity, and single- and paired-pulse TMS to assess neural activity within M1. We provide convergent evidence that ccPAS, relying on repeated activations of excitatory PMv-to-M1 connections, acts locally over M1. During ccPAS, motor-evoked potentials (MEPs) induced by paired PMv-M1 stimulation gradually increased. Following ccPAS, the threshold for inducing MEPs of different amplitudes decreased, and the input-output curve (IO) slope increased, highlighting increased M1 corticospinal excitability. Moreover, ccPAS reduced the magnitude of short-interval intracortical inhibition (SICI), reflecting suppression of GABA-ergic interneuronal mechanisms within M1, without affecting intracortical facilitation (ICF). These changes were specific to ccPAS Hebbian strengthening of PMv-to-M1 connectivity, as no modulations were observed when reversing the order of the PMv-M1 stimulation during a control ccPAS protocol. These findings expand prior ccPAS research that focused on the malleability of cortico-cortical connectivity at the network-level, and highlight local changes in the area of convergent activation (i.e., M1) during plasticity induction. These findings provide new mechanistic insights into the physiological basis of ccPAS that are relevant for protocol optimization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sonia Turrini
- Centro studi e Ricerche in Neuroscienze Cognitive, Dipartimento di Psicologia "Renzo Canestrari", Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna, Cesena Campus, Cesena 47521, Italy; Precision Neuroscience & Neuromodulation Program, Gordon Center for Medical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital & Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, United States.
| | - Francesca Fiori
- Centro studi e Ricerche in Neuroscienze Cognitive, Dipartimento di Psicologia "Renzo Canestrari", Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna, Cesena Campus, Cesena 47521, Italy; NeXT: Neurophysiology and Neuro-Engineering of Human-Technology Interaction Research Unit, Campus Bio-Medico University, Rome 00128, Italy
| | - Emilio Chiappini
- Centro studi e Ricerche in Neuroscienze Cognitive, Dipartimento di Psicologia "Renzo Canestrari", Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna, Cesena Campus, Cesena 47521, Italy; Institut für Klinische und Gesundheitspsychologie, Universität Wien, Vienna 1010, Austria
| | - Boris Lucero
- Centro de Investigación en Neuropsicología y Neurociencias Cognitivas (CINPSI Neurocog), Universidad Católica Del Maule, Talca 346000, Chile
| | - Emiliano Santarnecchi
- Precision Neuroscience & Neuromodulation Program, Gordon Center for Medical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital & Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, United States
| | - Alessio Avenanti
- Centro studi e Ricerche in Neuroscienze Cognitive, Dipartimento di Psicologia "Renzo Canestrari", Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna, Cesena Campus, Cesena 47521, Italy; Centro de Investigación en Neuropsicología y Neurociencias Cognitivas (CINPSI Neurocog), Universidad Católica Del Maule, Talca 346000, Chile.
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8
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Wang T, Shi P, Luo D, Guo J, Liu H, Yuan J, Jin H, Wu X, Zhang Y, Xiong Z, Zhu J, Zhou R, Zhang R. A Convenient All-Cell Optical Imaging Method Compatible with Serial SEM for Brain Mapping. Brain Sci 2023; 13:711. [PMID: 37239183 PMCID: PMC10216590 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci13050711] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2023] [Revised: 04/04/2023] [Accepted: 04/12/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
The mammalian brain, with its complexity and intricacy, poses significant challenges for researchers aiming to understand its inner workings. Optical multilayer interference tomography (OMLIT) is a novel, promising imaging technique that enables the mapping and reconstruction of mesoscale all-cell brain atlases and is seamlessly compatible with tape-based serial scanning electron microscopy (SEM) for microscale mapping in the same tissue. However, currently, OMLIT suffers from imperfect coatings, leading to background noise and image contamination. In this study, we introduced a new imaging configuration using carbon spraying to eliminate the tape-coating step, resulting in reduced noise and enhanced imaging quality. We demonstrated the improved imaging quality and validated its applicability through a correlative light-electron imaging workflow. Our method successfully reconstructed all cells and vasculature within a large OMLIT dataset, enabling basic morphological classification and analysis. We also show that this approach can perform effectively on thicker sections, extending its applicability to sub-micron scale slices, saving sample preparation and imaging time, and increasing imaging throughput. Consequently, this method emerges as a promising candidate for high-speed, high-throughput brain tissue reconstruction and analysis. Our findings open new avenues for exploring the structure and function of the brain using OMLIT images.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianyi Wang
- School of Biomedical Engineering (Suzhou), Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Suzhou 215163, China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Medical Optics, Suzhou Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Suzhou 215163, China
| | - Peiyao Shi
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Medical Optics, Suzhou Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Suzhou 215163, China
| | - Dingsan Luo
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Medical Optics, Suzhou Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Suzhou 215163, China
| | - Jun Guo
- Institute of Artificial Intelligence, Hefei Comprehensive National Science Center, Hefei 230088, China
| | - Hui Liu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Medical Optics, Suzhou Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Suzhou 215163, China
| | - Jinyun Yuan
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Medical Optics, Suzhou Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Suzhou 215163, China
| | - Haiqun Jin
- Institute of Artificial Intelligence, Hefei Comprehensive National Science Center, Hefei 230088, China
| | - Xiaolong Wu
- Institute of Artificial Intelligence, Hefei Comprehensive National Science Center, Hefei 230088, China
| | - Yueyi Zhang
- Institute of Artificial Intelligence, Hefei Comprehensive National Science Center, Hefei 230088, China
| | - Zhiwei Xiong
- Institute of Artificial Intelligence, Hefei Comprehensive National Science Center, Hefei 230088, China
| | - Jinlong Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Digital Manufacturing Equipment and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Renjie Zhou
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Ruobing Zhang
- School of Biomedical Engineering (Suzhou), Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Suzhou 215163, China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Medical Optics, Suzhou Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Suzhou 215163, China
- Institute of Artificial Intelligence, Hefei Comprehensive National Science Center, Hefei 230088, China
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9
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Di Gregorio F, Petrone V, Casanova E, Lullini G, Romei V, Piperno R, La Porta F. Hierarchical psychophysiological pathways subtend perceptual asymmetries in Neglect. Neuroimage 2023; 270:119942. [PMID: 36796529 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2023.119942] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2022] [Revised: 01/25/2023] [Accepted: 02/13/2023] [Indexed: 02/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Stroke patients with left Hemispatial Neglect (LHN) show deficits in perceiving left contralesional stimuli with biased visuospatial perception towards the right hemifield. However, very little is known about the functional organization of the visuospatial perceptual neural network and how this can account for the profound reorganization of space representation in LHN. In the present work, we aimed at (1) identifying EEG measures that discriminate LHN patients against controls and (2) devise a causative neurophysiological model between the discriminative EEG measures. To these aims, EEG was recorded during exposure to lateralized visual stimuli which allowed for pre-and post-stimulus activity investigation across three groups: LHN patients, lesioned controls, and healthy individuals. Moreover, all participants performed a standard behavioral test assessing the perceptual asymmetry index in detecting lateralized stimuli. The between-groups discriminative EEG patterns were entered into a Structural Equation Model for the identification of causative hierarchical associations (i.e., pathways) between EEG measures and the perceptual asymmetry index. The model identified two pathways. A first pathway showed that the combined contribution of pre-stimulus frontoparietal connectivity and individual-alpha-frequency predicts post-stimulus processing, as measured by visual-evoked N100, which, in turn, predicts the perceptual asymmetry index. A second pathway directly links the inter-hemispheric distribution of alpha-amplitude with the perceptual asymmetry index. The two pathways can collectively explain 83.1% of the variance in the perceptual asymmetry index. Using causative modeling, the present study identified how psychophysiological correlates of visuospatial perception are organized and predict the degree of behavioral asymmetry in LHN patients and controls.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Di Gregorio
- UOC Medicina Riabilitativa e Neuroriabilitazione, Azienda Unità Sanitaria Locale, Bologna 40133, Italy
| | - Valeria Petrone
- IRCCS Istituto delle Scienze Neurologiche di Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Emanuela Casanova
- IRCCS Istituto delle Scienze Neurologiche di Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Giada Lullini
- IRCCS Istituto delle Scienze Neurologiche di Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Vincenzo Romei
- Dipartimento di Psicologia, Centro Studi E Ricerche in Neuroscienze Cognitive, Alma Mater Studiorum - Università di Bologna, Campus di Cesena, Cesena 47521, Italy
| | - Roberto Piperno
- IRCCS Istituto delle Scienze Neurologiche di Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Fabio La Porta
- IRCCS Istituto delle Scienze Neurologiche di Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
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10
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Turrini S, Bevacqua N, Cataneo A, Chiappini E, Fiori F, Candidi M, Avenanti A. Transcranial cortico-cortical paired associative stimulation (ccPAS) over ventral premotor-motor pathways enhances action performance and corticomotor excitability in young adults more than in elderly adults. Front Aging Neurosci 2023; 15:1119508. [PMID: 36875707 PMCID: PMC9978108 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2023.1119508] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2022] [Accepted: 01/30/2023] [Indexed: 02/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) methods such as cortico-cortical paired associative stimulation (ccPAS) can increase the strength of functional connectivity between ventral premotor cortex (PMv) and primary motor cortex (M1) via spike timing-dependent plasticity (STDP), leading to enhanced motor functions in young adults. However, whether this STDP-inducing protocol is effective in the aging brain remains unclear. In two groups of young and elderly healthy adults, we evaluated manual dexterity with the 9-hole peg task before and after ccPAS of the left PMv-M1 circuit. We observed that ccPAS enhanced dexterity in young adults, and this effect was anticipated by a progressive increase in motor-evoked potentials (MEPs) during ccPAS administration. No similar effects were observed in elderly individuals or in a control task. Across age groups, we observed that the magnitude of MEP changes predicted larger behavioral improvements. These findings demonstrate that left PMv-to-M1 ccPAS induces functionally specific improvements in young adults' manual dexterity and an increase in corticomotor excitability, but altered plasticity prevents the effectiveness of ccPAS in the elderly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sonia Turrini
- Centro Studi e Ricerche in Neuroscienze Cognitive, Dipartimento di Psicologia, Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna, Cesena, Italy.,Precision Neuroscience and Neuromodulation Program, Gordon Center for Medical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Naomi Bevacqua
- Centro Studi e Ricerche in Neuroscienze Cognitive, Dipartimento di Psicologia, Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna, Cesena, Italy.,Dipartimento di Psicologia, Sapienza Università di Roma, Rome, Italy
| | - Antonio Cataneo
- Centro Studi e Ricerche in Neuroscienze Cognitive, Dipartimento di Psicologia, Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna, Cesena, Italy
| | - Emilio Chiappini
- Centro Studi e Ricerche in Neuroscienze Cognitive, Dipartimento di Psicologia, Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna, Cesena, Italy.,Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Francesca Fiori
- Centro Studi e Ricerche in Neuroscienze Cognitive, Dipartimento di Psicologia, Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna, Cesena, Italy.,Dipartimento di Medicina, NeXT: Unità di Ricerca di Neurofisiologia e Neuroingegneria dell'Interazione Uomo-Tecnologia, Rome, Italy
| | - Matteo Candidi
- Dipartimento di Psicologia, Sapienza Università di Roma, Rome, Italy
| | - Alessio Avenanti
- Centro Studi e Ricerche in Neuroscienze Cognitive, Dipartimento di Psicologia, Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna, Cesena, Italy.,Centro de Investigación en Neuropsicología y Neurociencias Cognitivas, Universidad Católica del Maule, Talca, Chile
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11
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Pitcher D. Visual motion: Asymmetrical processing differences between the cerebral hemispheres. Curr Biol 2022; 32:R957-R960. [PMID: 36167045 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2022.08.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Hemispheric differences speak to the functional organisation of the human brain. A new study causally demonstrates such differences are present in bilateral motion-selective areas that are early in the visual cortical hierarchy.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Pitcher
- Department of Psychology, University of York, Heslington, York YO10 5DD, UK.
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