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Ishida H, Grandi LC, Fornia L. Secondary somatosensory and posterior insular cortices: a somatomotor hub for object prehension and manipulation movements. Front Integr Neurosci 2024; 18:1346968. [PMID: 38725800 PMCID: PMC11079213 DOI: 10.3389/fnint.2024.1346968] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2023] [Accepted: 04/10/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024] Open
Abstract
The secondary somatosensory cortex (SII) and posterior insular cortex (pIC) are recognized for processing touch and movement information during hand manipulation in humans and non-human primates. However, their involvement in three-dimensional (3D) object manipulation remains unclear. To investigate neural activity related to hand manipulation in the SII/pIC, we trained two macaque monkeys to grasp three objects (a cone, a plate, and a ring) and engage in visual fixation on the object. Our results revealed that 19.4% (n = 50/257) of the task-related neurons in SII/pIC were active during hand manipulations, but did not respond to passive somatosensory stimuli. Among these neurons, 44% fired before hand-object contact (reaching to grasping neurons), 30% maintained tonic activity after contact (holding neurons), and 26% showed continuous discharge before and after contact (non-selective neurons). Object grasping-selectivity varied and was weak among these neurons, with only 24% responding to fixation of a 3D object (visuo-motor neurons). Even neurons unresponsive to passive visual stimuli showed responses to set-related activity before the onset of movement (42%, n = 21/50). Our findings suggest that somatomotor integration within SII/pIC is probably integral to all prehension sequences, including reaching, grasping, and object manipulation movements. Moreover, the existence of a set-related activity within SII/pIC may play a role in directing somatomotor attention during object prehension-manipulation in the absence of vision. Overall, SII/pIC may play a role as a somatomotor hub within the lateral grasping network that supports the generation of intentional hand actions based on haptic information.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroaki Ishida
- Department of Neuroscience, Unit of Physiology, Parma University, Parma, Italy
- Italian Institute of Technology (IIT), Brain Center for Social and Motor Cognition (BCSMC), Parma, Italy
| | - Laura Clara Grandi
- Department of Neuroscience, Unit of Physiology, Parma University, Parma, Italy
| | - Luca Fornia
- Department of Neuroscience, Unit of Physiology, Parma University, Parma, Italy
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Schienle A, Schlintl C, Wabnegger A. Brain mechanisms for processing caress-like touch in skin-picking disorder. Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Neurosci 2024; 274:235-243. [PMID: 37610499 PMCID: PMC10786990 DOI: 10.1007/s00406-023-01669-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2023] [Accepted: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 08/24/2023]
Abstract
Skin-picking disorder (SPD) is characterized by repetitive touching and picking of one's skin. The picking is typically experienced as pleasant although this behavior leads to tissue damage. The present functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study investigated how individuals with SPD react to caress-like touch, which stimulates C-tactile afferents. A standardized touch procedure was used. Seventy females with a primary diagnosis of SPD and 62 healthy females received CT-optimal brushing of their forearms (3 cm/s) and non-optimal brushing (30 cm/s) during an fMRI session. The two types of tactile stimulation were rated according to pleasure, arousal, and urge to pick one's skin. Relative to healthy controls, patients with SPD showed greater activation in parietal regions (supramarginal/angular gyrus) during CT-optimal touch. Moreover, the deactivation of the middle/ inferior frontal cortex displayed by control participants was absent in the SPD group. Being touched was rated as less pleasant, more arousing, and elicited a greater urge to perform skin-picking in participants with SPD. The mentioned frontal and parietal brain regions are sources of attentional control. They are involved in integrating somatosensory information and switching attention between external/internal stimuli. The present study adds to the limited database on the dysfunctional processing of touch in SPD. This study was preregistered on the German Clinical Trials Register (DRKS00022123, June 8th, 2020).
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne Schienle
- Clinical Psychology, University of Graz, BioTechMed, Universitätsplatz 2/III, 8010, Graz, Austria.
| | - Carina Schlintl
- Clinical Psychology, University of Graz, BioTechMed, Universitätsplatz 2/III, 8010, Graz, Austria
| | - Albert Wabnegger
- Clinical Psychology, University of Graz, BioTechMed, Universitätsplatz 2/III, 8010, Graz, Austria
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Llorens A, Bellier L, Blenkmann AO, Ivanovic J, Larsson PG, Lin JJ, Endestad T, Solbakk AK, Knight RT. Decision and response monitoring during working memory are sequentially represented in the human insula. iScience 2023; 26:107653. [PMID: 37674986 PMCID: PMC10477069 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.107653] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2022] [Revised: 06/05/2023] [Accepted: 07/11/2023] [Indexed: 09/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Emerging research supports a role of the insula in human cognition. Here, we used intracranial EEG to investigate the spatiotemporal dynamics in the insula during a verbal working memory (vWM) task. We found robust effects for theta, beta, and high frequency activity (HFA) during probe presentation requiring a decision. Theta band activity showed differential involvement across left and right insulae while sequential HFA modulations were observed along the anteroposterior axis. HFA in anterior insula tracked decision making and subsequent HFA was observed in posterior insula after the behavioral response. Our results provide electrophysiological evidence of engagement of different insula subregions in both decision-making and response monitoring during vWM and expand our knowledge of the role of the insula in complex human behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anaïs Llorens
- Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
- Université de Franche-Comté, SUPMICROTECH, CNRS, Institut FEMTO-ST, 25000 Besançon, France
- Université Paris Cité, Institute of Psychiatry and Neuroscience of Paris (IPNP), INSERM U1266, Team TURC, 75014 Paris, France
| | - Ludovic Bellier
- Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Alejandro O. Blenkmann
- Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
- RITMO Center for Interdisciplinary Studies in Rhythm, Time and Motion, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | | | - Pål G. Larsson
- Department of Neurosurgery, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Jack J. Lin
- Department of Neurology and Center for Mind and Brain, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Tor Endestad
- Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
- RITMO Center for Interdisciplinary Studies in Rhythm, Time and Motion, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Neuropsychology, Helgeland Hospital, Mosjøen, Norway
| | - Anne-Kristin Solbakk
- Department of Neurosurgery, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
- RITMO Center for Interdisciplinary Studies in Rhythm, Time and Motion, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Neuropsychology, Helgeland Hospital, Mosjøen, Norway
| | - Robert T. Knight
- Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
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Zhang Y, Cai X, Duan M, He H. The influence of high worry on static and dynamic insular functional connectivity. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1062947. [PMID: 37025377 PMCID: PMC10070698 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1062947] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2022] [Accepted: 02/23/2023] [Indexed: 04/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Worry is a form of repetitive negative thought. High worry-proneness is one risk factor leading to anxiety disorder. Several types of research indicated that anxiety disorder was highly associated with disrupted interoception. The insula is consistently considered to play a key role in interoception. However, the relationship between worry and the interoception network is poorly investigated in worry-prone individuals. Thus, it is essential to identify the neural characteristic of high worry-proneness subjects. A total of 32 high worry-proneness (HWP) subjects and 25 low worry-proneness (LWP) subjects were recruited and underwent magnetic resonance imaging scanning. Six subregions of insula were chosen as regions of interest. Then, seed-based static and dynamic functional connectivity were calculated. Increased static functional connectivity was observed between the ventral anterior insula and inferior parietal lobule in HWP compared to LWP. Decreased static functional connectivity was found between the left ventral anterior insula and the pregenual anterior cingulate cortex. Decreased dynamic functional connectivity was also shown between the right posterior insula and the inferior parietal lobule in HWP. Moreover, a post-hoc test exploring the effect of changed function within the insular region confirmed that a significant positive relationship between static functional connectivity (ventral anterior insula-inferior parietal lobule) and dynamic functional connectivity (posterior insula-inferior parietal lobule) in LWP but not in HWP. Our results might suggest that deficient insular function may be an essential factor related to high worry in healthy subjects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Youxue Zhang
- School of Education and Psychology, Chengdu Normal University, Chengdu, China
- The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, MOE Key Lab for Neuroinformation, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Xueli Cai
- Psychological Research and Counseling Center, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Mingjun Duan
- The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, MOE Key Lab for Neuroinformation, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Hui He
- The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, MOE Key Lab for Neuroinformation, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
- *Correspondence: Hui He,
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Schienle A, Schlintl C, Wabnegger A. A neurobiological evaluation of soft touch training for patients with skin-picking disorder. Neuroimage Clin 2022; 36:103254. [PMID: 36451359 PMCID: PMC9668654 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2022.103254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2022] [Revised: 10/13/2022] [Accepted: 10/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Individuals with skin-picking disorder (SPD) display reduced neural sensitivity to slow/soft touch. This functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study investigated the effects of Soft Touch Training (STT) on neural correlates of touch processing and SPD symptoms. METHOD Females with a primary diagnosis of SPD (n = 57) were randomly assigned to receive either four weeks of STT (guided soft brushing of selected skin regions) or Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR) training (guided tensing and relaxing of selected muscle regions). The app-assisted intervention consisted of 15-minute daily training sessions at home. Before and after the four-week intervention, the two groups participated in a standardized tactile stimulation procedure during fMRI (affective vs nonaffective touch of the forearm). Intervention-based changes in subjective and neural responses to the tactile stimulation as well as SPD severity were compared between the groups. RESULTS STT increased the pleasantness ratings for (affective) touch administered during fMRI, which was accompanied by decreased activation in the parietal operculum (PO) and supramarginal gyrus (SMG), as well as increased PO-SMG connectivity. These findings possibly reflect normalized affective touch processing due to STT. Both interventions (STT and PMR) reduced SPD severity. CONCLUSIONS This study demonstrated that a brief app-assisted touch training can change the experience of receiving touch from others and the associated brain activity and connectivity. Adaptations of the training relating to duration/ frequency of sessions might enhance its effectiveness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne Schienle
- Clinical Psychology, University of Graz, BioTechMed Graz, Austria.
| | - Carina Schlintl
- Clinical Psychology, University of Graz, BioTechMed Graz, Austria
| | - Albert Wabnegger
- Clinical Psychology, University of Graz, BioTechMed Graz, Austria
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Triccas LT, Camilleri KP, Tracey C, Mansoureh FH, Benjamin W, Francesca M, Leonardo B, Dante M, Geert V. Reliability of Upper Limb Pin-Prick Stimulation With Electroencephalography: Evoked Potentials, Spectra and Source Localization. Front Hum Neurosci 2022; 16:881291. [PMID: 35937675 PMCID: PMC9351050 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2022.881291] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2022] [Accepted: 05/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
In order for electroencephalography (EEG) with sensory stimuli measures to be used in research and neurological clinical practice, demonstration of reliability is needed. However, this is rarely examined. Here we studied the test-retest reliability of the EEG latency and amplitude of evoked potentials and spectra as well as identifying the sources during pin-prick stimulation. We recorded EEG in 23 healthy older adults who underwent a protocol of pin-prick stimulation on the dominant and non-dominant hand. EEG was recorded in a second session with rest intervals of 1 week. For EEG electrodes Fz, Cz, and Pz peak amplitude, latency and frequency spectra for pin-prick evoked potentials was determined and test-retest reliability was assessed. Substantial reliability ICC scores (0.76-0.79) were identified for evoked potential negative-positive amplitude from the left hand at C4 channel and positive peak latency when stimulating the right hand at Cz channel. Frequency spectra showed consistent increase of low-frequency band activity (< 5 Hz) and also in theta and alpha bands in first 0.25 s. Almost perfect reliability scores were found for activity at both low-frequency and theta bands (ICC scores: 0.81-0.98). Sources were identified in the primary somatosensory and motor cortices in relation to the positive peak using s-LORETA analysis. Measuring the frequency response from the pin-prick evoked potentials may allow the reliable assessment of central somatosensory impairment in the clinical setting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa Tedesco Triccas
- Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Systems and Control Engineering, University of Malta, Msida, Malta
- REVAL Rehabilitation Research Center, Faculty of Rehabilitation Sciences, Hasselt University, Hasselt, Belgium
- Centre for Biomedical Cybernetics, University of Malta, Msida, Malta
| | - Kenneth P. Camilleri
- Department of Systems and Control Engineering, University of Malta, Msida, Malta
- Centre for Biomedical Cybernetics, University of Malta, Msida, Malta
| | - Camilleri Tracey
- Department of Systems and Control Engineering, University of Malta, Msida, Malta
- Centre for Biomedical Cybernetics, University of Malta, Msida, Malta
| | - Fahimi Hnazaee Mansoureh
- Laboratory for Neuro- and Psychophysiology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- The Wellcome Trust Centre for Neuroimaging, University College London Institute of Neurology, London, United Kingdom
| | | | - Muscat Francesca
- Department of Systems and Control Engineering, University of Malta, Msida, Malta
- Centre for Biomedical Cybernetics, University of Malta, Msida, Malta
| | - Boccuni Leonardo
- Institut Guttmann, Institut Universitari de Neurorehabilitació Adscrit a la Universitat Autónoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain
- Fundació Institut d’Investigació en Ciències de la Salut Germans Trias i Pujol, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Mantini Dante
- Department of Movement Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Verheyden Geert
- Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
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Bellagamba M, Sulpizio V, Fattori P, Galati G, Galletti C, Maltempo T, Pitzalis S. Egomotion-related visual areas respond to goal-directed movements. Brain Struct Funct 2022. [PMID: 35763171 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-022-02523-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2021] [Accepted: 06/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
Integration of proprioceptive signals from the various effectors with visual feedback of self-motion from the retina is necessary for whole-body movement and locomotion. Here, we tested whether the human visual motion areas involved in processing optic flow signals simulating self-motion are also activated by goal-directed movements (as saccades or pointing) performed with different effectors (eye, hand, and foot), suggesting a role in visually guiding movements through the external environment. To achieve this aim, we used a combined approach of task-evoked activity and effective connectivity (PsychoPhysiological Interaction, PPI) by fMRI. We localized a set of six egomotion-responsive visual areas through the flow field stimulus and distinguished them into visual (pIPS/V3A, V6+ , IPSmot/VIP) and visuomotor (pCi, CSv, PIC) areas according to recent literature. We tested their response to a visuomotor task implying spatially directed delayed eye, hand, and foot movements. We observed a posterior-to-anterior gradient of preference for eye-to-foot movements, with posterior (visual) regions showing a preference for saccades, and anterior (visuomotor) regions showing a preference for foot pointing. No region showed a clear preference for hand pointing. Effective connectivity analysis showed that visual areas were more connected to each other with respect to the visuomotor areas, particularly during saccades. We suggest that visual and visuomotor egomotion regions can play different roles within a network that integrates sensory-motor signals with the aim of guiding movements in the external environment.
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Marcati E, Ferrari E, Fava E, Talamonti G, D'Aliberti GA. Clinical considerations on a right operculo-insular cavernous angioma: an illustrative case. Acta Neurochir (Wien) 2021; 163:2755-2759. [PMID: 34363126 DOI: 10.1007/s00701-021-04947-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2021] [Accepted: 07/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
The insular cortex is considered one of the most complex regions of the brain, defined as the "hub" of somatosensory areas. Here, we examine the case of a surgically treated haemorrhagic cavernoma involving the middle and posterior insular cortex, presenting both sensory, gustative and speech symptoms. By reviewing the recent findings in humans' and primates' basic research, we illustrated clinical and radiological correlations of the reported case, confirming insular role in sensitive and gustatory functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eleonora Marcati
- Department of Neurosurgery, ASST Niguarda Metropolitan Hospital, P.Le Ospedale Maggiore, 3, 20162, Milano, Italy.
| | - Erika Ferrari
- Department of Neurosurgery, ASST Niguarda Metropolitan Hospital, P.Le Ospedale Maggiore, 3, 20162, Milano, Italy
| | - Enrica Fava
- Department of Neurosurgery, ASST Niguarda Metropolitan Hospital, P.Le Ospedale Maggiore, 3, 20162, Milano, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Talamonti
- Department of Neurosurgery, ASST Niguarda Metropolitan Hospital, P.Le Ospedale Maggiore, 3, 20162, Milano, Italy
| | - Giuseppe A D'Aliberti
- Department of Neurosurgery, ASST Niguarda Metropolitan Hospital, P.Le Ospedale Maggiore, 3, 20162, Milano, Italy
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Limanowski J, Friston K. Attentional Modulation of Vision Versus Proprioception During Action. Cereb Cortex 2021; 30:1637-1648. [PMID: 31670769 PMCID: PMC7132949 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhz192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2019] [Revised: 07/10/2019] [Accepted: 07/27/2019] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
To control our actions efficiently, our brain represents our body based on a combination of visual and proprioceptive cues, weighted according to how (un)reliable—how precise—each respective modality is in a given context. However, perceptual experiments in other modalities suggest that the weights assigned to sensory cues are also modulated “top-down” by attention. Here, we asked whether during action, attention can likewise modulate the weights (i.e., precision) assigned to visual versus proprioceptive information about body position. Participants controlled a virtual hand (VH) via a data glove, matching either the VH or their (unseen) real hand (RH) movements to a target, and thus adopting a ``visual'' or ``proprioceptive'' attentional set, under varying levels of visuo-proprioceptive congruence and visibility. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) revealed increased activation of the multisensory superior parietal lobe (SPL) during the VH task and increased activation of the secondary somatosensory cortex (S2) during the RH task. Dynamic causal modeling (DCM) showed that these activity changes were the result of selective, diametrical gain modulations in the primary visual cortex (V1) and the S2. These results suggest that endogenous attention can balance the gain of visual versus proprioceptive brain areas, thus contextualizing their influence on multisensory areas representing the body for action.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jakub Limanowski
- Wellcome Centre for Human Neuroimaging, Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Karl Friston
- Wellcome Centre for Human Neuroimaging, Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK
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10
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Kearney J, Brittain JS. Sensory Attenuation in Sport and Rehabilitation: Perspective from Research in Parkinson's Disease. Brain Sci 2021; 11:580. [PMID: 33946218 PMCID: PMC8145846 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci11050580] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2021] [Revised: 04/27/2021] [Accepted: 04/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
People with Parkinson's disease (PD) experience motor symptoms that are affected by sensory information in the environment. Sensory attenuation describes the modulation of sensory input caused by motor intent. This appears to be altered in PD and may index important sensorimotor processes underpinning PD symptoms. We review recent findings investigating sensory attenuation and reconcile seemingly disparate results with an emphasis on task-relevance in the modulation of sensory input. Sensory attenuation paradigms, across different sensory modalities, capture how two identical stimuli can elicit markedly different perceptual experiences depending on our predictions of the event, but also the context in which the event occurs. In particular, it appears as though contextual information may be used to suppress or facilitate a response to a stimulus on the basis of task-relevance. We support this viewpoint by considering the role of the basal ganglia in task-relevant sensory filtering and the use of contextual signals in complex environments to shape action and perception. This perspective highlights the dual effect of basal ganglia dysfunction in PD, whereby a reduced capacity to filter task-relevant signals harms the ability to integrate contextual cues, just when such cues are required to effectively navigate and interact with our environment. Finally, we suggest how this framework might be used to establish principles for effective rehabilitation in the treatment of PD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua Kearney
- School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK
| | - John-Stuart Brittain
- Centre for Human Brain Health, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK;
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Pyasik M, Ronga I, Burin D, Salatino A, Sarasso P, Garbarini F, Ricci R, Pia L. I'm a believer: Illusory self-generated touch elicits sensory attenuation and somatosensory evoked potentials similar to the real self-touch. Neuroimage 2021; 229:117727. [PMID: 33434613 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2021.117727] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2020] [Revised: 12/27/2020] [Accepted: 12/31/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Sensory attenuation (i.e., the phenomenon whereby self-produced sensations are perceived as less intense compared to externally occurring ones) is among the neurocognitive processes that help distinguishing ourselves from others. It is thought to be rooted in the motor system (e.g., related to motor intention and prediction), while the role of body awareness, which necessarily accompanies any voluntary movement, in this phenomenon is largely unknown. To fill this gap, here we compared the perceived intensity, somatosensory evoked potentials, and alpha-band desynchronization for self-generated, other-generated, and embodied-fake-hand-generated somatosensory stimuli. We showed that sensory attenuation triggered by the own hand and by the embodied fake hand had the same behavioral and neurophysiological signatures (reduced subjective intensity, reduced of N140 and P200 SEP components and post-stimulus alpha-band desynchronization). Therefore, signals subserving body ownership influenced attenuation of somatosensory stimuli, possibly in a postdictive manner. This indicates that body ownership is crucial for distinguishing the source of the perceived sensations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Pyasik
- SAMBA (SpAtial, Motor and Bodily Awareness) Research Group, Department of Psychology, University of Turin, 10123 Turin, Italy; NPSY-Lab.VR, Department of Human Sciences, University of Verona, 37129 Verona, Italy
| | - Irene Ronga
- MANIBUS - Movement ANd body In Behavioral and physiological neUroScience research group, Department of Psychology, University of Turin, 10123 Turin, Italy
| | - Dalila Burin
- IDAC - Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer, SARC - Smart-Aging Research Center, Kawashima Laboratory, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
| | - Adriana Salatino
- SAMBA (SpAtial, Motor and Bodily Awareness) Research Group, Department of Psychology, University of Turin, 10123 Turin, Italy
| | - Pietro Sarasso
- SAMBA (SpAtial, Motor and Bodily Awareness) Research Group, Department of Psychology, University of Turin, 10123 Turin, Italy
| | - Francesca Garbarini
- MANIBUS - Movement ANd body In Behavioral and physiological neUroScience research group, Department of Psychology, University of Turin, 10123 Turin, Italy
| | - Raffaella Ricci
- SAMBA (SpAtial, Motor and Bodily Awareness) Research Group, Department of Psychology, University of Turin, 10123 Turin, Italy; NIT (Neuroscience Institute of Turin), 10123 Turin, Italy
| | - Lorenzo Pia
- SAMBA (SpAtial, Motor and Bodily Awareness) Research Group, Department of Psychology, University of Turin, 10123 Turin, Italy; NIT (Neuroscience Institute of Turin), 10123 Turin, Italy.
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12
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Limanowski J, Litvak V, Friston K. Cortical beta oscillations reflect the contextual gating of visual action feedback. Neuroimage 2020; 222:117267. [PMID: 32818621 PMCID: PMC7779369 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2020.117267] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2020] [Revised: 08/08/2020] [Accepted: 08/12/2020] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
We decouple seen and felt hand postures during action via virtual reality. Vision of the hand is either task-relevant or a distractor. Task-relevance of vision is reflected by in- or decreases of occipital beta power. DCM suggests underlying changes in cortical (visual) excitability. Occipital beta may indicate the contextual gating of visual action feedback.
In sensorimotor integration, the brain needs to decide how its predictions should accommodate novel evidence by ‘gating’ sensory data depending on the current context. Here, we examined the oscillatory correlates of this process by recording magnetoencephalography (MEG) data during a new task requiring action under intersensory conflict. We used virtual reality to decouple visual (virtual) and proprioceptive (real) hand postures during a task in which the phase of grasping movements tracked a target (in either modality). Thus, we rendered visual information either task-relevant or a (to-be-ignored) distractor. Under visuo-proprioceptive incongruence, occipital beta power decreased (relative to congruence) when vision was task-relevant but increased when it had to be ignored. Dynamic causal modeling (DCM) revealed that this interaction was best explained by diametrical, task-dependent changes in visual gain. These results suggest a crucial role for beta oscillations in the contextual gating (i.e., gain or precision control) of visual vs proprioceptive action feedback, depending on current behavioral demands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jakub Limanowski
- Wellcome Centre for Human Neuroimaging, Institute of Neurology, University College London, 12 Queen Square, London WC1N 3BG, United Kingdom; Centre for Tactile Internet with Human-in-the-Loop, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
| | - Vladimir Litvak
- Wellcome Centre for Human Neuroimaging, Institute of Neurology, University College London, 12 Queen Square, London WC1N 3BG, United Kingdom
| | - Karl Friston
- Wellcome Centre for Human Neuroimaging, Institute of Neurology, University College London, 12 Queen Square, London WC1N 3BG, United Kingdom
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Wu YJ, Wu N, Huang X, Rao J, Yan L, Shi L, Huang H, Li SY, Zhou FQ, Wu XR. Evidence of cortical thickness reduction and disconnection in high myopia. Sci Rep 2020; 10:16239. [PMID: 33004887 PMCID: PMC7530748 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-73415-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2020] [Accepted: 08/21/2020] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
High myopia (HM) is associated with impaired long-distance vision. accumulating evidences reported that abnormal visual experience leads to dysfunction in brain activity in HM even corrected. However, whether the long-term of abnormal visual experience lead to neuroanatomical changes remain unknown, the aim at this study is to investigate the alternation of cortical surface thickness in HM patients. 82 patients with HM (HM groups), 57 healthy controls (HC groups) were recruited. All participants underwent high-resolution T1 and resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans. The cortical thickness analysis was preformed to investigate the neuroanatomical changes in HM patients using computational anatomy toolbox (CAT 12) toolbox. Compare with HCs, HM patients showed decreased the cortical surface thickness in the left middle occipital gyrus (MOG), left inferior parietal lobule (IPL), right inferior temporal gyrus (ITG), right precuneus, right primary visual area 1 (V1), right superior temporal gyrus (STG), right superior parietal lobule (SPL), right occipital pole, and right the primary motor cortex (M1), and increased to the parietal operculum (OP4) (P < 0.01, FWE-corrected), the mean cortical thickness of right orbitofrontal cortex (OFC), right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) and right subcallosal cortex showed negatively correlation between clinical variables (axis length (ALM), the average macular thickness (AMT), keratometer (KER) 1, KER2, the mean KER, the mean macular fovea thickness (MFK), the refractive diopter) in HM patients. Our result mainly provided an evidence of cortical thickness reduction and disconnection in visual center and visual processing area, and cortical thickness increase in left multimodal integration region in HM patients. This may provide important significance of the study of the neural mechanism of HM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ya-Jun Wu
- Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, 330006, Jiangxi, China
| | - Na Wu
- Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, 330006, Jiangxi, China
| | - Xin Huang
- Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, 330006, Jiangxi, China
| | - Jie Rao
- Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, 330006, Jiangxi, China
| | - Li Yan
- Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, 330006, Jiangxi, China
| | - Ling Shi
- Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, 330006, Jiangxi, China
| | - Hui Huang
- Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, 330006, Jiangxi, China
| | - Si-Yu Li
- Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, 330006, Jiangxi, China
| | - Fu-Qing Zhou
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, 330006, Jiangxi, China.
| | - Xiao-Rong Wu
- Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, 330006, Jiangxi, China.
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Fossataro C, Burin D, Ronga I, Galigani M, Rossi Sebastiano A, Pia L, Garbarini F. Agent-dependent modulation of corticospinal excitability during painful transcutaneous electrical stimulation. Neuroimage 2020; 217:116897. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2020.116897] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2019] [Revised: 03/11/2020] [Accepted: 04/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
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Bhattacharjee A, Kajal DS, Patrono A, Li Hegner Y, Zampini M, Schwarz C, Braun C. A Tactile Virtual Reality for the Study of Active Somatosensation. Front Integr Neurosci 2020; 14:5. [PMID: 32132905 PMCID: PMC7040627 DOI: 10.3389/fnint.2020.00005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2018] [Accepted: 01/28/2020] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Natural exploration of textures involves active sensing, i.e., voluntary movements of tactile sensors (e.g., human fingertips or rodent whiskers) across a target surface. Somatosensory input during moving tactile sensors varies according to both the movement and the surface texture. Combining motor and sensory information, the brain is capable of extracting textural features of the explored surface. Despite the ecological relevance of active sensing, psychophysical studies on active touch are largely missing. One reason for the lack of informative studies investigating active touch is the considerable challenge of assembling an appropriate experimental setup. A possible solution might be in the realm of virtual tactile reality that provides tactile finger stimulation depending on the position of the hand and the simulated texture of a target surface. In addition to rigorous behavioral studies, the investigation of the neuronal mechanisms of active tactile sensing in humans is highly warranted, requiring neurophysiological experiments using electroencephalography (EEG), magnetoencephalography (MEG) and/or functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). However, current neuroimaging techniques impose specific requirements on the tactile stimulus delivery equipment in terms of compatibility with the neurophysiological methods being used. Here, we present a user-friendly, MEG compatible, tactile virtual reality simulator. The simulator consists of a piezo-electric tactile stimulator capable of independently protruding 16 plastic pistons of 1 mm diameter arranged in a 4 × 4 matrix. The stimulator delivers a spatial pattern of tactile stimuli to the tip of a finger depending on the position of the finger moving across a 2-dimensional plane. In order to demonstrate the functionality of the tactile virtual reality, we determined participants’ detection thresholds in active and passive touch conditions. Thresholds in both conditions were higher than reported in the literature. It could well be that the processing of the piston-related stimulation was masked by the sensory input generated by placing the finger on the scanning probe. More so, the thresholds for both the active and passive tasks did not differ significantly. In further studies, the noise introduced by the stimulator in neuromagnetic recordings was quantified and somatosensory evoked fields for active and passive touch were recorded. Due to the compatibility of the stimulator with neuroimaging techniques such as MEG, and based on the feasibility to record somatosensory-related neuromagnetic brain activity the apparatus has immense potential for the exploration of the neural underpinnings of active tactile perception.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arindam Bhattacharjee
- Werner Reichardt Center for Integrative Neuroscience, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.,Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research, Department of Cognitive Neurology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | | | - Alessandra Patrono
- MEG Center, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.,DiPSCo, Department of Psychology and Cognitive Sciences, University of Trento, Rovereto, Italy
| | - Yiwen Li Hegner
- MEG Center, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.,Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research, Department of Neurology and Epileptology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Massimiliano Zampini
- DiPSCo, Department of Psychology and Cognitive Sciences, University of Trento, Rovereto, Italy.,CIMeC, Center for Mind/Brain Sciences, University of Trento, Rovereto, Italy
| | - Cornelius Schwarz
- Werner Reichardt Center for Integrative Neuroscience, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.,Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research, Department of Cognitive Neurology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Christoph Braun
- MEG Center, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.,DiPSCo, Department of Psychology and Cognitive Sciences, University of Trento, Rovereto, Italy.,CIMeC, Center for Mind/Brain Sciences, University of Trento, Rovereto, Italy
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Del Vecchio M, Caruana F, Sartori I, Pelliccia V, Zauli FM, Lo Russo G, Rizzolatti G, Avanzini P. Action execution and action observation elicit mirror responses with the same temporal profile in human SII. Commun Biol 2020; 3:80. [PMID: 32080326 PMCID: PMC7033229 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-020-0793-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2019] [Accepted: 01/10/2020] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
The properties of the secondary somatosensory area (SII) have been described by many studies in monkeys and humans. Recent studies on monkeys, however, showed that beyond somatosensory stimuli, SII responds to a wider number of stimuli, a finding requiring a revision that human SII is purely sensorimotor. By recording cortical activity with stereotactic electroencephalography (stereo-EEG), we examined the properties of SI and SII in response to a motor task requiring reaching, grasping and manipulation, as well as the observation of the same actions. Furthermore, we functionally characterized this area with a set of clinical tests, including tactile, acoustical, and visual stimuli. The results showed that only SII activates both during execution and observation with a common temporal profile, whereas SI response were limited to execution. Together with their peculiar response to tactile stimuli, we conclude that the role of SII is pivotal also in the observation of actions involving haptic control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Del Vecchio
- University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche, Metaboliche e Neuroscienze, 41100, Modena, Italy.
- Istituto di Neuroscienze, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, 43125, Parma, Italy.
| | - Fausto Caruana
- Istituto di Neuroscienze, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, 43125, Parma, Italy
| | - Ivana Sartori
- Centro per la Chirurgia dell'Epilessia "Claudio Munari", Ospedale Ca' Granda-Niguarda, 20162, Milano, Italy
| | - Veronica Pelliccia
- Centro per la Chirurgia dell'Epilessia "Claudio Munari", Ospedale Ca' Granda-Niguarda, 20162, Milano, Italy
| | - Flavia Maria Zauli
- Università degli Studi di Milano, Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche e Cliniche "L. Sacco", 20157, Milano, Italy
| | - Giorgio Lo Russo
- Centro per la Chirurgia dell'Epilessia "Claudio Munari", Ospedale Ca' Granda-Niguarda, 20162, Milano, Italy
| | - Giacomo Rizzolatti
- Istituto di Neuroscienze, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, 43125, Parma, Italy
- University of Parma, Dipartimento di Medicina e Chirurgia, 43125, Parma, Italy
| | - Pietro Avanzini
- Istituto di Neuroscienze, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, 43125, Parma, Italy
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17
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Press C, Kok P, Yon D. The Perceptual Prediction Paradox. Trends Cogn Sci 2020; 24:13-24. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tics.2019.11.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2019] [Revised: 11/01/2019] [Accepted: 11/01/2019] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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