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Arutiunian V, Arcara G, Buyanova I, Fedorov M, Davydova E, Pereverzeva D, Sorokin A, Tyushkevich S, Mamokhina U, Danilina K, Dragoy O. Abnormalities in both stimulus-induced and baseline MEG alpha oscillations in the auditory cortex of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Brain Struct Funct 2024:10.1007/s00429-024-02802-7. [PMID: 38683212 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-024-02802-7] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2023] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 05/01/2024]
Abstract
The neurobiology of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is hypothetically related to the imbalance between neural excitation (E) and inhibition (I). Different studies have revealed that alpha-band (8-12 Hz) activity in magneto- and electroencephalography (MEG and EEG) may reflect E and I processes and, thus, can be of particular interest in ASD research. Previous findings indicated alterations in event-related and baseline alpha activity in different cortical systems in individuals with ASD, and these abnormalities were associated with core and co-occurring conditions of ASD. However, the knowledge on auditory alpha oscillations in this population is limited. This MEG study investigated stimulus-induced (Event-Related Desynchronization, ERD) and baseline alpha-band activity (both periodic and aperiodic) in the auditory cortex and also the relationships between these neural activities and behavioral measures of children with ASD. Ninety amplitude-modulated tones were presented to two groups of children: 20 children with ASD (5 girls, Mage = 10.03, SD = 1.7) and 20 typically developing controls (9 girls, Mage = 9.11, SD = 1.3). Children with ASD had a bilateral reduction of alpha-band ERD, reduced baseline aperiodic-adjusted alpha power, and flattened aperiodic exponent in comparison to TD children. Moreover, lower raw baseline alpha power and aperiodic offset in the language-dominant left auditory cortex were associated with better language skills of children with ASD measured in formal assessment. The findings highlighted the alterations of E / I balance metrics in response to basic auditory stimuli in children with ASD and also provided evidence for the contribution of low-level processing to language difficulties in ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vardan Arutiunian
- Center for Child Health, Behavior and Development, Seattle Children's Research Institute, 1920 Terry Ave, Seattle, WA, 98101, United States of America.
| | | | - Irina Buyanova
- Center for Language and Brain, HSE University, Moscow, Russia
- University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Makar Fedorov
- Center for Language and Brain, HSE University, Nizhny Novgorod, Russia
| | - Elizaveta Davydova
- Federal Resource Center for ASD, Moscow State University of Psychology and Education, Moscow, Russia
- Chair of Differential Psychology and Psychophysiology, Moscow State University of Psychology and Education, Moscow, Russia
| | - Darya Pereverzeva
- Federal Resource Center for ASD, Moscow State University of Psychology and Education, Moscow, Russia
| | - Alexander Sorokin
- Federal Resource Center for ASD, Moscow State University of Psychology and Education, Moscow, Russia
- Haskins Laboratories, New Haven, CT, United States of America
| | - Svetlana Tyushkevich
- Federal Resource Center for ASD, Moscow State University of Psychology and Education, Moscow, Russia
| | - Uliana Mamokhina
- Federal Resource Center for ASD, Moscow State University of Psychology and Education, Moscow, Russia
| | - Kamilla Danilina
- Federal Resource Center for ASD, Moscow State University of Psychology and Education, Moscow, Russia
- Scientific Research and Practical Center of Pediatric Psychoneurology, Moscow, Russia
| | - Olga Dragoy
- Center for Language and Brain, HSE University, Moscow, Russia
- Institute of Linguistics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
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Parrotta I, Cacciatore S, D'Andrea F, D'Anna M, Giancaterino G, Lazzaro G, Arcara G, Manzo N. Prevalence, treatment, and neural correlates of apathy in different forms of dementia: a narrative review. Neurol Sci 2024; 45:1343-1376. [PMID: 38015288 PMCID: PMC10942903 DOI: 10.1007/s10072-023-07197-7] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2023] [Accepted: 11/07/2023] [Indexed: 11/29/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The aim of this review is to provide an overview on prevalence and clinical tools for the diagnosis of apathy, as well as on neurophysiological and neuroimaging findings obtained from studies in patients with apathy in different forms of dementia, including Alzheimer's disease (AD), vascular (VaD) and mixed dementia, frontotemporal dementia (FTD), and Parkinson's disease dementia (PDD). METHODS Randomized controlled trials, non-randomized controlled trials, controlled before-after studies, and interrupted time series from four databases (WebOfScience, Scopus, Pubmed, and PsycINFO) addressing apathy in adults or older people aged over 65 years of age affected by dementia were included. RESULTS The prevalence of apathy was 26-82% for AD, 28.6-91.7 for VaD, 29-97.5% in PDD, and 54.8-88.0 in FTD. The assessment of apathy was not consistent in the reviewed studies. Methylphenidate was the most successful pharmacological treatment for apathy. Neurobiological studies highlighted the relationship between both structural and functional brain areas and the presence or severity of apathy. CONCLUSION Apathy is a very common disorder in all types of dementia, although it is often underdiagnosed and undertreated. Further studies are needed to investigate its diagnosis and management. A consensus on the different evaluation scales should be achieved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilaria Parrotta
- Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, Tervuursevest 101, 3001, Louvain, Belgium
- IRCCS San Camillo Hospital, Via Alberoni 70, 30126, Venice, Italy
- Young Epidemiologists of the Italian Society of Gerontology and Geriatrics (SIGG) (YES) Working Group, Italian Society of Gerontology and Geriatrics, Via Giulio Cesare Vanini 5, 50129, Florence, Italy
| | - Stefano Cacciatore
- Young Epidemiologists of the Italian Society of Gerontology and Geriatrics (SIGG) (YES) Working Group, Italian Society of Gerontology and Geriatrics, Via Giulio Cesare Vanini 5, 50129, Florence, Italy.
- Department of Geriatrics, Orthopedics and Rheumatology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, L.go Francesco Vito 1, 00168, Rome, Italy.
| | - Flavio D'Andrea
- Department of Human Neuroscience, Sapienza University, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185, Rome, Italy
| | - Marianna D'Anna
- Department of Human Neuroscience, Sapienza University, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185, Rome, Italy
| | - Giulia Giancaterino
- Department of Human Neuroscience, Sapienza University, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185, Rome, Italy
| | - Giovanni Lazzaro
- IRCCS San Camillo Hospital, Via Alberoni 70, 30126, Venice, Italy
| | - Giorgio Arcara
- IRCCS San Camillo Hospital, Via Alberoni 70, 30126, Venice, Italy
| | - Nicoletta Manzo
- IRCCS San Camillo Hospital, Via Alberoni 70, 30126, Venice, Italy
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Salillas E, Luisi C, Arcara G, Varlı EN, d'Avella D, Semenza C. Verb generation for presurgical mapping: Gaining specificity. J Neuropsychol 2024; 18 Suppl 1:183-204. [PMID: 38062895 DOI: 10.1111/jnp.12355] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2023] [Revised: 11/10/2023] [Accepted: 11/15/2023] [Indexed: 04/13/2024]
Abstract
Verb generation is among the most frequently used tasks in presurgical mapping. Because this task involves many processes, the overall brain effects are not specific. While it is necessary to identify the whole network involving noun comprehension or semantic retrieval and lexical selection to produce the verb, isolation of those components is also crucial. Here, we present data from four patients undergoing presurgical brain mapping. The study implied a reanalysis of magnetoencephalography data with a recategorization of the used items. It aimed to extract the task component that relies on the inferior frontal gyrus (IFG). The task could be applied with higher specificity when targeting frontal areas. For that, we based item classification on the selection demands imposed by the noun. It is a robust finding that the IFG carries out this selection and that a quantitative index can be calculated for each noun, which depends on the selection effort (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 1997; 94(26):14792-14797, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 1998; 95(26):15855-15860). Data showed focality and specificity, with a correlation between this derived index and source activations in the inferior frontal gyrus for all patients. Strikingly, we detected when the right-hemisphere homologue area was involved in the selection process in two patients showing reorganization or language right lateralization. The present data are a step towards a dissection of broad specific tasks frequently used in presurgical protocols.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Salillas
- Department of Psychology and Sociology, Universidad de Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain
| | - Concetta Luisi
- Neurology, Epilepsy and Movement Disorders, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Full Member of European Reference Network EpiCARE, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Elif Nur Varlı
- Padova Neuroscience Center, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Domenico d'Avella
- Academic Neurosurgery, Department of Neuroscience, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Carlo Semenza
- Padova Neuroscience Center, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
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Pezzetta R, Gambarota F, Tarantino V, Devita M, Cattaneo Z, Arcara G, Mapelli D, Masina F. A meta-analysis of non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) effects on cerebellar-associated cognitive processes. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2024; 157:105509. [PMID: 38101590 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105509] [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] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2023] [Revised: 11/28/2023] [Accepted: 12/10/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023]
Abstract
Non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) techniques, including transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and transcranial electrical stimulation (tES), have provided valuable insights into the role of the cerebellum in cognitive processes. However, replicating findings from studies involving cerebellar stimulation poses challenges. This meta-analysis investigates the impact of NIBS on cognitive processes associated with the cerebellum. We conducted a systematic search and analyzed 66 studies and 91 experiments involving healthy adults who underwent either TMS or transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) targeting the cerebellum. The results indicate that anodal tDCS applied to the medial cerebellum enhances cognitive performance. In contrast, high-frequency TMS disrupts cognitive performance when targeting the lateral cerebellar hemispheres or when employed in online protocols. Similarly, low-frequency TMS and continuous theta burst stimulation (cTBS) diminish performance in offline protocols. Moreover, high-frequency TMS impairs accuracy. By identifying consistent effects and moderators of modulation, this meta-analysis contributes to improving the replicability of studies using NIBS on the cerebellum and provides guidance for future research aimed at developing effective NIBS interventions targeting the cerebellum.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Filippo Gambarota
- Department of Developmental and Social Psychology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Vincenza Tarantino
- Department of Psychology, Educational Science and Human Movement, University of Palermo, Italy
| | - Maria Devita
- Department of General Psychology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy; Geriatrics Unit, Department of Medicine, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.
| | - Zaira Cattaneo
- Department of Human and Social Sciences, University of Bergamo, Bergamo, Italy
| | | | - Daniela Mapelli
- Department of General Psychology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
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Vicentin S, Cona G, Arcara G, Bisiacchi P. Sensory modality affects the spatiotemporal dynamics of alpha and theta oscillations associated with prospective memory. Int J Psychophysiol 2024; 196:112284. [PMID: 38110002 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2023.112284] [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] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2023] [Revised: 11/10/2023] [Accepted: 12/15/2023] [Indexed: 12/20/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The maintenance of an intention in memory (Prospective Memory, PM) while performing a task is associated with a cost in terms of both performance (longer response times and lower accuracy) and neurophysiological modulations, which extent depends on several features of the stimuli. AIM This study explores the neural patterns associated with PM in different sensory modalities, to identify differences depending on this variable and discuss their functional meaning. METHOD Data were collected using a High-Density EEG during a baseline and a PM condition, proposed in a visual and an auditory version. Theta and alpha oscillations were compared between the two conditions within each modality using a cluster-based permutation approach. RESULTS PM conditions were associated with clusters of decreased alpha and theta activity in both modalities. However, different spatiotemporal dynamics were elicited as a function of sensory modality: alpha decreases displayed an overlapping onset between modalities, but different durations, lasting longer in the auditory modality. Conversely, the clusters of decreased theta activity presented similar durations between modalities, but different temporal and spatial onsets, appearing at different moments over the respective sensory areas. CONCLUSIONS The similar spatiotemporal properties of alpha suppression between modalities indicate that such oscillations may represent a supramodal, top-down process, presumably reflecting the external direction of attention to successfully detect the prospective cue (strategic monitoring). In theta, the clusters showed more modality-specific differences, which temporal and spatial properties correspond to the ones necessary to perform the ongoing task, suggesting a shift in resource allocation in favor of the PM task.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefano Vicentin
- Department of General Psychology, University of Padua, Italy; Padova Neuroscience Center, Padua, Italy.
| | - Giorgia Cona
- Department of General Psychology, University of Padua, Italy; Padova Neuroscience Center, Padua, Italy; Department of Neuroscience, University of Padua, Italy
| | | | - Patrizia Bisiacchi
- Department of General Psychology, University of Padua, Italy; Padova Neuroscience Center, Padua, Italy
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Lago S, Pezzetta R, Gastaldon S, Peressotti F, Arcara G. Trial-by-trial fluctuations of pre-stimulus alpha power predict language ERPs. Psychophysiology 2023; 60:e14388. [PMID: 37477167 DOI: 10.1111/psyp.14388] [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] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2023] [Revised: 06/12/2023] [Accepted: 06/20/2023] [Indexed: 07/22/2023]
Abstract
Anticipatory mechanisms are known to play a key role in language, but they have been mostly investigated with violation paradigms, which only consider what happens after predictions have been (dis)confirmed. Relatively few studies focused on the pre-stimulus interval and found that stronger expectations are associated with lower pre-stimulus alpha power. However, alpha power also fluctuates spontaneously, in the absence of experimental manipulations; and in the attention and perception domains, spontaneously low pre-stimulus power is associated with better behavioral performance and with event-related potential (ERPs) with shorter latencies and higher amplitudes. Importantly, little is known about the role of alpha fluctuations in other domains, as it is in language. To this aim, we investigated whether spontaneous fluctuations in pre-stimulus alpha power modulate language-related ERPs in a semantic congruence task. Electrophysiology data were analyzed using Generalized Additive Mixed Models to model nonlinear interactions between pre-stimulus alpha power and EEG amplitude, at the single-trial level. We found that the N400 and the late posterior positivity/P600 were larger in the case of lower pre-stimulus alpha power. Still, while the N400 was observable regardless of the level of pre-stimulus power, a late posterior positivity/P600 effect was only observable for low pre-stimulus alpha power. We discuss these findings in light of the different, albeit connected, functional interpretations of pre-stimulus alpha and the ERPs according to both a nonpredictive interpretation focused on attentional mechanisms and under a predictive processing framework.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Lago
- IRCCS San Camillo Hospital, Venice, Italy
- Padova Neuroscience Centre (PNC), University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | | | - Simone Gastaldon
- Padova Neuroscience Centre (PNC), University of Padova, Padova, Italy
- Department of Developmental and Social Psychology (DPSS), University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Francesca Peressotti
- Padova Neuroscience Centre (PNC), University of Padova, Padova, Italy
- Department of Developmental and Social Psychology (DPSS), University of Padova, Padova, Italy
- Centro Interdipartimentale di Ricerca "I-APPROVE - International Auditory Processing Project in Venice", Venice, Italy
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Montemurro S, Mondini S, Pucci V, Durante G, Riccardi A, Maffezzini S, Scialpi G, Signorini M, Arcara G. Tele-Global Examination of Mental State (Tele-GEMS): an open tool for the remote neuropsychological screening. Neurol Sci 2023; 44:3499-3508. [PMID: 37248426 PMCID: PMC10226870 DOI: 10.1007/s10072-023-06862-1] [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] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2023] [Accepted: 05/15/2023] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
Tele-neuropsychology, i.e., the application of remote audio-visual technologies to neuropsychological evaluation or rehabilitation, has become increasingly popular and widespread during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. New tools with updated normative data and appropriate methodological developments are necessary. We present Tele-GEMS, a telephone-based cognitive screening developed on N = 601 Italian participants. It yields a global score tapping on orientation, memory, spatial representation, language, and pragmatic abilities. Its administration lasts about 10 min. Clinical cut-offs are provided, accounting for demographic variables (age, education, and sex) and also for a comprehensive index taking into account cognitively stimulating life experiences that can build up a cognitive reserve. Tele-GEMS shows good internal consistency and a good inter-rater agreement. The test includes the thresholds for estimating a significant change after repeated measurements. Tele-GEMS has a good construct validity as assessed with MoCA and a suitable criterion validity assessed with its in-person version (GEMS). All the materials and the instructions, including scripts and an online Application for the automatic calculation of cut-offs, are accessible on OSF at https://osf.io/t3bma/ under a Creative Commons license.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sara Mondini
- Department of Philosophy, Sociology, Education and Applied Psychology (FISPPA), Università di Padova, Padova, Italy
- Centro di Ateneo Servizi Clinici Universitari Psicologici (SCUP), Università di Padova, Padova, Italy
- Human Inspired Technology Research Centre HIT, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Veronica Pucci
- Department of Philosophy, Sociology, Education and Applied Psychology (FISPPA), Università di Padova, Padova, Italy
- Human Inspired Technology Research Centre HIT, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Giorgia Durante
- Department of Philosophy, Sociology, Education and Applied Psychology (FISPPA), Università di Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Alice Riccardi
- Multiple Sclerosis Centre, Department of Neurosciences-DNS, Università di Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Sabrina Maffezzini
- Multiple Sclerosis Centre, Department of Neurosciences-DNS, Università di Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Graziana Scialpi
- Multiple Sclerosis Centre, Department of Neurosciences-DNS, Università di Padova, Padova, Italy
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Valt C, Quarto T, Tavella A, Romanelli F, Fazio L, Arcara G, Altamura M, Barrasso G, Bellomo A, Blasi G, Brudaglio F, Carofiglio A, D'Ambrosio E, Padalino FA, Rampino A, Saponaro A, Semisa D, Suma D, Pergola G, Bertolino A. Reduced magnetic mismatch negativity: a shared deficit in psychosis and related risk. Psychol Med 2023; 53:6037-6045. [PMID: 36321391 DOI: 10.1017/s003329172200321x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Abnormal auditory processing of deviant stimuli, as reflected by mismatch negativity (MMN), is often reported in schizophrenia (SCZ). At present, it is still under debate whether this dysfunctional response is specific to the full-blown SCZ diagnosis or rather a marker of psychosis in general. The present study tested MMN in patients with SCZ, bipolar disorder (BD), first episode of psychosis (FEP), and in people at clinical high risk for psychosis (CHR). METHODS Source-based MEG activity evoked during a passive auditory oddball task was recorded from 135 patients grouped according to diagnosis (SCZ, BD, FEP, and CHR) and 135 healthy controls also divided into four subgroups, age- and gender-matched with diagnostic subgroups. The magnetic MMN (mMMN) was analyzed as event-related field (ERF), Theta power, and Theta inter-trial phase coherence (ITPC). RESULTS The clinical group as a whole showed reduced mMMN ERF amplitude, Theta power, and Theta ITPC, without any statistically significant interaction between diagnosis and mMMN reductions. The mMMN subgroup contrasts showed lower ERF amplitude in all the diagnostic subgroups. In the analysis of Theta frequency, SCZ showed significant power and ITPC reductions, while only indications of diminished ITPC were observed in CHR, but no significant decreases characterized BD and FEP. CONCLUSIONS Significant mMMN alterations in people experiencing psychosis, also for diagnoses other than SCZ, suggest that this neurophysiological response may be a feature shared across psychotic disorders. Additionally, reduced Theta ITPC may be associated with risk for psychosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Valt
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Neuroscience and Sense Organs, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy
| | - Tiziana Quarto
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Neuroscience and Sense Organs, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy
- Department of Humanities, University of Foggia, Foggia, Italy
| | | | | | - Leonardo Fazio
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Neuroscience and Sense Organs, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, LUM University, Casamassima, Italy
| | | | - Mario Altamura
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Foggia, Foggia, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Barrasso
- Department of Mental Health, ASL Barletta-Andria-Trani, Andria, Italy
| | - Antonello Bellomo
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Foggia, Foggia, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Blasi
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Neuroscience and Sense Organs, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy
- Bari University Hospital, Bari, Italy
| | - Flora Brudaglio
- Department of Mental Health, ASL Barletta-Andria-Trani, Andria, Italy
| | | | - Enrico D'Ambrosio
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Neuroscience and Sense Organs, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy
- Bari University Hospital, Bari, Italy
- Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience - King's College London, London, UK
| | | | - Antonio Rampino
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Neuroscience and Sense Organs, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy
- Bari University Hospital, Bari, Italy
| | | | | | - Domenico Suma
- Department of Mental Health, ASL Brindisi, Brindisi, Italy
| | - Giulio Pergola
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Neuroscience and Sense Organs, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy
| | - Alessandro Bertolino
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Neuroscience and Sense Organs, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy
- Bari University Hospital, Bari, Italy
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Borgomaneri S, Zanon M, Di Luzio P, Cataneo A, Arcara G, Romei V, Tamietto M, Avenanti A. Increasing associative plasticity in temporo-occipital back-projections improves visual perception of emotions. Nat Commun 2023; 14:5720. [PMID: 37737239 PMCID: PMC10517146 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-41058-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2021] [Accepted: 08/17/2023] [Indexed: 09/23/2023] Open
Abstract
The posterior superior temporal sulcus (pSTS) is a critical node in a network specialized for perceiving emotional facial expressions that is reciprocally connected with early visual cortices (V1/V2). Current models of perceptual decision-making increasingly assign relevance to recursive processing for visual recognition. However, it is unknown whether inducing plasticity into reentrant connections from pSTS to V1/V2 impacts emotion perception. Using a combination of electrophysiological and neurostimulation methods, we demonstrate that strengthening the connectivity from pSTS to V1/V2 selectively increases the ability to perceive facial expressions associated with emotions. This behavior is associated with increased electrophysiological activity in both these brain regions, particularly in V1/V2, and depends on specific temporal parameters of stimulation that follow Hebbian principles. Therefore, we provide evidence that pSTS-to-V1/V2 back-projections are instrumental to perception of emotion from facial stimuli and functionally malleable via manipulation of associative plasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Borgomaneri
- Centro studi e ricerche in Neuroscienze Cognitive, Dipartimento di Psicologia "Renzo Canestrari", Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna, Cesena Campus, Cesena, Italy.
| | - Marco Zanon
- Centro studi e ricerche in Neuroscienze Cognitive, Dipartimento di Psicologia "Renzo Canestrari", Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna, Cesena Campus, Cesena, Italy
- Neuroscience Area, International School for Advanced Studies (SISSA), Trieste, Italy
| | - Paolo Di Luzio
- Centro studi e ricerche in Neuroscienze Cognitive, Dipartimento di Psicologia "Renzo Canestrari", Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna, Cesena Campus, Cesena, Italy
| | - Antonio Cataneo
- Centro studi e ricerche in Neuroscienze Cognitive, Dipartimento di Psicologia "Renzo Canestrari", Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna, Cesena Campus, Cesena, Italy
| | | | - Vincenzo Romei
- Centro studi e ricerche in Neuroscienze Cognitive, Dipartimento di Psicologia "Renzo Canestrari", Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna, Cesena Campus, Cesena, Italy
- Facultad de Lenguas y Educación, Universidad Antonio de Nebrija, Madrid, 28015, Spain
| | - Marco Tamietto
- Dipartimento di Psicologia, Università degli Studi di Torino, Torino, Italy.
- Department of Medical and Clinical Psychology, Tilburg University, Tilburg, The Netherlands.
| | - Alessio Avenanti
- Centro studi e ricerche in Neuroscienze Cognitive, Dipartimento di Psicologia "Renzo Canestrari", Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna, Cesena Campus, Cesena, Italy.
- Centro de Investigación en Neuropsicología y Neurociencias Cognitivas, Universidad Católica del Maule, Talca, Chile.
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Arutiunian V, Arcara G, Buyanova I, Buivolova O, Davydova E, Pereverzeva D, Sorokin A, Tyushkevich S, Mamokhina U, Danilina K, Dragoy O. Event-Related Desynchronization of MEG Alpha-Band Oscillations during Simultaneous Presentation of Audio and Visual Stimuli in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Brain Sci 2023; 13:1313. [PMID: 37759914 PMCID: PMC10526124 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci13091313] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2023] [Revised: 09/07/2023] [Accepted: 09/12/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Alpha-band (8-12 Hz) event-related desynchronization (ERD) or a decrease in alpha power in electro- and magnetoencephalography (EEG and MEG) reflects the involvement of a neural tissue in information processing. It is known that most children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have difficulties in information processing, and, thus, investigation of alpha oscillations is of particular interest in this population. Previous studies have demonstrated alterations in this neural activity in individuals with ASD; however, little is known about alpha ERD during simultaneous presentation of auditory and visual stimuli in children with and without ASD. As alpha oscillations are intimately related to attention, and attention deficit is one of the common co-occurring conditions of ASD, we predict that children with ASD can have altered alpha ERD in one of the sensory domains. In the present study, we used MEG to investigate alpha ERD in groups of 20 children with ASD and 20 age-matched typically developing controls. Simple amplitude-modulated tones were presented together with a fixation cross appearing on the screen. The results showed that children with ASD had a bilateral reduction in alpha-band ERD in the auditory but not visual cortex. Moreover, alterations in the auditory cortex were associated with a higher presence of autistic traits measured in behavioral assessment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vardan Arutiunian
- Center for Child Health, Behavior and Development, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, 1920 Terry Ave., Seattle, WA 98101, USA
| | - Giorgio Arcara
- IRCCS San Camillo Hospital, 70 Via Alberoni, Lido, 30126 Venice, Italy;
| | - Irina Buyanova
- Center for Language and Brain, HSE University, 3 Krivokolenny Pereulok, 101000 Moscow, Russia; (I.B.); (O.B.); (O.D.)
| | - Olga Buivolova
- Center for Language and Brain, HSE University, 3 Krivokolenny Pereulok, 101000 Moscow, Russia; (I.B.); (O.B.); (O.D.)
| | - Elizaveta Davydova
- Federal Resource Center for ASD, Moscow State University of Psychology and Education, 19 Architectora Vlasova Str., 117335 Moscow, Russia; (E.D.); (D.P.); (A.S.); (S.T.); (U.M.); (K.D.)
- Chair of Differential Psychology and Psychophysiology, Moscow State University of Psychology and Education, 2A Shelepikhinaskaya Naberezhnaya, 123290 Moscow, Russia
| | - Darya Pereverzeva
- Federal Resource Center for ASD, Moscow State University of Psychology and Education, 19 Architectora Vlasova Str., 117335 Moscow, Russia; (E.D.); (D.P.); (A.S.); (S.T.); (U.M.); (K.D.)
| | - Alexander Sorokin
- Federal Resource Center for ASD, Moscow State University of Psychology and Education, 19 Architectora Vlasova Str., 117335 Moscow, Russia; (E.D.); (D.P.); (A.S.); (S.T.); (U.M.); (K.D.)
- Haskins Laboratories, 300 George St., New Haven, CT 06511, USA
| | - Svetlana Tyushkevich
- Federal Resource Center for ASD, Moscow State University of Psychology and Education, 19 Architectora Vlasova Str., 117335 Moscow, Russia; (E.D.); (D.P.); (A.S.); (S.T.); (U.M.); (K.D.)
| | - Uliana Mamokhina
- Federal Resource Center for ASD, Moscow State University of Psychology and Education, 19 Architectora Vlasova Str., 117335 Moscow, Russia; (E.D.); (D.P.); (A.S.); (S.T.); (U.M.); (K.D.)
| | - Kamilla Danilina
- Federal Resource Center for ASD, Moscow State University of Psychology and Education, 19 Architectora Vlasova Str., 117335 Moscow, Russia; (E.D.); (D.P.); (A.S.); (S.T.); (U.M.); (K.D.)
- Scientific Research and Practical Center of Pediatric Psychoneurology, 74 Michurinskiy Prospekt, 119602 Moscow, Russia
| | - Olga Dragoy
- Center for Language and Brain, HSE University, 3 Krivokolenny Pereulok, 101000 Moscow, Russia; (I.B.); (O.B.); (O.D.)
- Institute of Linguistics, Russian Academy of Sciences, 1/1 Bolshoy Kislovsky Ln, 125009 Moscow, Russia
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11
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Maffezzini S, Pucci V, Riccardi A, Montemurro S, Puthenparampil M, Perini P, Rinaldi F, Gallo P, Arcara G, Mondini S. Clinical Profiles in Multiple Sclerosis: Cognitive Reserve and Motor Impairment along Disease Duration. Behav Sci (Basel) 2023; 13:708. [PMID: 37753986 PMCID: PMC10525733 DOI: 10.3390/bs13090708] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2023] [Revised: 08/16/2023] [Accepted: 08/24/2023] [Indexed: 09/28/2023] Open
Abstract
(i) Background: Cognitive impairment in people with multiple sclerosis (MS) has been studied in relation to certain clinical variables (e.g., motor disability and disease duration) and lifestyle factors such as cognitive reserve (CR). However, only very few studies have considered the interaction of clinical variables and cognitive reserve in preserving the integrity of the neuropsychological profile. In this paper, we hypothesised that a higher level of CR might predict good cognitive efficiency by modulating the clinical outcome of the disease. (ii) Methods: A sample of 100 participants with MS (age range 30-74), was recruited and assessed remotely with a questionnaire to measure CR and a cognitive screening test. Data were analysed through generalized additive models. (iii) Results: We found that the model analysing the interaction between CR and disease duration, and between CR and motor disability, was able to explain a significant percentage of cognitive performance. In particular, higher levels of CR predicted a better cognitive performance despite a long disease duration, unless the motor disability was severe. (iv) Conclusion: This study highlights the crucial role of CR in modulating cognitive efficiency in people with MS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabrina Maffezzini
- Multiple Sclerosis Centre, University-Hospital of Padua, 35128 Padova, Italy; (S.M.); (A.R.); (M.P.); (P.P.); (F.R.); (P.G.)
| | - Veronica Pucci
- Department of Philosophy, Sociology, Education and Applied Psychology, University of Padua, 35128 Padova, Italy;
- Human Inspired Technology Centre (HIT), University of Padua, 35122 Padova, Italy
| | - Alice Riccardi
- Multiple Sclerosis Centre, University-Hospital of Padua, 35128 Padova, Italy; (S.M.); (A.R.); (M.P.); (P.P.); (F.R.); (P.G.)
| | | | - Marco Puthenparampil
- Multiple Sclerosis Centre, University-Hospital of Padua, 35128 Padova, Italy; (S.M.); (A.R.); (M.P.); (P.P.); (F.R.); (P.G.)
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Padua, 35128 Padova, Italy
| | - Paola Perini
- Multiple Sclerosis Centre, University-Hospital of Padua, 35128 Padova, Italy; (S.M.); (A.R.); (M.P.); (P.P.); (F.R.); (P.G.)
| | - Francesca Rinaldi
- Multiple Sclerosis Centre, University-Hospital of Padua, 35128 Padova, Italy; (S.M.); (A.R.); (M.P.); (P.P.); (F.R.); (P.G.)
| | - Paolo Gallo
- Multiple Sclerosis Centre, University-Hospital of Padua, 35128 Padova, Italy; (S.M.); (A.R.); (M.P.); (P.P.); (F.R.); (P.G.)
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Padua, 35128 Padova, Italy
| | - Giorgio Arcara
- IRCCS San Camillo Hospital, 30126 Venice, Italy; (S.M.); (G.A.)
| | - Sara Mondini
- Department of Philosophy, Sociology, Education and Applied Psychology, University of Padua, 35128 Padova, Italy;
- Human Inspired Technology Centre (HIT), University of Padua, 35122 Padova, Italy
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12
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Schuler AL, Brkić D, Ferrazzi G, Arcara G, Marinazzo D, Pellegrino G. Auditory white noise exposure results in intrinsic cortical excitability changes. iScience 2023; 26:107387. [PMID: 37575186 PMCID: PMC10415920 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.107387] [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] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2023] [Revised: 04/23/2023] [Accepted: 07/11/2023] [Indexed: 08/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Cortical excitability is commonly measured by applying magnetic stimulation in combination with measuring behavioral response. This measure has, however, some shortcomings including spatial limitation to the primary motor cortex and not accounting for intrinsic excitability fluctuations. Here, we use a measure for intrinsic excitability based on phase synchronization previously validated for epilepsy. We apply this measure in 30 healthy participants' magnetoencephalography (MEG) recordings during the exposure of auditory white noise, a stimulus that has been suggested to modify cortical excitability. Using cortical parcellation of the MEG source data, we could find a specific pattern of increased and decreased excitability while participants are exposed to white noise vs. silence. Specifically, excitability during white noise exposure decreases in the frontal lobe and increases in the temporal lobe. This study thus adds to the understanding of cortical excitability changes due to specific environmental stimuli as well as the spatial extent of these effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna-Lisa Schuler
- IRCCS San Camillo Hospital, Venice, Italy
- Lise Meitner Research Group Cognition and Plasticity, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
| | | | | | | | - Daniele Marinazzo
- Department of Data Analysis, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Giovanni Pellegrino
- Epilepsy Program, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, ON, Canada
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Salvalaggio S, Turolla A, Andò M, Barresi R, Burgio F, Busan P, Cortese AM, D’Imperio D, Danesin L, Ferrazzi G, Maistrello L, Mascotto E, Parrotta I, Pezzetta R, Rigon E, Vedovato A, Zago S, Zorzi M, Arcara G, Mantini D, Filippini N. Prediction of rehabilitation induced motor recovery after stroke using a multi-dimensional and multi-modal approach. Front Aging Neurosci 2023; 15:1205063. [PMID: 37469951 PMCID: PMC10352609 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2023.1205063] [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: 04/13/2023] [Accepted: 06/19/2023] [Indexed: 07/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Stroke is a debilitating disease affecting millions of people worldwide. Despite the survival rate has significantly increased over the years, many stroke survivors are left with severe impairments impacting their quality of life. Rehabilitation programs have proved to be successful in improving the recovery process. However, a reliable model of sensorimotor recovery and a clear identification of predictive markers of rehabilitation-induced recovery are still needed. This article introduces the cross-modality protocols designed to investigate the rehabilitation treatment's effect in a group of stroke survivors. Methods/design A total of 75 stroke patients, admitted at the IRCCS San Camillo rehabilitation Hospital in Venice (Italy), will be included in this study. Here, we describe the rehabilitation programs, clinical, neuropsychological, and physiological/imaging [including electroencephalography (EEG), transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques] protocols set up for this study. Blood collection for the characterization of predictive biological biomarkers will also be taken. Measures derived from data acquired will be used as candidate predictors of motor recovery. Discussion/summary The integration of cutting-edge physiological and imaging techniques, with clinical and cognitive assessment, dose of rehabilitation and biological variables will provide a unique opportunity to define a predictive model of recovery in stroke patients. Taken together, the data acquired in this project will help to define a model of rehabilitation induced sensorimotor recovery, with the final aim of developing personalized treatments promoting the greatest chance of recovery of the compromised functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvia Salvalaggio
- IRCCS San Camillo Hospital, Venice, Italy
- Padova Neuroscience Center, Università degli Studi di Padova, Padua, Italy
| | - Andrea Turolla
- Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences (DIBINEM), Alma Mater Studiorum – Università di Bologna, Bologna, Italy
- Unit of Occupational Medicine, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | | | | | | | | | - Anna Maria Cortese
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, AULSS 3 Serenissima, Venice, Italy
| | | | | | | | | | - Eleonora Mascotto
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Venice Hospital, Venice, Italy
| | | | | | | | - Anna Vedovato
- General Hospital San Camillo of Treviso, Treviso, Italy
| | - Sara Zago
- IRCCS San Camillo Hospital, Venice, Italy
| | - Marco Zorzi
- IRCCS San Camillo Hospital, Venice, Italy
- Padova Neuroscience Center, Università degli Studi di Padova, Padua, Italy
- Department of General Psychology, University of Padova, Padua, Italy
| | | | - Dante Mantini
- IRCCS San Camillo Hospital, Venice, Italy
- Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
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14
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Montemurro S, Filippini N, Ferrazzi G, Mantini D, Arcara G, Marino M. Education differentiates cognitive performance and resting state fMRI connectivity in healthy aging. Front Aging Neurosci 2023; 15:1168576. [PMID: 37293663 PMCID: PMC10244540 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2023.1168576] [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: 02/17/2023] [Accepted: 05/05/2023] [Indexed: 06/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Objectives In healthy aging, the way people cope differently with cognitive and neural decline is influenced by exposure to cognitively enriching life-experiences. Education is one of them, so that in general, the higher the education, the better the expected cognitive performance in aging. At the neural level, it is not clear yet how education can differentiate resting state functional connectivity profiles and their cognitive underpinnings. Thus, with this study, we aimed to investigate whether the variable education allowed for a finer description of age-related differences in cognition and resting state FC. Methods We analyzed in 197 healthy individuals (137 young adults aged 20-35 and 60 older adults aged 55-80 from the publicly available LEMON database), a pool of cognitive and neural variables, derived from magnetic resonance imaging, in relation to education. Firstly, we assessed age-related differences, by comparing young and older adults. Then, we investigated the possible role of education in outlining such differences, by splitting the group of older adults based on their education. Results In terms of cognitive performance, older adults with higher education and young adults were comparable in language and executive functions. Interestingly, they had a wider vocabulary compared to young adults and older adults with lower education. Concerning functional connectivity, the results showed significant age- and education-related differences within three networks: the Visual-Medial, the Dorsal Attentional, and the Default Mode network (DMN). For the DMN, we also found a relationship with memory performance, which strengthen the evidence that this network has a specific role in linking cognitive maintenance and FC at rest in healthy aging. Discussion Our study revealed that education contributes to differentiating cognitive and neural profiles in healthy older adults. Also, the DMN could be a key network in this context, as it may reflect some compensatory mechanisms relative to memory capacities in older adults with higher education.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Dante Mantini
- Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, Leuven, Belgium
| | | | - Marco Marino
- Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, Leuven, Belgium
- Department of General Psychology, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
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15
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Pinardi M, Schuler AL, Arcara G, Ferreri F, Marinazzo D, Di Pino G, Pellegrino G. Reduced connectivity of primary auditory and motor cortices during exposure to auditory white noise. Neurosci Lett 2023; 804:137212. [PMID: 36966962 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2023.137212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2023] [Revised: 02/27/2023] [Accepted: 03/22/2023] [Indexed: 03/29/2023]
Abstract
Auditory white noise (WN) is widely used in daily life for inducing sleep, and in neuroscience to mask unwanted environmental noise and cues. However, WN was recently reported to influence corticospinal excitability and behavioral performance. Here, we expand previous preliminary findings on the influence of WN exposure on cortical functioning, and we hypothesize that it may modulate cortical connectivity. We tested our hypothesis by performing magnetoencephalography in 20 healthy subjects. WN reduces cortical connectivity of the primary auditory and motor regions with very distant cortical areas, showing a right lateralized connectivity reduction for primary motor cortex. The present results, together with previous finding concerning WN impact on corticospinal excitability and behavioral performance, further support the role of WN as a modulator of cortical function. This suggest avoiding its unrestricted use as a masking tool, while purposely designed and controlled WN application could be exploited to harness brain function and to treat neuropsychiatric conditions.
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16
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Manzo N, Ginatempo F, Belvisi D, Arcara G, Parrotta I, Leodori G, Deriu F, Celletti C, Camerota F, Conte A. Investigating the Effects of a Focal Muscle Vibration Protocol on Sensorimotor Integration in Healthy Subjects. Brain Sci 2023; 13:brainsci13040664. [PMID: 37190629 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci13040664] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2023] [Revised: 03/28/2023] [Accepted: 04/04/2023] [Indexed: 05/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: The ability to perceive two tactile stimuli as asynchronous can be measured using the somatosensory temporal discrimination threshold (STDT). In healthy humans, the execution of a voluntary movement determines an increase in STDT values, while the integration of STDT and movement execution is abnormal in patients with basal ganglia disorders. Sensorimotor integration can be modulated using focal muscle vibration (fMV), a neurophysiological approach that selectively activates proprioceptive afferents from the vibrated muscle. Method: In this study, we investigated whether fMV was able to modulate STDT or STDT-movement integration in healthy subjects by measuring them before, during and after fMV applied over the first dorsalis interosseous, abductor pollicis brevis and flexor radialis carpi muscles. Results: The results showed that fMV modulated STDT-movement integration only when applied over the first dorsalis interosseous, namely, the muscle performing the motor task involved in STDT-movement integration. These changes occurred during and up to 10 min after fMV. Differently, fMV did not influence STDT at rest. We suggest that that fMV interferes with the STDT-movement task processing, possibly disrupting the physiological processing of sensory information. Conclusions: This study showed that FMV is able to modulate STDT-movement integration when applied over the muscle involved in the motor task. This result provides further information on the mechanisms underlying fMV, and has potential future implications in basal ganglia disorders characterized by altered sensorimotor integration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicoletta Manzo
- IRCCS San Camillo Hospital, Via Alberoni 70, 30126 Venice, Italy
| | - Francesca Ginatempo
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Sassari, Viale San Pietro 43c, 07100 Sassari, Italy
| | - Daniele Belvisi
- Department of Human Neurosciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Viale dell'Università 30, 00185 Rome, Italy
- IRCCS Neuromed, Via Atinense 18, 86077 Pozzilli, Italy
| | - Giorgio Arcara
- IRCCS San Camillo Hospital, Via Alberoni 70, 30126 Venice, Italy
| | - Ilaria Parrotta
- IRCCS San Camillo Hospital, Via Alberoni 70, 30126 Venice, Italy
- Movement Contral and Neuroplasticity Research Group, Tervuursevest 101, 3001 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Giorgio Leodori
- Department of Human Neurosciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Viale dell'Università 30, 00185 Rome, Italy
- IRCCS Neuromed, Via Atinense 18, 86077 Pozzilli, Italy
| | - Franca Deriu
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Sassari, Viale San Pietro 43c, 07100 Sassari, Italy
- Unit of Endocrinology, Nutritional and Metabolic Disorders, AOU Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Italy
| | - Claudia Celletti
- Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Division, Umberto I University Hospital of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Filippo Camerota
- Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Division, Umberto I University Hospital of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Antonella Conte
- Department of Human Neurosciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Viale dell'Università 30, 00185 Rome, Italy
- IRCCS Neuromed, Via Atinense 18, 86077 Pozzilli, Italy
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17
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Colenbier N, Sareen E, Del-Aguila Puntas T, Griffa A, Pellegrino G, Mantini D, Marinazzo D, Arcara G, Amico E. Task matters: Individual MEG signatures from naturalistic and neurophysiological brain states. Neuroimage 2023; 271:120021. [PMID: 36918139 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2023.120021] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2022] [Revised: 02/21/2023] [Accepted: 03/10/2023] [Indexed: 03/14/2023] Open
Abstract
The discovery that human brain connectivity data can be used as a "fingerprint" to identify a given individual from a population, has become a burgeoning research area in the neuroscience field. Recent studies have identified the possibility to extract these brain signatures from the temporal rich dynamics of resting-state magneto encephalography (MEG) recordings. Nevertheless, it is still uncertain to what extent MEG signatures can serve as an indicator of human identifiability during task-related conduct. Here, using MEG data from naturalistic and neurophysiological tasks, we show that identification improves in tasks relative to resting-state, providing compelling evidence for a task dependent axis of MEG signatures. Notably, improvements in identifiability were more prominent in strictly controlled tasks. Lastly, the brain regions contributing most towards individual identification were also modified when engaged in task activities. We hope that this investigation advances our understanding of the driving factors behind brain identification from MEG signals.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ekansh Sareen
- Medical Image Processing Laboratory, Neuro-X Institute, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Tamara Del-Aguila Puntas
- Laboratorio de Psicobiologia, Departmento de Psicología Experimental, Facultad de Psicología, Universidad de Sevilla, Spain
| | - Alessandra Griffa
- Medical Image Processing Laboratory, Neuro-X Institute, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Geneva, Switzerland; Department of Radiology and Medical Informatics, University of Geneva, Switzerland; Leenaards Memory Center, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | | | - Dante Mantini
- Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, KU Leuven, Belgium
| | - Daniele Marinazzo
- Department of Data Analysis, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | | | - Enrico Amico
- Medical Image Processing Laboratory, Neuro-X Institute, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Geneva, Switzerland; Department of Radiology and Medical Informatics, University of Geneva, Switzerland.
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Arutiunian V, Arcara G, Buyanova I, Davydova E, Pereverzeva D, Sorokin A, Tyushkevich S, Mamokhina U, Danilina K, Dragoy O. Neuromagnetic 40 Hz Auditory Steady-State Response in the left auditory cortex is related to language comprehension in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2023; 122:110690. [PMID: 36470421 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2022.110690] [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] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2022] [Revised: 11/06/2022] [Accepted: 11/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/08/2022]
Abstract
Language impairment is comorbid in most children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), but its neural mechanisms are still poorly understood. Some studies hypothesize that the atypical low-level sensory perception in the auditory cortex accounts for the abnormal language development in these children. One of the potential non-invasive measures of such low-level perception can be the cortical gamma-band oscillations registered with magnetoencephalography (MEG), and 40 Hz Auditory Steady-State Response (40 Hz ASSR) is a reliable paradigm for eliciting auditory gamma response. Although there is research in children with and without ASD using 40 Hz ASSR, nothing is known about the relationship between this auditory response in children with ASD and their language abilities measured directly in formal assessment. In the present study, we used MEG and individual brain models to investigate 40 Hz ASSR in primary-school-aged children with and without ASD. It was also used to assess how the strength of the auditory response is related to language abilities of children with ASD, their non-verbal IQ, and social functioning. A total of 40 children were included in the study. The results demonstrated that 40 Hz ASSR was reduced in the right auditory cortex in children with ASD when comparing them to typically developing controls. Importantly, our study provides the first evidence of the association between 40 Hz ASSR in the language-dominant left auditory cortex and language comprehension in children with ASD. This link was domain-specific because the other brain-behavior correlations were non-significant.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Irina Buyanova
- Center for Language and Brain, HSE University, Moscow, Russia
| | - Elizaveta Davydova
- Federal Resource Center for ASD, Moscow State University of Psychology and Education, Moscow, Russia; Chair of Differential Psychology and Psychophysiology, Moscow State University of Psychology and Education, Moscow, Russia
| | - Darya Pereverzeva
- Federal Resource Center for ASD, Moscow State University of Psychology and Education, Moscow, Russia
| | - Alexander Sorokin
- Federal Resource Center for ASD, Moscow State University of Psychology and Education, Moscow, Russia; Haskins Laboratories, New Haven, CT, United States of America
| | - Svetlana Tyushkevich
- Federal Resource Center for ASD, Moscow State University of Psychology and Education, Moscow, Russia
| | - Uliana Mamokhina
- Federal Resource Center for ASD, Moscow State University of Psychology and Education, Moscow, Russia
| | - Kamilla Danilina
- Federal Resource Center for ASD, Moscow State University of Psychology and Education, Moscow, Russia
| | - Olga Dragoy
- Center for Language and Brain, HSE University, Moscow, Russia; Institute of Linguistics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
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Giustiniani A, Danesin L, Pezzetta R, Masina F, Oliva G, Arcara G, Burgio F, Conte P. Use of Telemedicine to Improve Cognitive Functions and Psychological Well-Being in Patients with Breast Cancer: A Systematic Review of the Current Literature. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:cancers15041353. [PMID: 36831693 PMCID: PMC9954456 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15041353] [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: 01/18/2023] [Revised: 02/13/2023] [Accepted: 02/17/2023] [Indexed: 02/25/2023] Open
Abstract
The diagnosis and side effects of breast cancer (BC) treatments greatly affect the everyday lives of women suffering from this disease, with relevant psychological and cognitive consequences. Several studies have reported the psychological effects of receiving a diagnosis of BC. Moreover, women undergoing anticancer therapies may exhibit cognitive impairment as a side effect of the treatments. The access to cognitive rehabilitation and psychological treatment for these patients is often limited by resources; women of childbearing age often encounter difficulties in completing rehabilitation programs requiring access to care institutions. Telemedicine, which provides health services using information and communication technologies, is a useful tool to overcome these limitations. In particular, telemedicine may represent an optimal way to guarantee cognitive rehabilitation, psychological support, and recovery to BC patients. Previous studies have reviewed the use of telemedicine to improve psychological well-being in BC patients, and a few have investigated the effect of telerehabilitation on cognitive deficits. This study systematically reviewed the evidence on the cognitive and psychological effects of telemedicine in BC patients. Current evidence suggests that telemedicine may represent a promising tool for the management of some psychological problems experienced by breast cancer patients, but more controlled studies are needed to clarify its effectiveness, especially for cognitive deficits. The results are also discussed in light of the intervening and modulating factors that may mediate both side effect occurrence and the success of the interventions.
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Lago S, Bevilacqua F, Stabile MR, Scarpazza C, Bambini V, Arcara G. Corrigendum: Case report: Pragmatic impairment in multiple sclerosis after worsening of clinical symptoms. Front Psychol 2023; 14:1137717. [PMID: 36794083 PMCID: PMC9923161 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1137717] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2023] [Accepted: 01/12/2023] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1028814.].
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Lago
- IRCCS San Camillo Hospital, Venice, Italy,Department of Neuroscience, Padova Neuroscience Centre, University of Padova, Padua, Italy,*Correspondence: Sara Lago ✉
| | | | | | - Cristina Scarpazza
- IRCCS San Camillo Hospital, Venice, Italy,Department of General Psychology, University of Padova, Padua, Italy
| | - Valentina Bambini
- Department of Humanities and Life Sciences, University School for Advanced Studies IUSS, Pavia, Italy
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21
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Gastaldon S, Busan P, Arcara G, Peressotti F. Inefficient speech-motor control affects predictive speech comprehension: atypical electrophysiological correlates in stuttering. Cereb Cortex 2023:6995383. [PMID: 36682885 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhad004] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2021] [Revised: 12/29/2022] [Accepted: 12/30/2022] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Listeners predict upcoming information during language comprehension. However, how this ability is implemented is still largely unknown. Here, we tested the hypothesis proposing that language production mechanisms have a role in prediction. We studied 2 electroencephalographic correlates of predictability during speech comprehension-pre-target alpha-beta (8-30 Hz) power decrease and the post-target N400 event-related potential effect-in a population with impaired speech-motor control, i.e. adults who stutter (AWS), compared to typically fluent adults (TFA). Participants listened to sentences that could either constrain towards a target word or not, modulating its predictability. As a complementary task, participants also performed context-driven word production. Compared to TFA, AWS not only displayed atypical neural responses in production, but, critically, they showed a different pattern also in comprehension. Specifically, while TFA showed the expected pre-target power decrease, AWS showed a power increase in frontal regions, associated with speech-motor control. In addition, the post-target N400 effect was reduced for AWS with respect to TFA. Finally, we found that production and comprehension power changes were positively correlated in TFA, but not in AWS. Overall, the results support the idea that processes and neural structures prominently devoted to speech planning also support prediction during speech comprehension.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simone Gastaldon
- Dipartimento di Psicologia dello Sviluppo e della Socializzazione (DPSS), University of Padova, Via Venezia 8, Padova (PD) 35131, Italy.,Padova Neuroscience Center (PNC), University of Padova, Via Giuseppe Orus 2/B, Padova (PD) 35131, Italy
| | - Pierpaolo Busan
- IRCCS Ospedale San Camillo, Via Alberoni 70, Lido (VE) 30126, Italy
| | - Giorgio Arcara
- IRCCS Ospedale San Camillo, Via Alberoni 70, Lido (VE) 30126, Italy
| | - Francesca Peressotti
- Dipartimento di Psicologia dello Sviluppo e della Socializzazione (DPSS), University of Padova, Via Venezia 8, Padova (PD) 35131, Italy.,Padova Neuroscience Center (PNC), University of Padova, Via Giuseppe Orus 2/B, Padova (PD) 35131, Italy.,Centro Interdipartimentale di Ricerca "I-APPROVE-International Auditory Processing Project in Venice", University of Padova, Via Belzoni 160, Padova (PD) 35121, Italy
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22
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Aiello EN, Rimoldi S, Bolognini N, Appollonio I, Arcara G. Correction to: Psychometrics and diagnostics of Italian cognitive screening tests: a systematic review. Neurol Sci 2023; 44:421. [PMID: 35869347 DOI: 10.1007/s10072-022-06294-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Edoardo Nicolò Aiello
- School of Medicine and Surgery, PhD Program in Neuroscience, University of Milano-Bicocca, Monza, Italy.
| | - Sara Rimoldi
- Department of Psychology, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milano, Italy
| | - Nadia Bolognini
- Department of Psychology, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milano, Italy.,Neuropsychological Laboratory, IRCCS Istituto Auxologico Italiano, Milano, Italy
| | - Ildebrando Appollonio
- Neurology Section, School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca, Monza, Italy
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23
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Sulpizio S, Arcara G, Lago S, Marelli M, Amenta S. Very early and late form-to-meaning computations during visual word recognition as revealed by electrophysiology. Cortex 2022; 157:167-193. [PMID: 36327746 DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2022.07.016] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2020] [Revised: 10/08/2021] [Accepted: 07/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
We used a large-scale data-driven approach to investigate the role of word form in accessing semantics. By using distributional semantic methods and taking advantage of an ERP lexical decision mega-study, we investigated the exact time dynamic of semantic access from printed words as driven by orthography-semantics consistency (OSC) and phonology-semantics consistency (PSC). Generalized Additive Models revealed very early and late OSC-by-PSC interactions, visible at 100 and 400 msec, respectively. This pattern suggests that, during visual word recognition: a) meaning is accessed by means of two distinct and interactive paths - the orthography-to-meaning and the orthography-to-phonology-to-meaning path -, which mutually contribute to recognition since early stages; b) the system may exploit a dual mechanism for semantic access, with early and late effects associated to a fast-coarse and a slow-fine grained semantic analysis, respectively. The results also highlight the high sensitivity of the visual word recognition system to arbitrary form-meaning relations.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Sara Lago
- IRCCS San Camillo Hospital, Venice, Italy; Padova Neuroscience Center, University of Padova, Italy
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24
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Lago S, Bevilacqua F, Stabile MR, Scarpazza C, Bambini V, Arcara G. Case report: Pragmatic impairment in multiple sclerosis after worsening of clinical symptoms. Front Psychol 2022; 13:1028814. [PMID: 36506966 PMCID: PMC9731094 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1028814] [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: 08/26/2022] [Accepted: 11/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Pragmatics, defined as the ability to integrate language and context to communicate effectively, may be impaired in Multiple Sclerosis (MS). We present the case of a patient with active secondary progressive MS who, after a first neuropsychological assessment that evidenced only a slight pragmatic impairment, suffered a sudden worsening of her clinical conditions, treated with corticosteroids. After this clinical worsening, her pragmatic abilities declined markedly, both in comprehension and production. This worsening was accompanied by a decline only in one attention task, in the context of an overall stable cognitive functioning. We conclude that pragmatics may be a domain particularly susceptible to cognitive worsening, highlighting the importance of its assessment in clinical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Lago
- IRCCS San Camillo Hospital, Venice, Italy,Department of Neuroscience, Padova Neuroscience Centre, University of Padova, Padua, Italy,*Correspondence: Sara Lago,
| | | | | | - Cristina Scarpazza
- IRCCS San Camillo Hospital, Venice, Italy,Department of General Psychology, University of Padova, Padua, Italy
| | - Valentina Bambini
- Department of Humanities and Life Sciences, University School for Advanced Studies IUSS, Pavia, Italy
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25
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Colenbier N, Marino M, Arcara G, Frederick B, Pellegrino G, Marinazzo D, Ferrazzi G. WHOCARES: WHOle-brain CArdiac signal REgression from highly accelerated simultaneous multi-Slice fMRI acquisitions. J Neural Eng 2022; 19:10.1088/1741-2552/ac8bff. [PMID: 35998568 PMCID: PMC9673276 DOI: 10.1088/1741-2552/ac8bff] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2022] [Accepted: 08/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Objective. To spatio-temporally resolve cardiac signals in functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) time-series of the human brain using neither external physiological measurements nor ad hoc modelling assumptions.Approach. Cardiac pulsation is a physiological confound of fMRI time-series that introduces spurious signal fluctuations in proximity to blood vessels. fMRI alone is not sufficiently fast to resolve cardiac pulsation. Depending on the ratio between the instantaneous heart-rate and the acquisition sampling frequency (1/TR, with TR being the repetition time), the cardiac signal may alias into the frequency band of neural activation so that its removal through spectral filtering techniques is generally not possible. In this paper, we show that it is feasible to temporally and spatially resolve cardiac signals throughout the brain even when cardiac aliasing occurs by combining fMRI hyper-sampling with simultaneous multislice (SMS) imaging. The technique, which we name WHOle-brain CArdiac signal REgression from highly accelerated simultaneous multi-Slice fMRI acquisitions (WHOCARES), was developed on 695 healthy subjects selected from the Human Connectome Project and its performance validated against the RETROICOR, HAPPY and the pulse oxymeter signal regression methods.Main results.WHOCARES is capable of retrieving voxel-wise cardiac signal regressors. This is achieved without employing external physiological recordings nor through ad hoc modelling assumptions. The performance of WHOCARES was, on average, superior to RETROICOR, HAPPY and the pulse oxymeter regression methods.Significance.WHOCARES holds basis for the reliable mapping of cardiac activity in fMRI time-series. WHOCARES can be employed for the retrospective removal of cardiac noise in publicly available fMRI datasets where physiological recordings are not available. WHOCARES is freely available athttps://github.com/gferrazzi/WHOCARES.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nigel Colenbier
- IRCCS San Camillo Hospital, via Alberoni 70, 30126 Venice, Italy
| | - Marco Marino
- IRCCS San Camillo Hospital, via Alberoni 70, 30126 Venice, Italy
- Research Center for Motor Control and Neuroplasticity, KU Leuven, Leuven, 3001, Belgium
| | - Giorgio Arcara
- IRCCS San Camillo Hospital, via Alberoni 70, 30126 Venice, Italy
| | - Blaise Frederick
- Brain Imaging Center, McLean Hospital, 115 Mill St., Belmont, MA, 02478, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard University Medical School, 25 Shattuck St., Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | | | - Daniele Marinazzo
- IRCCS San Camillo Hospital, via Alberoni 70, 30126 Venice, Italy
- Department of Data Analysis, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent 9000, Belgium
| | - Giulio Ferrazzi
- IRCCS San Camillo Hospital, via Alberoni 70, 30126 Venice, Italy
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Burgio F, Filippini N, Weis L, Danesin L, Ferrazzi G, Garon M, Biundo R, Facchini S, Antonini A, Benavides-Varela S, Semenza C, Arcara G. Neurocognitive correlates of numerical abilities in Parkinson’s disease. Neurol Sci 2022; 43:5313-5322. [DOI: 10.1007/s10072-022-06228-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2022] [Accepted: 06/16/2022] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
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Masina F, Montemurro S, Marino M, Manzo N, Pellegrino G, Arcara G. State-dependent tDCS modulation of the somatomotor network: A MEG study. Clin Neurophysiol 2022; 142:133-142. [PMID: 36037749 DOI: 10.1016/j.clinph.2022.07.508] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [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: 04/21/2022] [Revised: 07/13/2022] [Accepted: 07/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a non-invasive technique widely used to investigate brain excitability and activity. However, the variability in both brain and behavioral responses to tDCS limits its application for clinical purposes. This study aims to shed light on state-dependency, a phenomenon that contributes to the variability of tDCS. METHODS To this aim, we investigated changes in spectral activity and functional connectivity in somatomotor regions after Real and Sham tDCS using generalized additive mixed models (GAMMs), which allowed us to investigate how modulation depends on the initial state of the brain. RESULTS Results showed that changes in spectral activity, but not connectivity, in the somatomotor regions depend on the initial state of the brain, confirming state-dependent effects. Specifically, we found a non-linear interaction between stimulation conditions (Real vs Sham) and initial state: a reduction of alpha and beta power was observed only in participants that had higher alpha and beta power before Real tDCS. CONCLUSIONS This study highlights the importance of considering state-dependency to tDCS and shows how it can be taken into account with appropriate statistical models. SIGNIFICANCE Our findings bear insight into tDCS mechanisms, potentially leading to discriminate between tDCS responders and non-responders.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Marco Marino
- IRCCS San Camillo Hospital, Venice, Italy; Department of Movement Sciences, Research Center for Motor Control and Neuroplasticity, KU Leuven, Belgium.
| | - Nicoletta Manzo
- IRCCS San Camillo Hospital, Venice, Italy; Department of Human Neurosciences, Sapienza, University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
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Aiello EN, D’Iorio A, Montemurro S, Maggi G, Giacobbe C, Bari V, Di Tella GS, Pischedda F, Bolognini N, Appollonio I, Arcara G, Santangelo G. Psychometrics, diagnostics and usability of Italian tools assessing behavioural and functional outcomes in neurological, geriatric and psychiatric disorders: a systematic review. Neurol Sci 2022; 43:6189-6214. [PMID: 35932375 PMCID: PMC9616758 DOI: 10.1007/s10072-022-06300-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2022] [Accepted: 07/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
Background Psychometric instruments assessing behavioural and functional outcomes (BFIs) in neurological, geriatric and psychiatric populations are relevant towards diagnostics, prognosis and intervention. However, BFIs often happen not to meet methodological-statistical standards, thus lowering their level of recommendation in clinical practice and research. This work thus aimed at (1) providing an up-to-date compendium on psychometrics, diagnostics and usability of available Italian BFIs and (2) delivering evidence-based information on their level of recommendation. Methods This review was pre-registered (PROSPERO ID: CRD42021295430) and performed according to PRISMA guidelines. Several psychometric, diagnostic and usability measures were addressed as outcomes. Quality assessment was performed via an ad hoc checklist, the Behavioural and Functional Instrument Quality Assessment. Results Out of an initial N = 830 reports, 108 studies were included (N = 102 BFIs). Target constructs included behavioural/psychiatric symptoms, quality of life and physical functioning. BFIs were either self- or caregiver-/clinician-report. Studies in clinical conditions (including neurological, psychiatric and geriatric ones) were the most represented. Validity was investigated for 85 and reliability for 80 BFIs, respectively. Criterion and factorial validity testing were infrequent, whereas content and ecological validity and parallel forms were almost never addressed. Item response theory analyses were seldom carried out. Diagnostics and norms lacked for about one-third of BFIs. Information on administration time, ease of use and ceiling/floor effects were often unreported. Discussion Several available BFIs for the Italian population do not meet adequate statistical-methodological standards, this prompting a greater care from researchers involved in their development. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10072-022-06300-8.
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Mondini S, Montemurro S, Pucci V, Ravelli A, Signorini M, Arcara G. Global Examination of Mental State: An open tool for the brief evaluation of cognition. Brain Behav 2022; 12:e2710. [PMID: 35861637 PMCID: PMC9392517 DOI: 10.1002/brb3.2710] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [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] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2022] [Accepted: 07/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The aim of this paper is to present a freely accessible new instrument for the evaluation of cognition: the Global Examination of Mental State (GEMS). METHODS It is made up of 11 items tapping into a range of skills, such as Orientation in time and space, Memory, Working memory, Visuo-spatial, Visuo-constructional and Planning abilities, Perceptual and visual Attention, Language (Naming, Comprehension, and Verbal fluency), and Pragmatics. RESULTS The psychometric strengths of this screening are: (1) extensive and updated normative data on the adult Italian population (from 18 to 100 years old); (2) absence of ceiling effect in healthy individuals, which allows to better detect interindividual variability; (3) comparison of the global scores with normative data taking into account Cognitive Reserve rather than only education, thus increasing diagnostic accuracy; (4) thresholds for significant change over time and the possibility to use parallel versions (GEMS-A/GEMS-B) for test-retest; (5) solid psychometric properties and data on discriminant validity; and (6) free access to all materials (record forms, instructions, and cut-off scores) on the web under a Creative Common License. CONCLUSIONS With all these characteristics, GEMS could be a very useful paper-and-pencil instrument for cognitive screening.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Mondini
- Department of Philosophy, Sociology, Education and Applied Psychology (FISSPA), University of Padua, Padua, Italy.,Human Inspired Technology Research Centre, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | | | - Veronica Pucci
- Department of Philosophy, Sociology, Education and Applied Psychology (FISSPA), University of Padua, Padua, Italy.,Human Inspired Technology Research Centre, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | - Adele Ravelli
- Department of Philosophy, Sociology, Education and Applied Psychology (FISSPA), University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | - Matteo Signorini
- Gruppo Veneto di Diagnostica e Riabilitazione (GVDR), Padua, Italy
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Schuler AL, Ferrazzi G, Colenbier N, Arcara G, Piccione F, Ferreri F, Marinazzo D, Pellegrino G. Auditory driven gamma synchrony is associated with cortical thickness in widespread cortical areas. Neuroimage 2022; 255:119175. [PMID: 35390460 PMCID: PMC9168448 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2022.119175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2021] [Revised: 02/20/2022] [Accepted: 04/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Gamma synchrony is a fundamental functional property of the cerebral cortex, impaired in multiple neuropsychiatric conditions (i.e. schizophrenia, Alzheimer's disease, stroke etc.). Auditory stimulation in the gamma range allows to drive gamma synchrony of the entire cortical mantle and to estimate the efficiency of the mechanisms sustaining it. As gamma synchrony depends strongly on the interplay between parvalbumin-positive interneurons and pyramidal neurons, we hypothesize an association between cortical thickness and gamma synchrony. To test this hypothesis, we employed a combined magnetoencephalography (MEG) - Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) study. METHODS Cortical thickness was estimated from anatomical MRI scans. MEG measurements related to exposure of 40 Hz amplitude modulated tones were projected onto the cortical surface. Two measures of cortical synchrony were considered: (a) inter-trial phase consistency at 40 Hz, providing a vertex-wise estimation of gamma synchronization, and (b) phase-locking values between primary auditory cortices and whole cortical mantle, providing a measure of long-range cortical synchrony. A correlation between cortical thickness and synchronization measures was then calculated for 72 MRI-MEG scans. RESULTS Both inter-trial phase consistency and phase locking values showed a significant positive correlation with cortical thickness. For inter-trial phase consistency, clusters of strong associations were found in the temporal and frontal lobes, especially in the bilateral auditory and pre-motor cortices. Higher phase-locking values corresponded to higher cortical thickness in the frontal, temporal, occipital and parietal lobes. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS In healthy subjects, a thicker cortex corresponds to higher gamma synchrony and connectivity in the primary auditory cortex and beyond, likely reflecting underlying cell density involved in gamma circuitries. This result hints towards an involvement of gamma synchrony together with underlying brain structure in brain areas for higher order cognitive functions. This study contributes to the understanding of inherent cortical functional and structural brain properties, which might in turn constitute the basis for the definition of useful biomarkers in patients showing aberrant gamma synchronization.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Giulio Ferrazzi
- IRCCS San Camillo Hospital, Via Alberoni 70, Venice 30126, Italy
| | - Nigel Colenbier
- IRCCS San Camillo Hospital, Via Alberoni 70, Venice 30126, Italy
| | - Giorgio Arcara
- IRCCS San Camillo Hospital, Via Alberoni 70, Venice 30126, Italy
| | | | - Florinda Ferreri
- Unit of Neurology, Unit of Clinical Neurophysiology, Study Center of Neurodegeneration (CESNE), Department of Neuroscience, University of Padua, Padua, Italy; Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, Kuopio University Hospital, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Daniele Marinazzo
- Department of Data Analysis, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Ghent University
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Arutiunian V, Arcara G, Buyanova I, Gomozova M, Dragoy O. The age-related changes in 40 Hz Auditory Steady-State Response and sustained Event-Related Fields to the same amplitude-modulated tones in typically developing children: A magnetoencephalography study. Hum Brain Mapp 2022; 43:5370-5383. [PMID: 35833318 PMCID: PMC9812253 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.26013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [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] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2021] [Revised: 06/24/2022] [Accepted: 06/24/2022] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Recent studies have revealed that gamma-band oscillatory and transient evoked potentials may change with age during childhood. It is hypothesized that these changes can be associated with a maturation of GABAergic neurotransmission and, subsequently, the age-related changes of excitation-inhibition balance in the neural circuits. One of the reliable paradigms for investigating these effects in the auditory cortex is 40 Hz Auditory Steady-State Response (ASSR), where participants are presented with the periodic auditory stimuli. It is known that such stimuli evoke two types of responses in magnetoencephalography (MEG)-40 Hz steady-state gamma response (or 40 Hz ASSR) and auditory evoked response called sustained Event-Related Field (ERF). Although several studies have been conducted in children, focusing on the changes of 40 Hz ASSR with age, almost nothing is known about the age-related changes of the sustained ERF to the same periodic stimuli and their relationships with changes in the gamma strength. Using MEG, we investigated the association between 40 Hz steady-state gamma response and sustained ERF response to the same stimuli and also their age-related changes in the group of 30 typically developing 7-to-12-year-old children. The results revealed a tight relationship between 40 Hz ASSR and ERF, indicating that the age-related increase in strength of 40 Hz ASSR was associated with the age-related decrease of the amplitude of ERF. These effects were discussed in the light of the maturation of the GABAergic system and excitation-inhibition balance development, which may contribute to the changes in ASSR and ERF.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Olga Dragoy
- Center for Language and BrainHSE UniversityMoscowRussia,Institute of LinguisticsRussian Academy of SciencesMoscowRussia
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32
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Masina F, Pezzetta R, Lago S, Mantini D, Scarpazza C, Arcara G. Disconnection from prediction: A systematic review on the role of right temporoparietal junction in aberrant predictive processing. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2022; 138:104713. [PMID: 35636560 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2022.104713] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2022] [Revised: 05/06/2022] [Accepted: 05/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
The right temporoparietal junction (rTPJ) is a brain area that plays a critical role in a variety of cognitive functions. Although different theoretical proposals tried to explain the ubiquitous role of rTPJ, recent evidence suggests that rTPJ may be a fundamental cortical region involved in different kinds of predictions. This systematic review aims to better investigate the potential role of rTPJ under a predictive processing perspective, providing an overview of cognitive impairments in neurological patients as the consequence of structural or functional disconnections or damage of rTPJ. Results confirm the involvement of rTPJ across several tasks and neurological pathologies. RTPJ, via its connections with other brain networks, would integrate diverse information and update internal models of the world. Against traditional views, which tend to focus on distinct domains, we argue that the role of rTPJ can be parsimoniously interpreted as a key hub involved in domain-general predictions. This alternative account of rTPJ role in aberrant predictive processing opens different perspectives, stimulating new hypotheses in basic research and clinical contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Sara Lago
- IRCCS San Camillo Hospital, Venice, Italy.
| | - Dante Mantini
- Research Center for Motor Control and Neuroplasticity, KU Leuven, Leuven 3001, Belgium.
| | - Cristina Scarpazza
- IRCCS San Camillo Hospital, Venice, Italy; Department of General Psychology, University of Padua, Padua, Italy.
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33
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Vicentin S, Cona G, Arcara G, Bisiacchi P. EXPRESS: The Impact of Sensory Modality on Prospective Memory: Differences between Visual and Auditory Processing. Q J Exp Psychol (Hove) 2022; 76:1086-1097. [PMID: 35570680 DOI: 10.1177/17470218221103500] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Prospective memory (PM) is the ability to perform an intended action when the appropriate conditions occur. Several features play a role in the successful retrieval of an intention: The activity we are concurrently engaged in, the number of intentions we are maintaining, where our attention is focused (outward vs. to inner states), and how outstanding the trigger of the intention is. Another factor that may play a crucial role is sensory modality: Do auditory and visual stimuli prompt PM processing in the same way? In this study, we explored for the first time the nature of PM for auditory stimuli and the presence of modality-dependent differences in PM processing. To do so, an identical paradigm composed of multiple PM tasks was administered in two versions, one with auditory stimuli and one with visual ones. Each PM task differed for features such as focality, saliency, and number of intentions (factors that are known in literature to modulate the monitoring and maintenance requests of PM) to explore the impact of sensory modality on a broad variety of classical PM tasks. In general, PM processing showed similar patterns between modalities, especially for low demanding prospective instructions. Conversely, substantial differences were found when the prospective load was increased and monitoring requests enhanced, as participants were significantly slower and less accurate with acoustic stimuli. These results represent the first evidence that modality-dependent effects arise in PM processing, especially in its interaction with features such as the difficulty of the task and the increased monitoring load.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefano Vicentin
- Department of General Psychology, University of Padua 9308.,Padova Neuroscience Center, Padua (IT)
| | - Giorgia Cona
- Department of General Psychology, University of Padua 9308.,Padova Neuroscience Center, Padua (IT)
| | | | - Patrizia Bisiacchi
- Department of General Psychology, University of Padua 9308.,Padova Neuroscience Center, Padua (IT)
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Danesin L, Giustiniani A, Arcara G, Burgio F. Financial Decision-Making in Neurological Patients. Brain Sci 2022; 12:brainsci12050529. [PMID: 35624916 PMCID: PMC9139159 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci12050529] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2022] [Revised: 04/11/2022] [Accepted: 04/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Financial abilities (FA) are a multi-dimensional domain comprising a wide range of conceptual, pragmatical, and judgmental skills ranging from basic abilities, such as bill payment, to high level abilities, such as financial decision-making (FDM). Preserved FDM abilities include the capacity to recognize fraud attempts, and they are fundamental for a person’s independence. Previous studies have reported decreased FDM in older adults and in patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), who consequently become more susceptible to fraud attempts. However, FDM has scarcely been investigated in other neurological populations, and it is unclear whether FDM may be predicted by more basic FA. The aim of the present study was to investigate FDM across patients with MCI, Parkinson’s disease (PD), or stroke, as well as healthy controls (HC), and to explore to what extent FDM could be inferred by other FA. We collected FDM and FA performances using the NADL-F short battery. Performances in the NADL-F short subtests were compared among groups. Additionally, the relationship between the scores at the FDM subtest and the performance obtained in other financial subtests of the NADL-F short were investigated for each group of participants. MCI patients performed worse than HC in FDM and in several FA domains. Conversely, FDM was relatively preserved in our sample of PD and stroke patients. In HC, FDM was associated with numeracy and financial knowledge applied to everyday situations, whereas this was true with some basic FA in both MCI and PD patients. No significant association was observed in stroke patients. Our results suggest that FDM is a complex ability, only partially inferable from other FA.
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Montemurro S, Daini R, Tagliabue C, Guzzetti S, Gualco G, Mondini S, Arcara G. Cognitive reserve estimated with a life experience questionnaire outperforms education in predicting performance on MoCA: Italian normative data. Curr Psychol 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s12144-022-03062-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
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Aiello EN, Rimoldi S, Bolognini N, Appollonio I, Arcara G. Psychometrics and diagnostics of Italian cognitive screening tests: a systematic review. Neurol Sci 2021; 43:821-845. [PMID: 34816316 DOI: 10.1007/s10072-021-05683-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [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: 08/17/2021] [Accepted: 10/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cognitive screening tests (CSTs) are crucial to neuropsychological diagnostics, and thus need to be featured by robust psychometric and diagnostic properties. However, CSTs happen not to meet desirable statistical standards, negatively affecting their level of recommendations and applicability. This study aimed at (a) providing an up-to-date compendium of available CSTs in Italy, (b) report their psychometric and diagnostic properties, and (c) address related limitations. METHODS This review was implemented by consulting Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses and pre-registered on the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews. Standardization and usability studies focusing on norms, validity, reliability, or sensitivity/specificity (and derived metrics) in adults were considered for eligibility. Quality assessment was performed by means of an ad hoc checklist collecting information on sampling, psychometrics/diagnostics, norming, and feasibility. RESULTS Sixty studies were included out of an initial N = 683. Identified CSTs (N = 40) were classified into general, domain-, and disease-specific (N = 17, 7, and 16, respectively), the latter being less statistically robust than remaining categories. Validity and reliability evidence was provided for 29 and 26 CSTs, respectively, sensitivity/specificity for 20 and norms for 33. Prevalence- and post-test-based diagnostic metrics were seldomly represented; factorial structures, ceiling/floor effects, and acceptability rarely investigated; content, face, and ecological validity never assessed. DISCUSSION Although available Italian CSTs overall met basic psychometric/diagnostic requirements, their statistical profile often proved to be poor on several properties that are desirable for clinical applications, with a few exceptions among general and domain-specific ones.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edoardo Nicolò Aiello
- PhD Program in Neuroscience, School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca, Monza, Italy.
| | - Sara Rimoldi
- Department of Psychology, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milano, Italy
| | - Nadia Bolognini
- Department of Psychology, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milano, Italy.,Neuropsychological Laboratory, IRCCS Istituto Auxologico Italiano, Milano, Italy
| | - Ildebrando Appollonio
- Neurology Section, School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca, Monza, Italy
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37
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Nordio S, Arcara G, Berta G, Dellai A, Brisotto C, Koch I, Cazzador D, Aspidistria M, Ventura L, Turolla A, D'Imperio D, Battel I. Biofeedback as an Adjunctive Treatment for Post-stroke Dysphagia: A Pilot-Randomized Controlled Trial. Dysphagia 2021; 37:1207-1216. [PMID: 34767083 DOI: 10.1007/s00455-021-10385-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [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: 01/21/2021] [Accepted: 10/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Post-stroke dysphagia affects almost half of the survivors and severely influences quality of life, thus becoming swallowing rehabilitation of paramount importance. However, there is little adequate evidence on which the best rehabilitative strategy can be. Surface electromyography (sEMG) allows for recording swallowing muscles' activity and provides real time visual feedback, as a biofeedback adjunctive technique to improve treatment outcome. This study aimed to analyze the effectiveness of biofeedback rehabilitation of swallowing through sEMG compared to standard techniques, in post-stroke dysphagia. METHODS A pilot-randomized controlled trial included 17 patients diagnosed with post-stroke dysphagia. Nine underwent sEMG-biofeedback rehabilitation; seven controls were submitted to control treatment, one dropout. The primary outcome was the functional oral intake scale (FOIS), secondary outcomes was pharyngeal clearance and safe swallowing, assessed through fiberoptic endoscopic evaluation of swallowing (FEES). RESULTS FOIS improved in all patients, regardless of treatment. sEMG-biofeedback rehabilitation led to improvements of the pharyngeal clearance and swallowing safety. The rehabilitative effects appeared stable at 2-months follow-up. CONCLUSIONS The application of biofeedback based on sEMG in post-stroke dysphagia patients resulted in an effective rehabilitative technique, in particular for pharyngeal clearance improvements and safe swallowing, thus reducing the risk of aspiration and malnutrition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Nordio
- IRCCS San Camillo Hospital, Via Alberoni 70, 30126, Venice, Lido di Venezia, Italy.
| | - Giorgio Arcara
- IRCCS San Camillo Hospital, Via Alberoni 70, 30126, Venice, Lido di Venezia, Italy
| | - Giulia Berta
- IRCCS San Camillo Hospital, Via Alberoni 70, 30126, Venice, Lido di Venezia, Italy
| | - Angela Dellai
- IRCCS San Camillo Hospital, Via Alberoni 70, 30126, Venice, Lido di Venezia, Italy
| | - Camilla Brisotto
- IRCCS San Camillo Hospital, Via Alberoni 70, 30126, Venice, Lido di Venezia, Italy
| | - Isabella Koch
- IRCCS San Camillo Hospital, Via Alberoni 70, 30126, Venice, Lido di Venezia, Italy
| | - Diego Cazzador
- Otorhinolaryngology Unit, Department of Neurosciences, University of Padua, Via Giustiniani 5, 35128, Padua, Italy.,Section of Human Anatomy, Department of Neuroscience, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | - Marta Aspidistria
- Department of Statistical Sciences, University of Padua, Via Cesare Battisti 241, 35121, Padua, Italy
| | - Laura Ventura
- Department of Statistical Sciences, University of Padua, Via Cesare Battisti 241, 35121, Padua, Italy
| | - Andrea Turolla
- IRCCS San Camillo Hospital, Via Alberoni 70, 30126, Venice, Lido di Venezia, Italy
| | - Daniela D'Imperio
- IRCCS San Camillo Hospital, Via Alberoni 70, 30126, Venice, Lido di Venezia, Italy
| | - Irene Battel
- Unità Operativa Medicina Fisica e Riabilitativa, Ulss 3 Serenissima, Ospedale Civile di Venezia, Castello, 6667, Venice, Italy.,Department of Clinical Speech & Language Studies, Trinity College, University of Dublin, College Green, Dublin 2, Ireland
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Montemurro S, Mondini S, Arcara G. Heterogeneity of effects of cognitive reserve on performance in probable Alzheimer's disease and in subjective cognitive decline. Neuropsychology 2021; 35:876-888. [PMID: 34553970 DOI: 10.1037/neu0000770] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Cognitive reserve (CR) is a term used to describe the adaptability of cognitive processes to brain changes. It helps to explain the different cognitive adaptation to daily functioning in aging individuals and in individuals with brain pathology: a higher CR is associated with a delay in the manifestation of cognitive symptoms. CR is estimated using different proxies, such as education, cognitively stimulating life experiences, premorbid intelligence quotient (IQ), and vocabulary size. Despite the complexity of CR, little research to date has systematically focused on the heterogeneity of its effects. METHOD We investigated this issue in individuals with probable Alzheimer's Disease (AD) and in individuals with subjective cognitive decline (SCD) by focusing on two variables: (a) the type of CR proxy (i.e., Education and Life experience) and (b) the type of test used to assess cognitive performance (i.e., the Mini-Mental State Examination [MMSE] screening test and the extensive Brief Neuropsychological Examination-2 [ENB-2] test battery). RESULTS Our results suggest that effects on CR varied: in individuals with probable AD, we found a positive relationship of Education with performance on both the MMSE and the ENB-2 tests; in contrast, individuals with SCD showed a positive relationship of a Life experience proxy selectively with the ENB-2 global score. CONCLUSIONS Different proxies may reflect different compensatory mechanisms of CR depending on task demand and on an individual's global cognitive condition. In particular, while the Education proxy can capture CR-related cognitive compensation in a pathological condition such as probable AD, the more complex Life experience proxy might be useful for capturing CR-related effects when signs of deterioration are subtle, like in SCD. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sara Mondini
- Department of Philosophy, Sociology, Education and Applied Psychology, FISPPA, University of Padova
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Arcara G, Pezzetta R, Benavides-Varela S, Rizzi G, Formica S, Turco C, Piccione F, Semenza C. Magnetoencephalography reveals differences in brain activations for fast and slow responses to simple multiplications. Sci Rep 2021; 11:20296. [PMID: 34645843 PMCID: PMC8514455 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-97927-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [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: 06/07/2021] [Accepted: 08/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite decades of studies, it is still an open question on how and where simple multiplications are solved by the brain. This fragmented picture is mostly related to the different tasks employed. While in neuropsychological studies patients are asked to perform and report simple oral calculations, neuroimaging and neurophysiological studies often use verification tasks, in which the result is shown, and the participant must verify the correctness. This MEG study aims to unify the sources of evidence, investigating how brain activation unfolds in time using a single-digit multiplication production task. We compared the participants' brain activity-focusing on the parietal lobes-based on response efficiency, dividing their responses in fast and slow. Results showed higher activation for fast, as compared to slow, responses in the left angular gyrus starting after the first operand, and in the right supramarginal gyrus only after the second operand. A whole-brain analysis showed that fast responses had higher activation in the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. We show a timing difference of both hemispheres during simple multiplications. Results suggest that while the left parietal lobe may allow an initial retrieval of several possible solutions, the right one may be engaged later, helping to identify the solution based on magnitude checking.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giorgio Arcara
- grid.492797.6IRCCS San Camillo Hospital, Via Alberoni 70, Lido, 30126 Venice, Italy
| | - Rachele Pezzetta
- grid.492797.6IRCCS San Camillo Hospital, Via Alberoni 70, Lido, 30126 Venice, Italy
| | - S. Benavides-Varela
- grid.5608.b0000 0004 1757 3470Department of Developmental Psychology and Socialization, University of Padova, Padua, Italy ,grid.5608.b0000 0004 1757 3470Department of Neuroscience (Padova Neuroscience Centre), University of Padova, Padua, Italy
| | - G. Rizzi
- grid.5608.b0000 0004 1757 3470Department of Neuroscience (Padova Neuroscience Centre), University of Padova, Padua, Italy
| | - S. Formica
- grid.5342.00000 0001 2069 7798Department of Experimental Psychology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - C. Turco
- grid.492797.6IRCCS San Camillo Hospital, Via Alberoni 70, Lido, 30126 Venice, Italy
| | - F. Piccione
- grid.5608.b0000 0004 1757 3470Riabilitazione, Azienda Ospedale - Università di Padova, Regione Veneto, Italy
| | - C. Semenza
- grid.5608.b0000 0004 1757 3470Department of Neuroscience (Padova Neuroscience Centre), University of Padova, Padua, Italy
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Burgio F, Danesin L, Benavides-Varela S, Meneghello F, Butterworth B, Arcara G, Semenza C. Numerical activities of daily living: a short version. Neurol Sci 2021; 43:967-978. [PMID: 34164749 DOI: 10.1007/s10072-021-05391-z] [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] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2021] [Accepted: 06/07/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Specific impairments in numerical functions may cause severe problems in everyday life that cannot be inferred from the available scales evaluating instrumental activities of daily living. The Numerical Activities of Daily living (NADL) is a battery designed to assess the patient's performance in everyday activities involving numbers (Informal Test) and in more scholastic capacities (Formal Test). A downside of this battery is its duration (45 min). The aim of the present study is to build a shorter version of NADL to make it more suitable for clinical and research purposes. The shortening procedure involved only the Formal test, and followed two steps: (i) a correlation of subtests with the general scores, and (ii) an item-analysis within the subtests previously showing higher correlations. Correlations between NADL-Short and NADL original version, and the new cut-offs were calculated. Lastly, the relationship between NADL-Short and other brief cognitive screening tests used in the clinical practice was evaluated in neurological patients and healthy controls. The NADL-Short includes the original Informal Test and the shortened Formal Test. It is a quick and easy clinical tool (15 min) to assess numerical abilities applied to informal and formal situations. It correlates highly with the original battery (Kendall's tau greater than 0.6 across tasks) and the cut-offs correctly identify impaired performance (accuracy of 95% or above). Correlation analysis showed a low positive correlation between NADL-Short and other brief cognitive scales. These findings suggest that it is appropriate to use specific tools to make inferences about a person's numerical abilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Burgio
- San Camillo Hospital, IRCCS, Via Alberoni 70, 30126, Venice, Italy.
| | - Laura Danesin
- San Camillo Hospital, IRCCS, Via Alberoni 70, 30126, Venice, Italy
| | - Silvia Benavides-Varela
- Department of Developmental Psychology and Socialization, University of Padova, Padua, Italy.,Department of Neuroscience (Padova Neuroscience Center), University of Padova, Padua, Italy
| | | | | | - Giorgio Arcara
- San Camillo Hospital, IRCCS, Via Alberoni 70, 30126, Venice, Italy
| | - Carlo Semenza
- Department of Neuroscience (Padova Neuroscience Center), University of Padova, Padua, Italy
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Burgio F, Benavides-Varela S, Toffano R, Palmer K, Meneghello F, Arcara G, Semenza C. Predicting financial deficits from a standard neuropsychological assessment: preliminary evidence in mild cognitive impairment. Neurol Sci 2021; 43:299-303. [PMID: 34014396 DOI: 10.1007/s10072-021-05304-0] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2021] [Accepted: 05/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) might experience difficulties in numerical and financial abilities of daily living that compromise their autonomy. The aim of the present work was to examine whether specific tests of the standard neuropsychological assessment could be used to predict these deficits in the clinical practice. Thirty-four MCI patients underwent a comprehensive clinical and neuropsychological examination including (1) a complete assessment of financial abilities and (2) a traditional neuropsychological assessment including measures of language, memory, executive functioning, reasoning, attention, and visuospatial abilities. The neuropsychological tests were used as predictors of the performance in everyday financial tasks using logistic regression analysis. Deficits in financial tasks including calculating percentages, using financial concepts and applying financial judgments were significantly predicted by tests of executive functions, language and short-term memory, while deficits in frequently encountered financial tasks activities such as item purchase and reading numbers could not be predicted by standard neuropsychological evaluations. Contingency tables on performance above/below clinical cut-offs evidenced some cases of financial deficits in the absence of cognitive deficits and, vice versa, some patients with cognitive decline did not show financial impairments. These results suggest that while some cognitive functions might be crucial for taking financial decisions, an ad hoc test of financial capacity is essential to make overall inferences about the everyday financial autonomy of MCI patients. This has potential implications for clinical and legal decisions that directly impact the individuals and their families.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Silvia Benavides-Varela
- Department of Developmental Psychology and Socialization, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.,Department of Neuroscience, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | | | - Katie Palmer
- Department of Geriatrics, Fondazione Policlinico A. Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | | | | | - Carlo Semenza
- IRCCS San Camillo Hospital, Venice, Italy.,Department of Neuroscience (Padova Neuroscience Center), University of Padova, Padova, Italy
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Masina F, Arcara G, Galletti E, Cinque I, Gamberini L, Mapelli D. Neurophysiological and behavioural effects of conventional and high definition tDCS. Sci Rep 2021; 11:7659. [PMID: 33828202 PMCID: PMC8027218 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-87371-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2020] [Accepted: 03/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
High-definition transcranial direct current stimulation (HD-tDCS) seems to overcome a drawback of traditional bipolar tDCS: the wide-spread diffusion of the electric field. Nevertheless, most of the differences that characterise the two techniques are based on mathematical simulations and not on real, behavioural and neurophysiological, data. The study aims to compare a widespread tDCS montage (i.e., a Conventional bipolar montage with extracephalic return electrode) and HD-tDCS, investigating differences both at a behavioural level, in terms of dexterity performance, and a neurophysiological level, as modifications of alpha and beta power as measured with EEG. Thirty participants took part in three sessions, one for each montage: Conventional tDCS, HD-tDCS, and sham. In all the conditions, the anode was placed over C4, while the cathode/s placed according to the montage. At baseline, during, and after each stimulation condition, dexterity was assessed with a Finger Tapping Task. In addition, resting-state EEG was recorded at baseline and after the stimulation. Power spectrum density was calculated, selecting two frequency bands: alpha (8-12 Hz) and beta (18-22 Hz). Linear mixed effect models (LMMs) were used to analyse the modulation induced by tDCS. To evaluate differences among the montages and consider state-dependency phenomenon, the post-stimulation measurements were covariate-adjusted for baseline levels. We observed that HD-tDCS induced an alpha power reduction in participants with lower alpha at baseline. Conversely, Conventional tDCS induced a beta power reduction in participants with higher beta at baseline. Furthermore, data showed a trend towards a behavioural effect of HD-tDCS in participants with lower beta at baseline showing faster response times. Conventional and HD-tDCS distinctively modulated cortical activity. The study highlights the importance of considering state-dependency to determine the effects of tDCS on individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabio Masina
- IRCCS San Camillo Hospital, Venice, Italy. .,Human Inspired Technologies Research Center, University of Padova, Padua, Italy.
| | | | - Eleonora Galletti
- Department of General Psychology, University of Padova, Padua, Italy
| | - Isabella Cinque
- Department of General Psychology, University of Padova, Padua, Italy
| | - Luciano Gamberini
- Human Inspired Technologies Research Center, University of Padova, Padua, Italy.,Department of General Psychology, University of Padova, Padua, Italy
| | - Daniela Mapelli
- Human Inspired Technologies Research Center, University of Padova, Padua, Italy.,Department of General Psychology, University of Padova, Padua, Italy
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Laera G, Arcara G, Gajewski PD, Kliegel M, Hering A. Age-related modulation of EEG time-frequency responses in prospective memory retrieval. Neuropsychologia 2021; 155:107818. [PMID: 33675856 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2021.107818] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2020] [Revised: 01/29/2021] [Accepted: 02/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Prospective memory involves remembering to execute an intention at the appropriate moment (prospective component) as well as retrieving the intended action (retrospective component). Several electrophysiological studies showed that neural activity associated with the prospective and the retrospective component differed between older and younger adults. However, these studies mainly reported event-related potentials (ERP), without considering other oscillatory parameters of age-related neural modulations that might be associated with the two components. OBJECTIVE In the present study, we analysed electrophysiological data to describe the age-related patterns of brain oscillations associated with the prospective and the retrospective components of prospective memory. METHODS The prospective and the retrospective components were manipulated in two experiments. In experiment 1, the prospective component was manipulated by varying the cue distinctiveness (i.e., how easy it was to detect the cue based on colour). In experiment 2, the retrospective component was manipulated by varying the number of intentions to be remembered (i.e., one or two intentions). We used time-frequency analysis to characterise the EEG oscillatory activity in younger and older adults. RESULTS The prospective component was associated with age differences in alpha and beta frequency bands. Compared to younger adults, older adults showed a decrease of parietal alpha activity when they detected distinct prospective memory cues, and a decrease of parietal beta when they detected less distinct cues. Moreover, older adults showed less beta activity compared to the younger adults across experimental manipulations. No age differences emerged with respect to the retrospective component. CONCLUSIONS The specific pattern of oscillatory activity associated with the prospective component in older adults could underlie the dynamic deployment of different attentional resources supporting cue detection. Moreover, beta activity in both experiments might support an attempt exerted by older adults to enhance task coordination processes. Overall, cluster-based permutation analyses provided a first description of the changes of the EEG time-frequency responses related to intention retrieval in older adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gianvito Laera
- Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Université de Genève, Geneva, Switzerland; Center for the Interdisciplinary Study of Gerontology and Vulnerability, Université de Genève, Geneva, Switzerland; Swiss National Centre of Competence in Research: LIVES - Overcoming Vulnerability: Life Course Perspectives', Lausanne and Geneva, Switzerland.
| | | | - Patrick D Gajewski
- Leibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors (IfADo), Dortmund, Germany
| | - Matthias Kliegel
- Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Université de Genève, Geneva, Switzerland; Center for the Interdisciplinary Study of Gerontology and Vulnerability, Université de Genève, Geneva, Switzerland; Swiss National Centre of Competence in Research: LIVES - Overcoming Vulnerability: Life Course Perspectives', Lausanne and Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Alexandra Hering
- Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Université de Genève, Geneva, Switzerland; Center for the Interdisciplinary Study of Gerontology and Vulnerability, Université de Genève, Geneva, Switzerland; Department of Developmental Psychology, Tilburg University, Tilburg, the Netherlands
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Campanella F, Arcara G, Crescentini C, Fabbro F, Skrap M. Cognitive reserve protects language functions in patients with brain tumours. Neuropsychologia 2021; 154:107769. [PMID: 33524456 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2021.107769] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2020] [Revised: 01/25/2021] [Accepted: 01/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Cognitive reserve (CR) theory suggests that individual differences in general intelligence (IQ), occupational attainment or participation in leisure/recreational activities protect against cognitive decline. However the relationship between CR and cognitive functioning in patients with brain tumours has been very rarely investigated in past research. The present study systematically assesses whether CR concept can also be applied to cognitive functions of neurosurgical patients affected by brain tumours. We investigated the role of different CR proxies (education level, premorbid IQ, current IQ, working and leisure activity) in protecting language against brain tumours and surgery effects, considering interactions with demographic (sex/age), anatomical (hemisphere/lobe location of lesion) and clinical/biological variables (tumour type: High/Low Grade Glioma or Meningioma; lesion volume; lesion aggressiveness). One-hundred patients undergoing neuropsychological assessment before and immediately after surgery participated. A "Language Score" summarizing performance on all language tests was derived with Principal Component Analysis. Data were then analyzed with Multiple Regression and Classification and Regression Tree analyses to investigate possible relationships between predictors (CR proxies and clinical variables) and Language Score. We found that premorbid IQ was the best predictor of pre-operatory language integrity, above and beyond all clinical variables considered, also moderating lesion volume effects. Moreover, patients with lower pre-operatory language integrity and low-to-moderately aggressive tumours showed a mitigating effect of current IQ over surgery consequences. Results thus suggest that different CR proxies play a role in moderating cognitive decline following brain tumours and surgery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabio Campanella
- Neurosurgery Unit, Presidio Ospedaliero Universitario "S. Maria Della Misericordia", Udine, Italy; Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, DILL, University of Udine, Udine, Italy.
| | | | | | - Franco Fabbro
- Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, DILL, University of Udine, Udine, Italy; PERCRO Perceptual Robotics Laboratory, Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, Pisa, Italy
| | - Miran Skrap
- Neurosurgery Unit, Presidio Ospedaliero Universitario "S. Maria Della Misericordia", Udine, Italy
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Salillas E, Piccione F, di Tomasso S, Zago S, Arcara G, Semenza C. Neurofunctional Components of Simple Calculation: A Magnetoencephalography Study. Cereb Cortex 2021; 31:1149-1162. [PMID: 33099605 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhaa283] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2020] [Revised: 08/29/2020] [Accepted: 08/30/2020] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Our ability to calculate implies more than the sole retrieval of the correct solution. Essential processes for simple calculation are related to the spreading of activation through arithmetic memory networks. There is behavioral and electrophysiological evidence for these mechanisms. Their brain location is, however, still uncertain. Here, we measured magnetoencephalographic brain activity during the verification of simple multiplication problems. Following the operands, the solutions to verify could be preactivated correct solutions, preactivated table-related incorrect solutions, or unrelated incorrect solutions. Brain source estimation, based on these event-related fields, revealed 3 main brain networks involved in simple calculation: 1) bilateral inferior frontal areas mainly activated in response to correct, matching solutions; 2) a left-lateralized frontoparietal network activated in response to incorrect table-related solutions; and (3) a strikingly similar frontoparietal network in the opposite hemisphere activated in response to unrelated solutions. Directional functional connectivity analyses revealed a bidirectional causal loop between left parietal and frontal areas for table-related solutions, with frontal areas explaining the resolution of arithmetic competition behaviorally. Hence, this study isolated at least 3 neurofunctional networks orchestrated between hemispheres during calculation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Salillas
- Department of Neurosciences, University of Padova, 35128 Padova, Italy
| | | | | | - Sara Zago
- IRCCS San Camillo Hospital, 30126 Venice, Italy
| | | | - Carlo Semenza
- Department of Neurosciences, University of Padova, 35128 Padova, Italy.,IRCCS San Camillo Hospital, 30126 Venice, Italy
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Gastaldon S, Arcara G, Navarrete E, Peressotti F. Commonalities in alpha and beta neural desynchronizations during prediction in language comprehension and production. Cortex 2020; 133:328-345. [PMID: 33171348 DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2020.09.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [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: 05/13/2020] [Revised: 08/25/2020] [Accepted: 09/29/2020] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
The present study investigates whether predictions during language comprehension are generated by engaging the language production system. Previous studies investigating either prediction or production highlighted M/EEG desynchronization (power decrease) in the alpha (8-10 Hz) and beta (13-30 Hz) frequency bands preceding the target. However, it is unclear whether this electrophysiological modulation underlies common mechanisms. We recorded EEG from participants performing both a comprehension and a production task in two separate blocks. Participants listened to high and low constraint incomplete sentences and were asked either to name a picture to complete them (production) or to simply listen to the final word (comprehension). We found that in a silent gap before the final stimulus, predictable stimuli elicited alpha and beta desynchronization in both tasks, signaling the pre-activation of linguistic information. Source estimation highlighted the involvement of left-lateralized language areas and temporo-parietal areas in the right hemisphere. Furthermore, correlations between the desynchronizations in comprehension and production showed spatiotemporal commonalities in language-relevant areas of the left hemisphere. As proposed by prediction-by-production models, our results suggest that comprehenders engage the production system while predicting upcoming words.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simone Gastaldon
- Dipartimento di Psicologia dello Sviluppo e della Socializzazione (DPSS), University of Padova, Padova, Italy.
| | | | - Eduardo Navarrete
- Dipartimento di Psicologia dello Sviluppo e della Socializzazione (DPSS), University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Francesca Peressotti
- Dipartimento di Psicologia dello Sviluppo e della Socializzazione (DPSS), University of Padova, Padova, Italy.
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Bambini V, Bischetti L, Bonomi CG, Arcara G, Lecce S, Ceroni M. Beyond the motor account of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: Verbal humour and its relationship with the cognitive and pragmatic profile. Int J Lang Commun Disord 2020; 55:751-764. [PMID: 32725835 DOI: 10.1111/1460-6984.12561] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2019] [Revised: 05/16/2020] [Accepted: 06/20/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) was traditionally described as a disease restricted to the motor system. However, recent findings suggested that it also affects cognition, especially executive functions, social cognition, language and pragmatics. A relevant issue in current research is thus the description of the cognitive phenotype of ALS and the identification of the most vulnerable aspects. AIMS The focus was on a communicative phenomenon placed at the crossroads of pragmatic and other cognitive domains, namely humour, which till now has been poorly explored in ALS. The first aim was to investigate whether ALS is associated with impairments in understanding and appreciating jokes. The second aim was to explore the predictors of humour comprehension and appreciation in patients, to confirm the involvement of pragmatic skills and to explore the role of other cognitive and clinical aspects. METHODS & PROCEDURES A total of 30 non-demented patients with ALS and 27 controls were assessed with a task of verbal humour comprehension and appreciation, including two types of jokes: phonological and mental. We also administered a battery of pragmatic and other language tasks, and cognitive and socio-cognitive tasks. Mixed-effects models were used to test differences in the humour task between the two groups. Multiple regressions determined the best predictors of humour comprehension and appreciation in patients. OUTCOMES & RESULTS Patients obtained lower comprehension accuracy scores than controls in the humour task, independently of the type of joke. Conversely, patients and controls did not differ in joke appreciation and both rated mental jokes as funnier than the phonological ones. Patients' comprehension accuracy was predicted by pragmatic skills and ALS severity, whereas appreciation was predicted by several clinical variables and, to a smaller extent, by language skills. CONCLUSIONS & IMPLICATIONS The findings suggest that humour is a very vulnerable aspect in ALS, and that impairment in humour comprehension might be part of the larger cognitive impairment, being linked to pragmatic impairment. Clinical variables were also important, especially in relation to humour appreciation. More generally, these data speak in favour of pragmatics as a relevant aspect to sketch the cognitive phenotype of ALS. On the practical level, these findings point to the need of supporting communication at large, not only motor-related aspects such as dysarthria but also social-pragmatic aspects such as understanding jokes, to increase well-being in ALS. What this paper adds What is already known on this subject The literature of the last decades has shown that ALS comes with impairment in several cognitive domains, affecting especially executive functions as well as language. There is also initial evidence that the pragmatics of communication and humour comprehension are impaired, although non-serious talk has been documented in conversational interaction among people with ALS. What this paper adds to existing knowledge This study offers compelling evidence of an impairment in the comprehension of jokes in ALS, whereas the appreciation of joke funniness seems to be spared. The study also highlights the interplay of cognitive factors (especially pragmatics) and clinical factors (related to disease severity) in predicting the patients' performance in the humour task. What are the potential or actual clinical implications of this work? The study's findings call for the need of increased awareness among scholars as well as practitioners and caregivers of the profile of humour comprehension and appreciation in ALS. On a practical level, we highlight the need of assessing humour comprehension and adapting the communicative style accordingly. Second, we recommend that intervention programmes targeting communication in ALS go beyond speech-related difficulties and include pragmatic aspects such as humour. Considering the important communicative and social function of humour, as well as its use as a coping strategy, humour interventions are key to improve the quality of life of individuals with ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentina Bambini
- Center for Neurocognition, Epistemology and Theoretical Syntax, University School for Advanced Studies IUSS, Pavia, Italy
| | - Luca Bischetti
- Center for Neurocognition, Epistemology and Theoretical Syntax, University School for Advanced Studies IUSS, Pavia, Italy
| | | | | | - Serena Lecce
- Department of Brain and Behavioral Science, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Mauro Ceroni
- Department of Brain and Behavioral Science, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
- Neurological Institute Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy
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Casetta L, Rizzi L, Passarelli M, Arcara G, Perrella R. Italian Validation of the Touch Avoidance Measure and the Touch Avoidance Questionnaire. Front Psychol 2020; 11:1673. [PMID: 32793052 PMCID: PMC7390897 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.01673] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [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: 03/20/2020] [Accepted: 06/19/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Social touch is essential in relationships and well-being, but the unique personal experience of touch is not assessed and taken into account in health and social care services. The pleasantness of gentle stroking is influenced by gender, toucher genre, toucher familiarity, culture, and age. Moreover, pleasantness is influenced by touch avoidance, the attitude toward interpersonal touch. The aim of this article is to present the translation, adaptation, and validation in Italian of two scales to measure touch avoidance. For translation and validation, we selected the most used scale, the Touch Avoidance Measure (TAM) and a more recent scale, the Touch Avoidance Questionnaire (TAQ). Confirmatory factor analyses reported good model fit for the TAM [comparative fit index (CFI) = 0.947, Tucker-Lewis index (TLI) = 0.940, root-mean-square error of approximation (RMSEA) = 0.065] and excellent model fit for the TAQ (CFI = 0.954, TLI = 0.950, RMSEA = 0.058). Internal consistency was high for all subscales, except the TAQ "Stranger" subscale. One-month test-retest reliability ranged from 0.67 to 0.90 for each subscale. Lastly, convergent validity between the TAM and TAQ was also found to be high. We conclude that the TAM and TAQ can be used to assess touch avoidance with Italian samples. The instrument can be used to support healthcare professionals and to assess attitudes toward touch in individuals with interpersonal difficulties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Casetta
- Associazione Centro di Psicologia e Psicoterapia Funzionale, Istitituto S.I.F., Padua, Italy
| | - Luca Rizzi
- Associazione Centro di Psicologia e Psicoterapia Funzionale, Istitituto S.I.F., Padua, Italy
| | - Marcello Passarelli
- Institute of Educational Technology, National Research Council, Genoa, Italy
| | | | - Raffaella Perrella
- Department of Psychology, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli," Caserta, Italy
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de Tommaso M, Betti V, Bocci T, Bolognini N, Di Russo F, Fattapposta F, Ferri R, Invitto S, Koch G, Miniussi C, Piccione F, Ragazzoni A, Sartucci F, Rossi S, Arcara G, Berchicci M, Bianco V, Delussi M, Gentile E, Giovannelli F, Mannarelli D, Marino M, Mussini E, Pauletti C, Pellicciari MC, Pisoni A, Raggi A, Valeriani M. Pearls and pitfalls in brain functional analysis by event-related potentials: a narrative review by the Italian Psychophysiology and Cognitive Neuroscience Society on methodological limits and clinical reliability-part I. Neurol Sci 2020; 41:2711-2735. [PMID: 32388645 DOI: 10.1007/s10072-020-04420-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [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: 11/02/2019] [Accepted: 04/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Event-related potentials (ERPs) are obtained from the electroencephalogram (EEG) or the magnetoencephalogram (MEG, event-related fields (ERF)), extracting the activity that is time-locked to an event. Despite the potential utility of ERP/ERF in cognitive domain, the clinical standardization of their use is presently undefined for most of procedures. The aim of the present review is to establish limits and reliability of ERP medical application, summarize main methodological issues, and present evidence of clinical application and future improvement. The present section of the review focuses on well-standardized ERP methods, including P300, Contingent Negative Variation (CNV), Mismatch Negativity (MMN), and N400, with a chapter dedicated to laser-evoked potentials (LEPs). One section is dedicated to proactive preparatory brain activity as the Bereitschaftspotential and the prefrontal negativity (BP and pN). The P300 and the MMN potentials have a limited but recognized role in the diagnosis of cognitive impairment and consciousness disorders. LEPs have a well-documented usefulness in the diagnosis of neuropathic pain, with low application in clinical assessment of psychophysiological basis of pain. The other ERP components mentioned here, though largely applied in normal and pathological cases and well standardized, are still confined to the research field. CNV, BP, and pN deserve to be largely tested in movement disorders, just to explain possible functional changes in motor preparation circuits subtending different clinical pictures and responses to treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marina de Tommaso
- Applied Neurophysiology and Pain Unit-AnpLab-University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy
| | - Viviana Betti
- Department of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.,IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia (Santa Lucia Foundation), Rome, Italy
| | - Tommaso Bocci
- Department of Health Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Nadia Bolognini
- Department of Psychology & NeuroMi, University of Milano Bicocca, Milan, Italy.,Laboratory of Neuropsychology, IRCCS Istituto Auxologico, Milan, Italy
| | - Francesco Di Russo
- Department of Movement, Human and Health Sciences, University of Rome "Foro Italico", Rome, Italy
| | | | | | - Sara Invitto
- INSPIRE - Laboratory of Cognitive and Psychophysiological Olfactory Processes, University of Salento, Lecce, Italy
| | - Giacomo Koch
- IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia (Santa Lucia Foundation), Rome, Italy.,Department of Neuroscience, Policlinico Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Carlo Miniussi
- Center for Mind/Brain Sciences - CIMeC, University of Trento, Rovereto, Italy.,Cognitive Neuroscience Section, IRCCS Istituto Centro San Giovanni di Dio Fatebenefratelli, Brescia, Italy
| | - Francesco Piccione
- Brain Imaging and Neural Dynamics Research Group, IRCCS San Camillo Hospital, Venice, Italy
| | - Aldo Ragazzoni
- Unit of Neurology and Clinical Neurophysiology, Fondazione PAS, Scandicci, Florence, Italy
| | - Ferdinando Sartucci
- Section of Neurophysiopathology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy.,CNR Institute of Neuroscience, Pisa, Italy
| | - Simone Rossi
- Department of Medicine, Surgery and Neuroscience Siena Brain Investigation and Neuromodulation Lab (SI-BIN Lab), University of Siena, Siena, Italy
| | - Giorgio Arcara
- Brain Imaging and Neural Dynamics Research Group, IRCCS San Camillo Hospital, Venice, Italy
| | - Marika Berchicci
- Department of Movement, Human and Health Sciences, University of Rome "Foro Italico", Rome, Italy
| | - Valentina Bianco
- IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia (Santa Lucia Foundation), Rome, Italy.,Department of Movement, Human and Health Sciences, University of Rome "Foro Italico", Rome, Italy
| | - Marianna Delussi
- Applied Neurophysiology and Pain Unit-AnpLab-University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy
| | - Eleonora Gentile
- Applied Neurophysiology and Pain Unit-AnpLab-University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy
| | - Fabio Giovannelli
- Section of Psychology - Department of Neuroscience, Psychology, Drug Research, Child Health, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Daniela Mannarelli
- Department of Human Neuroscience, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Marco Marino
- Brain Imaging and Neural Dynamics Research Group, IRCCS San Camillo Hospital, Venice, Italy
| | - Elena Mussini
- Department of Movement, Human and Health Sciences, University of Rome "Foro Italico", Rome, Italy
| | - Caterina Pauletti
- Department of Human Neuroscience, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Alberto Pisoni
- Department of Psychology & NeuroMi, University of Milano Bicocca, Milan, Italy
| | - Alberto Raggi
- Unit of Neurology, G.B. Morgagni - L. Pierantoni Hospital, Forlì, Italy
| | - Massimiliano Valeriani
- Neurology Ward Unit, Bambino Gesù Hospital, Rome, Italy. .,Center for Sensory-Motor Interaction, Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark.
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Benavides-Varela S, Burgio F, Weis L, Mitolo M, Palmer K, Toffano R, Arcara G, Vallesi A, Mantini D, Meneghello F, Semenza C. The role of limbic structures in financial abilities of mild cognitive impairment patients. Neuroimage Clin 2020; 26:102222. [PMID: 32120293 PMCID: PMC7049652 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2020.102222] [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: 09/23/2019] [Revised: 02/17/2020] [Accepted: 02/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) patients experience problems in financial abilities that affect everyday functioning. To date, the neural correlates of decline in this domain are unclear. This study aims at examining the correlation between the pattern of brain atrophy of MCI patients and performance on financial abilities. Forty-four MCI patients and thirty-seven healthy controls underwent structural magnetic resonance imaging, and assessment of financial abilitiesby means of the Numerical Activities of Daily Living Financial battery (NADL-F). As compared to healthy controls, MCI patients showed impaired performance in three out of the seven domains assessed by NADL-F: Item purchase, percentage, and financial concepts. The patients' performance in the NADL-F correlated with memory, language, visuo-spatial, and abstract reasoning composite scores. The analysis also revealed that volumetric differences in the limbic structures significantly correlated with financial abilities in MCI. Specifically, the patients' performance in the NADL-F was correlated with atrophy in the left medial and lateral amygdala and the right anterior thalamic radiation. These findings suggest that completing daily financial tasks involves sub-cortical regions in MCI and presumably also the motivational and emotional processes associated to them. Involvement of altered limbic structures in MCI patients suggests that impairment in financial abilities may be related to emotional and reflexive processing deficits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvia Benavides-Varela
- Department of Developmental Psychology and Socialisation, University of Padova, Padova, Italy; Department of General Psychology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | | | - Luca Weis
- IRCCS San Camillo Hospital, Venice, Italy
| | - Micaela Mitolo
- IRCCS Istituto delle Scienze Neurologiche di Bologna, Programma Neuroimmagini Funzionali e Molecolari, Bologna, Italy
| | - Katie Palmer
- Department of Geriatrics, Centro Medicina dell'Invecchiamento, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy
| | | | | | - Antonino Vallesi
- IRCCS San Camillo Hospital, Venice, Italy; Department of Neuroscience and Padova Neuroscience Center, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Dante Mantini
- IRCCS San Camillo Hospital, Venice, Italy; Research Center for Neuroplasticity and Motor Control, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | | | - Carlo Semenza
- IRCCS San Camillo Hospital, Venice, Italy; Department of Neuroscience and Padova Neuroscience Center, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
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