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Luis F H Basile,
João R Sato,
Milkes Y Alvarenga,
Nelson Henrique,
Henrique A Pasquini,
William Alfenas,
Sérgio Machado,
Bruna Velasques,
Pedro Ribeiro,
Roberto Piedade,
Renato Anghinah,
Renato T Ramos
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ABSTRACT: Based on previous evidence for individual-specific sets of cortical areas active during simple attention tasks, in this work we intended to perform within individual comparisons of task-induced beta oscillations between visual attention and a reasoning task. Since beta induced oscillations are not time-locked to task events and were first observed by Fourier transforms, in order to analyze the cortical topography of attention induced beta activity, we have previously computed corrected-latency averages based on spontaneous peaks of band-pass filtered epochs. We then used Independent Component Analysis (ICA) only to single out the significant portion of averaged data, above noise levels. In the present work ICA served as the main, exhaustive means for decomposing beta activity in both tasks, using 128-channel EEG data from 24 subjects. Given the previous observed similarity between tasks by visual inspection and by simple descriptive statistics, we now intended another approach: to quantify how much each ICA component obtained in one task could be explained by a linear combination of the topographic patterns from the other task in each individual. Our hypothesis was that the major psychological difference between tasks would not be reflected as important topographic differences within individuals. Results confirmed the high topographic similarity between attention and reasoning beta correlates in that few components in each individual were not satisfactorily explained by the complementary task, and if those could be considered "task-specific", their scalp distribution and estimated cortical sources were not common across subjects. These findings, along with those from fMRI studies preserving individual data and conventional neuropsychological and neurosurgical observations, are discussed in support of a new functional localization hypothesis: individuals use largely different sets of cortical association areas to perform a given task, but those individual sets do not change importantly across tasks that differ in major psychological processes.
PLoS ONE 01/2013; 8(3):e59595. · 4.09 Impact Factor
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Julio G Silva,
Oscar Arias-Carrion,
Flavia Paes,
Bruna Velasques,
Silmar Teixeira, Luis F H Basile,
Mauricio Cagy,
Roberto Piedade,
Antonio E Nardi,
Sergio Machado,
Pedro Ribeiro
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ABSTRACT: This study aimed to investigate the acute modulatory effect of bromazepam, a benzodiazepine derivative drug, on alpha and beta bands (8-35Hz) in primary motor areas (M1) through event-related spectral perturbation (ERSP). Ten healthy subjects were submitted to a cross-over double-blind design. Subjects performed a visuomotor task where they had to identify rapidly the ball launched horizontally and catch it quickly, while electroencephalographic activity was acquired. We found a statistically significant difference on the time windows of 2920 ms for 13Hz in the electrodes C3 and Cz, and on the time window of 2000 ms for 18Hz in the electrodes C3, when compared the bromazepam and placebo conditions. We concluded that the acute effects of bromazepam provoked changes in information process in the left M1 represented by electrode C3 in both 13 Hz and 18 Hz. Our paradigm is relevant for a better understanding of the brain dynamics due to the information related to bromazepam effects on sensorimotor processes. We consider this report an invitation to conduct more studies in order to associate electro-cortical activity and psychometric tests.
CNS & neurological disorders drug targets 12/2011; 10(8):945-50. · 3.57 Impact Factor
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Luis F H Basile,
Mirna D Lozano,
Milkes Y Alvarenga,
José F Pereira,
Sérgio Machado,
Bruna Velasques,
Pedro Ribeiro,
Roberto Piedade,
Renato Anghinah,
Gennady Knyazev,
Renato T Ramos
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ABSTRACT: In this study we analyzed the topography of induced cortical oscillations in 20 healthy individuals performing simple attention tasks. We were interested in qualitatively replicating our recent findings on the localization of attention-induced beta bands during a visual task [1], and verifying whether significant topographic changes would follow the change of attention to the auditory modality. We computed corrected latency averaging of each induced frequency bands, and modeled their generators by current density reconstruction with Lp-norm minimization. We quantified topographic similarity between conditions by an analysis of correlations, whereas the inter-modality significant differences in attention correlates were illustrated in each individual case. We replicated the qualitative result of highly idiosyncratic topography of attention-related activity to individuals, manifested both in the beta bands, and previously studied slow potential distributions [2]. Visual inspection of both scalp potentials and distribution of cortical currents showed minor changes in attention-related bands with respect to modality, as compared to the theta and delta bands, known to be major contributors to the sensory-related potentials. Quantitative results agreed with visual inspection, supporting to the conclusion that attention-related activity does not change much between modalities, and whatever individual changes do occur, they are not systematic in cortical localization across subjects. We discuss our results, combined with results from other studies that present individual data, with respect to the function of cortical association areas.
PLoS ONE 01/2010; 5(12):e15022. · 4.09 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: The present experiment aimed at investigating electrophysiologic changes observed as beta band asymmetry, by Quantitative Electroencephalography (qEEG), when individuals performed a reaching motor task (catching a ball in free fall). The sample was composed of 23 healthy individuals, of both sexes, with ages varying between 25 and 40 years old. All the subjects were right handed. A two-way ANOVA was applied for the statistical analysis, to verify the interaction between task moment (i.e., 2s before and 2s after ball's fall) and electrode (i.e., frontal, central and temporal regions). The first analysis compared electrodes placed over the somatosensory cortex. Central sites (C3-C4) were compared with temporal regions (T3-T4). The results showed a main effect for moment and position. The second analysis was focused over the premotor cortex, which was represented by the electrodes placed on the frontal sites (F3-F4 versus F7-F8), and a main effect was observed for position. Taken together, these results show a pattern of asymmetry in the somatosensory cortex, associated with a preparatory mechanism when individuals have to catch an object during free fall. With respect to task moment, after the ball's fall, the asymmetry was reduced. Moreover, the difference in asymmetry between the observed regions were related to a supposed specialization of areas (i.e., temporal and central). The temporal region was associated with cognitive processes involved in the motor action (i.e., explicit knowledge). On the other hand, the central sites were related to the motor control mechanisms per se (i.e., implicit knowledge). The premotor cortex, represented by two frontal regions (i.e., F3-F4 versus F7-F8), showed a decrease on neural activity in the contralateral hemisphere (i.e., to the right hand). This result is in agreement with other experiments suggesting a participation of the frontal cortex in the planning of the apprehension task. This sensorimotor paradigm may contribute to the repertoire of tasks used to study clinical conditions such as depression, alzheimer and Parkinson diseases.
Neuroscience Letters 11/2007; 426(3):155-9. · 2.11 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: In this study, we analyzed the EEG oscillatory activity induced during a simple visual task, in search of spectral correlate(s) of attention. This task has been previously analyzed by conventional event-related potential (ERP) computation, and Slow Potentials (SPs) were seen to be highly variable across subjects in topography and generators [Basile LF, Brunetti EP, Pereira JF Jr, Ballester G, Amaro E Jr, Anghinah R, Ribeiro P, Piedade R, Gattaz WF. (2006) Complex slow potential generators in a simplified attention paradigm. Int J Psychophysiol. 61(2):149-57]. We obtained 124-channel EEG recordings from 12 individuals and computed latency-corrected peak averaging in oscillatory bursts. We used current-density reconstruction to model the generators of attention-related activity that would not be seen in ERPs, which are restricted to stimulus-locked activity. We intended to compare a possibly found spectral correlate of attention, in topographic variability, with stimulus-related activity. The main results were (1) the detection of two bands of attention-induced beta range oscillations (around 25 and 21 Hz), whose scalp topography and current density cortical distribution were complex multi-focal, and highly variable across subjects (topographic dispersion significantly higher than sensory-related visual theta induced band-power), including prefrontal and posterior cortical areas. Most interesting, however, was the observation that (2) the generators of task-induced oscillations are largely the same individual-specific sets of cortical areas active during the pre-stimulus baseline. We concluded that attention-related electrical cortical activity is highly individual-specific, and possibly, to a great extent already established during mere resting wakefulness. We discuss the critical implications of those results, in combination with results from other methods that present individual data, to functional mapping of cortical association areas.
International Journal of Psychophysiology 10/2007; 65(3):238-51. · 2.14 Impact Factor
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Luis F H Basile
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ABSTRACT: Recent studies focusing on the analysis of individual patterns of non-sensory-motor CNS activity may significantly alter our view of CNS functional mapping. We have recently provided evidence for highly variable attention-related Slow Potential (SP) generating cortical areas across individuals (Basile et al., 2003, 2006). In this work, we present new evidence, searching for other physiological indexes of attention by a new use of a well established method, for individual-specific sets of cortical areas active during expecting attention. We applied latency corrected peak averaging to oscillatory bursts, from 124-channel EEG recordings, and modeled their generators by current density reconstruction. We first computed event-related total power, and averaging was based on individual patterns of narrow task-induced band-power. This method is sensitive to activity out of synchrony with stimuli, and may detect task-related changes missed by regular Event-Related Potential (ERP) averaging. We additionally analyzed overall inter-electrode phase-coherence. The main results were (1) the detection of two bands of attention-induced beta range oscillations (around 25 and 21 Hz), whose scalp topography and current density cortical distribution were complex multi-focal, and highly variable across subjects, including prefrontal and posterior cortical areas. Most important, however, was the observation that (2) the generators of task-induced oscillations are largely the same individual-specific sets of cortical areas active during the resting, baseline state. We concluded that attention-related electrical cortical activity is highly individual-specific (significantly different from sensory-related visual evoked potentials or delta and theta induced band-power), and to a great extent already established during mere wakefulness. We discuss the critical implications of those results, in combination with other studies presenting individual data, to functional mapping: the need to abandon group averaging of task-related cortical activity and to revise studies on group averaged data, since the assumption of universal function to each cortical area appears deeply challenged. Clinical implications regard the interpretation of focal lesion consequences, functional reorganization, and neurosurgical planning.
Biological research 02/2007; 40(4):451-70. · 1.03 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: We have recently obtained evidence for complex multifocal, individually variable generators of slow cortical potentials, elicited during performance of visual tasks involving expecting attention, comparison and memory [Basile, L.F.H., Ballester, G., Castro, C.C., and Gattaz, W.F., 2002. Multifocal slow potential generators revealed by high-resolution EEG and current density reconstruction. Int. J. Psychophysiol., 45 (3), 227-240; Basile, L.F.H, Baldo, M.V., Castro, C.C., and Gattaz, W.F. 2003. The generators of slow potentials obtained during verbal, pictorial and spatial tasks. Int. J. Psychophysiol., 48, 55-65]. The cue-target aspect of traditional paradigms for attention studies is equivalent to 'warning S1'-'imperative S2' in slow potential designs. We simplified Posner's spatial cueing task [Posner, M.I. 1980. Orienting of attention.Q. J. Exp. Psychol. Feb;32 (1), 3-25; Posner, M.I., Snyder, C.R., Davidson, B.J. 1980. Attention and the detection of signals. J Exp Psychol. Jun; 109 (2), 160-174] to temporal cuing only, by using visual cues to indicate the mere presence, on a known central position, of the eventual target (17 ms duration, +/-0.3 degrees grey circle). We recorded slow potentials on 12 healthy subjects, by 124-channel EEG system (Neuroscan Inc.), and modeled their generators using current density reconstruction (CDR) by L(p) 1.2 norm minimization ("Curry V4.6", Neurosoft Inc.) applied to the target onset time. MRIs were obtained for each subject for constraining source models to individual brain anatomy. Average slow potentials were computed from above 60 artifact-free EEG-epochs (ISI=1.6 s, average ITI=2.5 s). We tabulated individual cortical current distributions by cytoarchitectonic area of Brodmann, after scaling into negligible, low, moderate and strong local density, based on percentile bands with respect to absolute maximum current. Despite the task's simplicity, the main result was individual variability and complexity in both scalp voltage and cortical current distributions. As observed in our previous studies, there was strong intersubject variability in the exact distribution of task-related cortical activity. Only parietal area 7 bilaterally was non-negligibly active in all subjects (currents above 10% maximum). As opposed to drawing conclusions based on group averaged data, we propose that activity by cytoarchitectonic area be ranked and statistically analysed only after being scaled on each individual. Based on the present results, the concept of a universal attention-related set of cortical areas if restricted to common areas across subjects is challenged, since even area 7 may no longer be common when the sample size becomes larger. We discuss the fact that group averaging may de-emphasize weakly but consistently active areas, and emphasize strongly but inconsistently active ones.
International Journal of Psychophysiology 09/2006; 61(2):149-57. · 2.14 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: The purpose of this study was to compare slow cortical electrical activity between healthy and schizophrenic individuals using 123-channel EEG and current density reconstruction (CDR). Twenty-nine healthy subjects and 14 drug-free patients performed three visual paired-associate tasks (verbal, pictorial and spatial). We modeled the generators of the slow potentials (SPs) at their peak amplitude by Lp-norm minimization using individual MRIs to model the volume conductor and source. Activity in each architectonic area of Brodmann was scored with respect to individual maximum current by a percentile method. Resulting scores by cortical area were analyzed by multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) with planned comparisons, to search for differences among levels. Results showed a multifocal pattern of current density foci comprising the SP generators, including frontal and posterior cortices in all subjects. A few cortical areas, not exclusively frontal, were observed to significantly differ between groups. Moreover, changes in patients' frontal activity were not exclusively to lower scores or 'hipofrontality': overall effects (all tasks collapsed) included increased electrical activity in right area 10, left 38 and 47 bilaterally, and decreased activity in right area 6 and left areas 39, 21 and 19. A few additional areas showed significantly altered activity only in particular tasks. We conclude that the present method, by preserving individual anatomical and functional information, indicates bidirectional patterns of altered electrical activity in specific cortical association areas in schizophrenia, which are not compatible with the exclusive 'hipofrontality' hypothesis. Our results agree with the hypothesis of schizophrenia as a syndrome resulting from abnormalities in multiple encephalic foci.
Schizophrenia Research 09/2004; 69(2-3):255-66. · 4.75 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: The purpose of this study was to test whether slow cortical electrical activity is specific to performance on verbal, pictorial and spatial tasks. Twenty-nine healthy subjects were required to compare pairs of visual stimuli separated by a delay of 2.5 s in a S1-S2 contingent negative variation-type paradigm. Slow potentials (SPs) were recorded by high-resolution EEG (123 channels) and their generators modeled by current density reconstruction using individual MRIs as source space models. Activity in each architectonic area of Brodmann was scored with respect to individual maximum current by a percentile method. Results showed a multifocal pattern of current density foci comprising the SP generators, including frontal and posterior cortices in all subjects, with the most active areas being common to the three tasks. In spite of the intersubject variability in the sets of active areas for each given task, a few cortical areas were observed to discriminate between tasks in a statistically significant way: the verbal task corresponded to stronger electrical activity in right area 45 than the other tasks; the spatial to weaker activity in right area 38 and left area 5 than the other tasks; the pictorial, compared to the spatial task, to stronger activity in left area 39; the verbal, compared to the spatial task, to stronger activity in left area 10, and compared to the pictorial, to weaker activity in right area 20. The present method of SP analysis may aid in the functional mapping of human association cortices in individual cases. We discuss our results emphasizing intersubject variability in cortical activity patterns and the possibility of finding more universal patterns.
International Journal of Psychophysiology 05/2003; 48(1):55-65. · 2.14 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: In this work we used high-resolution EEG (123 channels) and current density reconstruction (CDR) to analyze the generators of slow potentials (SPs) in 31 healthy individuals. SPs were obtained during a task-performance feedback anticipation paradigm. The task consisted of a visual paired-associate memory test, with correct performance on single trials indicated by pleasant visual stimuli and incorrect performance by an unpleasant sound. We used realistic models of each subject's head based on their magnetic resonance images (MRIs) to estimate the potentials in the intracranial compartments and to define the source space using individual cortical geometry. Source reconstruction was performed by an Lp-norm minimization algorithm. Results showed a multifocal pattern of current density foci in various association cortices, including prefrontal areas 9 and 10 of Brodmann in all subjects. Posterior cortical areas also contributed importantly to the SP, for instance extrastriate area 19 and parietal area 7, in 90% of the subjects. According to our modeling, we conclude that even the pure stimulus-anticipation SP obtained here, as opposed to traditional motor-task contigent negative variation (CNVs), is not exclusively prefrontal in origin, being generated by multiple association areas. We discuss our results with respect to new possibilities in large-scale cortical physiology and with respect to their application in psychiatry.
International Journal of Psychophysiology 10/2002; 45(3):227-40. · 2.14 Impact Factor
