Article
Neurosciences
Soukayna Bekkali, George J. Youssef, Peter H. Donaldson, Jason He, Michael Do, Christian Hyde, Pamela Barhoun, Peter G. Enticott
Summary: This study confirmed that gaze fixation can modulate interpersonal motor resonance (IMR), with stronger effects observed when fixations occurred in biologically relevant areas. However, this effect was not consistently observed across different experimental blocks.
SOCIAL COGNITIVE AND AFFECTIVE NEUROSCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Neurosciences
Soukayna Bekkali, George J. Youssef, Peter H. Donaldson, Christian Hyde, Michael Do, Jason L. He, Pamela Barhoun, Peter G. Enticott
Summary: In a study involving a large sample, it was found that the relationship between interpersonal motor resonance and mu suppression is weaker than previously believed, suggesting that they may be unrelated indices.
JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Neurosciences
Madison Davis, Yiyu Wang, Shancheng Bao, John J. Buchanan, David L. Wright, Yuming Lei
Summary: This study investigates the interactions between the primary somatosensory cortex (S1) and the primary motor cortex (M1) during precision and power grip. The results indicate that S1-M1 interactions differ between precision and power grip, with increased short-latency afferent inhibition (SAI) observed during precision grip. Additionally, the study reveals that S1-M1 interactions mediate precision and power grip by modulating neural activity along thalamo-cortical pathways.
Article
Neurosciences
Antonino Errante, Settimio Ziccarelli, Gloria P. Mingolla, Leonardo Fogassi
Summary: The study revealed that a large network involving cortical and cerebellar areas is involved in processing the type of grip, while the final action goal appears to be mainly processed within the inferior parietal region. Different areas in the brain show differential contribution in disentangling action goal and grip type during reaching-grasping actions.
Article
Neurosciences
Settimio Ziccarelli, Antonino Errante, Leonardo Fogassi
Summary: Action observation recruits visual areas and activates the extended action observation network (eAON). This study investigated the activation of eAON during observation of point-light displays (PLDs) and fully visible hand grasping actions. Results showed that both conditions elicited similar motor resonance mechanisms in eAON. The study suggests that kinematic features conveyed by PLDs stimuli can be disentangled within eAON, providing insights into action recognition, imitation, and motor learning.
HUMAN BRAIN MAPPING
(2022)
Article
Neurosciences
Prosper A. Fiave, Koen Nelissen
Summary: Observing others performing motor acts can elicit neural responses in the observer's motor network, with viewpoint and observed effector identity potentially influencing lateralization effects. While conflicting results exist, it is still unclear how these factors modulate motor resonance effects in the monkey brain.
Review
Neurosciences
David Kemmerer
Summary: Observing an agent perform an action can trigger a motor simulation in the Mirror Neuron System of the observer, which is modulated by various factors. This paper aims to provide a comprehensive survey of 22 distinct factors influencing the MNS during action observation, and to consider the implications of these factors on four theoretical models of the MNS. The assessments suggest that existing models are supported by some findings but challenged by others, highlighting the need for a more comprehensive model to account for all identified modulatory factors.
PROGRESS IN NEUROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Marie Martel, Scott Glover
Summary: This study suggests a functional dissociation between motor imagery and overt action, and highlights the importance of executive resources in motor imagery. Impairing the function of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex slows down motor imagery, while overt actions remain unaffected.
BEHAVIOURAL BRAIN RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Carolina G. Ferroni, Davide Albertini, Marco Lanzilotto, Alessandro Livi, Monica Maranesi, Luca Bonini
Summary: This research investigated the neural activity in the action observation network (AON) during self and others' action encoding, revealing temporal and tuning specificities of distinct brain areas and neuronal classes. Different areas within AON showed varied prevalence of facilitated and suppressed neurons during task execution and observation, with distinct cell classes carrying specific visuomotor signals. The findings elucidated the firing properties and time course of activity at both system and local levels in the AON.
Article
Neurosciences
Louis-Solal Giboin, Tom Reunis, Markus Gruber
Summary: The study found that action video game players had higher performance scores, stronger SICI, and higher MEP amplitudes. There were differences in the relation between reaction time and corticospinal excitability between players and controls, but no differences were found in motor map topography and IO curves. Action video game players demonstrated an increased efficiency in motor cortical inhibitory and excitatory neural networks.
Article
Neurosciences
Jasmine L. Mirdamadi, Courtney R. Seigel, Stephen D. Husch, Hannah J. Block
Summary: When there is a mismatch between visual and proprioceptive estimates of hand position, the brain realigns them to reduce the discrepancy. This realignment affects not only the representation of the finger itself, but also extends to other parts of the limb.
Article
Health Care Sciences & Services
Yoshihiro Noda, Mera S. Barr, Reza Zomorrodi, Robin F. H. Cash, Pantelis Lioumis, Robert Chen, Zafiris J. Daskalakis, Daniel M. Blumberger
Summary: This study utilized TMS-EEG to investigate cortical responses to brain stimulation in different populations, revealing changes in TEP amplitudes and latencies in older participants and patients with schizophrenia. These findings are important for understanding the neurophysiological changes in the brains of older individuals and schizophrenia patients.
JOURNAL OF PERSONALIZED MEDICINE
(2021)
Review
Neurosciences
Emma E. Condy, Helga O. Miguel, John Millerhagen, Doug Harrison, Kosar Khaksari, Nathan Fox, Amir Gandjbakhche
Summary: Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) has experienced significant growth in the field of neuroimaging, particularly in studying the action-observation network (AON). Research on AON using fNIRS has provided methodological advantages and insights, contributing to the development of future studies on AON and potential multimodal imaging applications.
FRONTIERS IN HUMAN NEUROSCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Hao Fan, Zhizeng Luo
Summary: Virtual reality technology is increasingly used in the rehabilitation therapy of motor deficits. This study used eLORETA and lagged phase synchronization methods to investigate the brain electrical signals and functional connectivity during action observation in a virtual reality scene. The results showed that visual reappearance of self-actions in the virtual reality scene can stimulate the activity of core cortices of the mirror neuron system and promote their functional integration with the sensorimotor cortex.
BEHAVIOURAL BRAIN RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Biology
Alessandro Zanini, Audrey Dureux, Janahan Selvanayagam, Stefan Everling
Summary: The study found that the observation of others' actions activates a network of temporal, parietal and premotor/prefrontal areas in macaque monkeys and humans, which plays important roles in social action monitoring, learning by imitation, and social cognition. The researchers used ultra-high field fMRI at 9.4 T to observe common marmosets while they watched videos of goal-directed or non-goal-directed actions. The results showed that the observation of goal-directed actions activates a temporo-parieto-frontal network, which overlaps with the AON in humans and macaques, suggesting the existence of an evolutionarily conserved network that predates the separation of Old and New-World primates.
COMMUNICATIONS BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Psychology, Clinical
Giovanni de Girolamo, Laura Iozzino, Clarissa Ferrari, Pawel Gosek, Janusz Heitzman, Hans Joachim Salize, Johannes Wancata, Marco Picchioni, Ambra Macis
Summary: This multicentre study examined and compared the characteristics of forensic psychiatric patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders and a history of interpersonal violence to patients with the same diagnosis but no lifetime history of violence. The study found that forensic patients were more likely to have comorbid antisocial personality disorder and have experienced severe violence in childhood. Education and social functioning were found to be protective factors against future violence.
PSYCHOLOGICAL MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Luca Vigano, Henrietta Howells, Marco Rossi, Marco Rabuffetti, Guglielmo Puglisi, Antonella Leonetti, Andrea Bellacicca, Marco Conti Nibali, Lorenzo Gay, Tommaso Sciortino, Gabriella Cerri, Lorenzo Bello, Luca Fornia
Summary: The activity of frontal motor areas during hand-object interaction is coordinated by specific white matter pathways. Direct electrical stimulation on these pathways can disrupt hand-muscle activity during task execution. The disruption patterns differ depending on the stimulated region, indicating distinct functional roles of the dorsal and ventral frontal white matter regions. Resections in the dorsal white matter region surrounding the supplementary motor area may result in transient upper-limb deficit.
Article
Neurosciences
Roland Nicsanu, Carlo Cervellati, Luisa Benussi, Rosanna Squitti, Roberta Zanardini, Valentina Rosta, Alessandro Trentini, Clarissa Ferrari, Claudia Saraceno, Antonio Longobardi, Sonia Bellini, Giuliano Binetti, Orazio Zanetti, Giovanni Zuliani, Roberta Ghidoni
Summary: This study investigated the role of serum BACE1 activity as a biomarker for Alzheimer's disease (AD). Results showed that BACE1 levels were increased in AD and MCI-AD patients and could accurately discriminate patients with high sensitivity and specificity. High BACE1 levels were associated with worse cognitive performance and earlier disease onset.
JOURNAL OF ALZHEIMERS DISEASE
(2022)
Article
Geriatrics & Gerontology
Lorenzo Pini, Francesca Benedetta Pizzini, Ilaria Boscolo-Galazzo, Clarissa Ferrari, Samantha Galluzzi, Maria Cotelli, Elena Gobbi, Annamaria Cattaneo, Maria Sofia Cotelli, Cristina Geroldi, Orazio Zanetti, Maurizio Corbetta, Martijn van den Heuvel, Giovanni Battista Frisoni, Rosa Manenti, Michela Pievani
Summary: The default mode and salience networks in Alzheimer's disease and behavioral variant of frontotemporal dementia exhibit different patterns of functional connectivity and modulatory effects. Anodal stimulation improves cognition, while cathodal stimulation improves behavior. Neither functional connectivity nor perfusion measurements show significant effects in both patient groups. The changes in functional connectivity between DMN and SN in AD are dependent on the stimulation protocol.
NEUROBIOLOGY OF AGING
(2022)
Article
Neurosciences
Luca Fornia, Marco Rossi, Marco Rabuffetti, Andrea Bellacicca, Luca Vigano, Luciano Simone, Henrietta Howells, Guglielmo Puglisi, Antonella Leonetti, Vincenzo Callipo, Lorenzo Bello, Gabriella Cerri
Summary: The study found that different regions of the parietal cortex have varying effects on hand muscle control and manipulation, suggesting the presence of different functional sectors within the parietal cortex. The task-arrest pattern may be associated with parietal sectors more closely implicated in shaping motor output.
Article
Neurosciences
Maria Cotelli, Clarissa Ferrari, Elena Gobbi, Giuliano Binetti, Rosa Manenti, Marco Sandrini
Summary: Memory impairment is a common cognitive complaint in middle-aged and elderly adults. This study found that transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) over the left prefrontal cortex can enhance delayed memory retrieval in older adults with subjective memory complaints and mild cognitive impairment. Cognitive reserve and education level also affect memory retrieval.
FRONTIERS IN NEUROSCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Cristina Zarbo, Valentina Candini, Clarissa Ferrari, Miriam d'Addazio, Gemma Calamandrei, Fabrizio Starace, Marta Caserotti, Teresa Gavaruzzi, Lorella Lotto, Alessandra Tasso, Manuel Zamparini, Giovanni de Girolamo
Summary: The hesitancy towards COVID-19 vaccine is a global challenge, and this study focuses on identifying the predictors of vaccine reluctance in the general population of Italy. The study reveals that younger individuals with lower education levels and worsening economic situations are more likely to be fence sitters. Factors such as lower levels of protective behaviors, lack of trust in institutions and informational sources, agreement with restrictions, and higher conspirative mentality contribute to vaccine hesitancy.
FRONTIERS IN PUBLIC HEALTH
(2022)
Article
Psychiatry
R. Oberndorfer, R. W. Alexandrowicz, A. Unger, M. Koch, I Markiewicz, P. Gosek, J. Heitzman, L. Iozzino, C. Ferrari, H-J Salize, M. Picchioni, H. Fangerau, T. Stompe, J. Wancata, G. de Girolamo
Summary: This study compared the frequency of needs of patients with schizophrenia in forensic services across five European countries. The results showed differences in the assessments of needs between patients and their care staff, with staff reporting more total needs and patients reporting more unmet needs. The findings suggest that patients' self-assessments of needs provide important information for providing sufficient help and support.
SOCIAL PSYCHIATRY AND PSYCHIATRIC EPIDEMIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Pediatrics
Laura Pedrini, Serena Meloni, Mariangela Lanfredi, Clarissa Ferrari, Andrea Geviti, Annamaria Cattaneo, Roberta Rossi
Summary: This prospective study aimed to assess the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on adolescent students' psychopathological symptoms over time. The results showed that after one year, there was an increase in anxiety, stress for future uncertainty, and maladaptive behaviors among the students. However, there was a decrease in stress related to social domains. Factors such as dysfunctional emotional regulation skills, childhood trauma, low family functioning, and specific personality traits were associated with higher psychopathological symptoms. Cluster analysis identified three groups of adolescents based on their change in symptoms: those who worsened, improved, or remained stable. Furthermore, adolescents who reported an increase in self-harm, binge-drinking, aggressiveness, and binge-eating were more likely to have worsened mental health. Overall, the study highlights the importance of addressing the psychological impact of the pandemic on adolescents and implementing interventions to enhance emotional regulation strategies.
CHILD AND ADOLESCENT PSYCHIATRY AND MENTAL HEALTH
(2022)
Article
Neurosciences
Agnese Zazio, Guido Barchiesi, Clarissa Ferrari, Eleonora Marcantoni, Marta Bortoletto
Summary: This study used transcranial magnetic stimulation and electroencephalography to investigate the cortical index of transcallosal inhibition. The results confirmed the relationship between the M1-P15 amplitude and the ipsilateral silent period, and showed that the M1-P15 amplitude can be modulated by task characteristics.
FRONTIERS IN HUMAN NEUROSCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Nutrition & Dietetics
Samantha Galluzzi, Roberta Zanardini, Clarissa Ferrari, Sara Gipponi, Ilaria Passeggia, Michela Rampini, Giovanni Sgro, Salvatore Genovese, Serena Fiorito, Lucia Palumbo, Michela Pievani, Giovanni B. Frisoni, Francesco Epifano
Summary: This study aims to evaluate the cognitive and biological effects of citrus peel extract standardized in levels of AUR and NAR in older adults with subjective cognitive decline (SCD), and to establish nutrition intervention for people at risk of cognitive decline.
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Magda V. Yepes Martinez, Roberta Rossi, Miriam Ciani, Clarissa Ferrari
Summary: The study validated the Italian version of the Daily Spiritual Experience Scale (DSES-IT) in a population of patients with different psychiatric disorders. The results showed good internal consistency, stability, and convergent reliability of the DSES-IT, indicating its utility in distinguishing between patient groups.
JOURNAL OF RELIGION & HEALTH
(2023)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Luca Fornia, Antonella Leonetti, Guglielmo Puglisi, Marco Rossi, Luca Vigano, Bianca Della Santa, Luciano Simone, Lorenzo Bello, Gabriella Cerri
Summary: This study investigates the overlap and divergence of praxis and prehension-manipulation within the parieto-frontal circuits, aiming to understand how human cognition shapes hand actions. The results show that different sectors of the parietal areas have distinct roles in praxis and visuo-motor process controlling manipulation. The functional interaction between the rostral intraparietal and inferior parietal areas contributes to the cognitive upgrade of hand actions.
Article
Nutrition & Dietetics
Silvia Fostinelli, Clarissa Ferrari, Ramona De Amicis, Valentina Giustizieri, Alessandro Leone, Simona Bertoli, Alberto Battezzati, Giuliano Binetti, Stefano F. Cappa
Summary: This study evaluated the relationship between nutrition and cognitive performance in a frail elderly population in Northern Italy. It found that individuals with a high adherence to the Mediterranean diet had better cognitive performance.
JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN NUTRITION ASSOCIATION
(2023)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Marco Rossi, Guglielmo Puglisi, Marco Conti Nibali, Luca Vigano, Tommaso Sciortino, Lorenzo Gay, Antonella Leonetti, Paola Zito, Marco Riva, Lorenzo Bello
Summary: This study aims to identify factors that influence surgical strategy and outcomes in glioma resection and design a mapping score for guiding tumor resection.
JOURNAL OF NEUROSURGERY
(2022)