While preparing a saccadic eye movement, visual processing of the saccade goal is prioritized. Here, we provide evidence that the frontal eye fields (FEFs) are responsible for this coupling between eye movements and shifts of visuospatial attention. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI)-guided transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) was applied to the FEFs 30 ms before a discrimination target was presented at or next to the target of a saccade in preparation. Results showed that the well-known enhancement of discrimination performance on locations to which eye movements are being prepared was diminished by TMS contralateral to eye movement direction. Based on the present and other reports, we propose that saccade preparatory processes in the FEF affect selective visual processing within the visual cortex through feedback projections, in that way coupling saccade preparation and visuospatial attention.
Objective. Feedback-related negativity (FRN) is associated with reinforcement learning and punishment sensitivity. Furthermore, reinforcement learning proficiency can be predicted from pre-task baseline EEG theta/beta ratio. In this study it was examined whether there was a relation between baseline theta/beta ratio in rest and FRN amplitude during a gambling task, and if such a correlation would be related to theta activity or to beta activity.Methods. Baseline EEG and a self-report measure of punishment sensitivity (BIS) were obtained from 52 healthy volunteers. FRN was recorded during a gambling task.Results. FRN amplitude was negatively correlated with theta/beta ratio in high BIS individuals. Furthermore, source localization indicated that baseline theta activity generated in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) accounted for this correlation. For low BIS individuals no correlation was found.Conclusion. An association between high baseline theta/beta ratio with low amplitude FRN and high risk-taking can be found in individuals who are sufficiently sensitive to punishments. This relationship is carried mostly by baseline theta activity, but not by beta activity.Significance: This link between baseline brain activity, self-report measures and feedback processing may contribute to further understanding the biological basis of conditions that are accompanied by abnormal theta/beta ratio and reward processing, such as attention deficit hyper activity disorder (ADHD).Key words: Feedback-Related Negativity, Baseline EEG, theta/beta ratio, Behavioral Inhibition System, risk taking, source localization 3 Highlights:Baseline EEG theta/beta ratio is associated with decreased feedback-related negativity and increased risk-taking during a gambling task.This association is only present in individuals with sufficiently high punishment sensitivity (BIS).Theta activity that is associated with decreased feedback-related negativity and increased risk-taking during a gambling task originates from the anterior cingulate cortex.4
High frequency repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) has been found to alleviate depressive symptoms. However, the mechanisms driving these effects are still poorly understood. In the current study, we tested the idea that this intervention protects against negative mood shifts following emotional provocation. We furthermore explored changes in EEG activity (frontal alpha asymmetry) and effects on attentional processing (emotional Stroop). To this end, 23 healthy individuals participated in two sessions separated by one week, whereby they once received 15 min of 10Hz rTMS stimulation (1500 pulses) at 110% of the individual motor threshold, and once sham stimulation. Then, negative mood was induced using sad movie clips. The results revealed a significantly stronger mood decline following rTMS compared to sham stimulation. No changes were observed in frontal alpha asymmetry and attentional processing. Our findings are at odds with the view that high frequency rTMS over the left DLPFC directly protects against the induction of negative mood, but rather suggest that it enhances the effects of emotional provocation. Possibly, in healthy young individuals, this stimulation protocol heightens susceptibility to mood induction procedures in general.
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