Absolute Theta Power in the Frontal Cortex During a Visuomotor Task

Abstract

Bromazepam is a benzodiazepine, which has been widely employed in the treatment of anxiety. We investigated the electrophysiological changes in absolute theta power within the frontal cortex when individuals performed a visuomotor task under bromazepam. The sample of 17 healthy individuals was randomized into 2 experimental conditions, under which bromazepam 6 mg and placebo were administered on different days. All subjects were right -handed, with no mental or physical illness and were not using any psychoactive or psychotropic substance during the entire period of the study. We found an increase in reaction time under bromazepam compared with placebo . With regard to the electrophysiological variable, we found a lower theta power value in the prefrontal cortex prior to task execution, compared with after. We therefore suggested that this could be an increase of neural activity in this region, because of the subjects' readiness to perform the task, that is, because of their higher alertness. The right lateral frontal region showed lower theta power under bromazepam for pre- and post-finger movement. This could have occurred because of more effort to execute the task. In the left frontal region: premovement did not demonstrate any difference between conditions, possibly because the proposed task was simple to execute. In conclusion, theta power plays an important role in the analysis of visuomotor performance, assuming that bromazepam causes impairment on sustained attention and sensory perception.

Altered transient brain dynamics in multiple sclerosis: Treatment or pathology?

“…Although very few literature is available on the effect of Clonazepam, the effect of other benzodiazepines on EEG power has been shown in the literature (Fingelkurts et al, 2004;Gongora et al, 2015;Kopp, Rudolph, Löw, & Tobler, 2004). The increase in beta-band power was mainly located between 15 and 25 Hz within the sensorimotor regions.…”

“…The increase in beta-band power was mainly located between 15 and 25 Hz within the sensorimotor regions. Although very few literature is available on the effect of Clonazepam, the effect of other benzodiazepines on EEG power has been shown in the literature (Fingelkurts et al, 2004;Gongora et al, 2015;Kopp, Rudolph, Löw, & Tobler, 2004). Clorazepate was already investigated by Buchsbaum et al who showed decreases in occipital alpha and parietal theta and increases in posterior alpha and parietal beta in healthy controls (Buchsbaum et al, 1985).…”

The effects of bromazepam over the central and frontal areas during a motor task: an EEG study

“…It is worth highlighting that the behavioral data, that is, task execution reaction time, was analyzed in a previous study. A statistically significant difference was found in the analyzed behavioral parameter (p = 0.001) 17 . They observed a greater reaction time for the Br_6 mg condition, when compared to the placebo one; the subjects who used bromazepam showed a slower response to the stimulus.…”

The Low-Frequency Fluctuation of Trial-by-Trial Frontal Theta Activity and Its Correlation With Reaction-Time Variability in Sustained Attention

“…Notably, the frequency-dependent correlation in the present study had spatial specificity, and the correlation was only identified at the left frontal electrode (F3). The importance of frontal theta activity in sustained attention has been discussed (Missonnier et al, 2006;Gongora et al, 2015); however, the functional differences between the theta activity of the left and right frontal areas were less addressed in these EEG studies. It was reported that theta activity in the frontal brain areas may function in attention maintenance (Cavanagh and Frank, 2014;Wascher et al, 2014).…”