Are ventrolateral and dorsolateral prefrontal cortices involved in the computerized Corsi block-tapping test execution? An fNIRS study

Abstract

The Corsi block-tapping test (CBT) is an old neuropsychological test that, requiring the storage and the reproduction of spatial locations, assesses spatial working memory (WM). Despite its wide use in clinical practice, the specific contribution of prefrontal cortex (PFC) subregions during CBT execution has not been clarified yet. Considering the importance of spatial WM in daily life and the well-known role of ventrolateral-PFC/dorsolateral-PFC (VLPFC/DLPFC) in WM processes, the present study was aimed at investigating, by a 20-channel functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) system (including four short-separation channels), the hemodynamic response of the VLPFC/DLPFC during a computerized version of the CBT. Thirty-nine university students were asked to perform CBT standard version (CBTs), block-suppression CBT (CBTb), and control task (CBTc). A VLPFC activation during CBTs and a DLPFC activation during CBTb were hypothesized. The results of the Bayesian analysis have not shown a delineated specific activation of VLPFC/DLPFC during either CBTs or CBTb. These results together with the related ones obtained by others using fMRI are not sufficient to definitively state the role of the PFC subregions during CBT execution. The adoption of high-density diffuse optical tomography would be helpful in further exploration of the PFC involvement in spatial WM tasks.

Complexity of Frontal Cortex fNIRS Can Support Alzheimer Disease Diagnosis in Memory and Visuo-Spatial Tests

“…In fact, adapted versions of CDT were administrated during a functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) acquisition directly in the MRI scanner [ 14 , 15 , 16 ]. DST and CBTT were also adapted for functional neuroimaging acquisition (either through fMRI or functional Near InfraRed Spectroscopy, fNIRS) [ 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 ]. Adaptation could be related to either environmental constraints (because of the fMRI acquisition) or temporal constraints (because of the need of paced tasks that allow standard functional neuroimaging signal analysis).…”

“…Adaptation could be related to either environmental constraints (because of the fMRI acquisition) or temporal constraints (because of the need of paced tasks that allow standard functional neuroimaging signal analysis). In fact, when performed with concurrent functional brain imaging, these tests are modified from a non-paced administration of tasks and free doctor-patient interaction to a block or event related paradigm where doctor is replaced by an automated stimulation (e.g., through a screen monitor or a minidisk player) [ 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 ]. Although these modifications are useful from a neuroimaging standpoint, they indeed alter the ecology of the tests and the interaction between the doctor and the patient.…”

“…Although both groups showed functional activation in the medium PFC, interesting lateralized differences were found. CBTT was administrated together with fNIRS monitoring to 39 healthy participants to clarify the role of the PFC during the task execution [ 18 ].…”

Brain hemodynamic response in Examiner–Examinee dyads during spatial short-term memory task: an fNIRS study

“…Later, a functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging study (fMRI) on healthy volunteers (Toepper et al 2010 ) confirmed the involvement of PFC during CBT execution. More recently, Lancia et al ( 2018 ) investigated the neural correlates of CBT by means of functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS), a non-invasive neuroimaging method assessing changes in brain hemodynamics (Scholkmann et al 2014b ; Pinti et al 2018b ). As compared to the other neuroimaging techniques, the fNIRS has greater temporal resolution, lower acquisition cost, less movement-related artifacts and greater flexibility when used to study individuals in an ecological environment during natural interactions, although at the cost of lower spatial resolution.…”

“…As compared to the other neuroimaging techniques, the fNIRS has greater temporal resolution, lower acquisition cost, less movement-related artifacts and greater flexibility when used to study individuals in an ecological environment during natural interactions, although at the cost of lower spatial resolution. In their study, Lancia et al ( 2018 ) specifically assessed activation of the ventrolateral and dorsolateral PFC during a computerized version of CBT and a block-suppression computerized version of the CBT, which required inhibiting a response toward distractor cubes. The results suggested that both the ventrolateral and dorsolateral PFC were involved in both tasks, without region-specific activation patterns.…”