Chronometric Electrical Stimulation of Right Inferior Frontal Cortex Increases Motor Braking

Abstract

The right inferior frontal cortex (rIFC) is important for stopping responses. Recent research shows that it is also activated when response emission is slowed down when stopping is anticipated. This suggests that rIFC also functions as a goal-driven brake. Here, we investigated the causal role of rIFC in goal-driven braking by using computer-controlled, event-related (chronometric), direct electrical stimulation (DES). We compared the effects of rIFC stimulation on trials in which responses were made in the presence versus absence of a stoppinggoal ("Maybe Stop" [MS] vs "No Stop" [NS]). We show that DES of rIFC slowed down responses (compared with control-site stimulation) and that rIFC stimulation induced more slowing when motor braking was required (MS) compared with when it was not (NS). Our results strongly support a causal role of a rIFC-based network in inhibitory motor control. Importantly, the results extend this causal role beyond externally driven stopping to goal-driven inhibitory control, which is a richer model of human self-control. These results also provide the first demonstration of double-blind chronometric DES of human prefrontal cortex, and suggest that-in the case of rIFC-this could lead to augmentation of motor braking.

The neural correlates of movement intentions: A pilot study comparing hypnotic and simulated paralysis

“…These regions could be involved in the inhibition of movement induced by the hypnotic suggestion. Indeed, the VLPFC has been associated with motor inhibition in several studies (e.g., see Aron, Robbins, & Poldrack, 2014;Wessel, Conner, Aron, & Tandon, 2013). Stone et al (2007) found the almost exact same region in VLPFC as we did in conversion disorder patients when comparing ''trying to move'' the conversion-paralyzed side with moving the normal control side.…”

Without Blinking an Eye: Proactive Motor Control Enhancement

“…Moreover, longer go trial RTs observed in the active stimulation group support the assumption that this region serves as a Bbrake mechanism^by generally slowing down the response execution (Jahfari et al 2010). Indeed, an earlier study demonstrated that stimulation of the rIFG slowed down responses (Wessel et al 2013).…”

Mapping human brain networks with cortico-cortical evoked potentials

“…Effective connectivity measurements have traditionally relied on animal work, but the recent interest in stimulationbased techniques in humans [26][27][28] now provides new data to investigate the influence of directional connectivity on network topology and behaviour. Non-invasive, interventional approaches that make use of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) or transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) use distant (scalp EEG) or indirect (resting fMRI) measures of neural activity [13,[29][30][31].…”