Dopaminergic drugs alter beta coherence during motor imagery and motor execution in healthy adults.

BACKGROUND: Motor Imagery (MI) represents the cognitive component of the movement and recruits dopaminergic systems. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the role of dopaminergic system through the action of methylphenidate and risperidone over beta coherence during execution, action observation and motor imagery. METHODS: Electroencephalography (EEG) data were recorded before and after the substance intake. For statistical analysis, a three-way ANOVA was used to identify changes in beta coherence induced by the group, task and the moment variables. Statistical significance was set at p≤0.007. RESULTS: We found a main effect for group for C3/CZ, and a main effect for task for CZ/C4 pairs of electrodes. Furthermore, significant differences were found in the post-drug administration between groups for C3/CZ pair of electrodes, and between task for C4/CZ pair of electrodes. CONCLUSION: The administration of methylphenidate and risperidone was able to produce electrocortical changes of the cortical central regions, even when featuring antagonistic effects on the dopaminergic pathways. Moreover, the execution task allowed beta-band modulation increase.

Dopaminergic drugs alter beta coherence during motor imagery and motor execution in healthy adults / Drogas dopaminérgicas alteram a coerência beta durante a imagética motora e a execução motora em adultos saudáveis

Abstract Background: Motor Imagery (MI) represents the cognitive component of the movement and recruits dopaminergic systems. Objective: To investigate the role of dopaminergic system through the action of methylphenidate and risperidone over beta coherence during execution, action observation and motor imagery. Methods: Electroencephalography (EEG) data were recorded before and after the substance intake. For statistical analysis, a three-way ANOVA was used to identify changes in beta coherence induced by the group, task and the moment variables. Statistical significance was set at p≤0.007. Results: We found a main effect for group for C3/CZ, and a main effect for task for CZ/C4 pairs of electrodes. Furthermore, significant differences were found in the post-drug administration between groups for C3/CZ pair of electrodes, and between task for C4/CZ pair of electrodes. Conclusion: The administration of methylphenidate and risperidone was able to produce electrocortical changes of the cortical central regions, even when featuring antagonistic effects on the dopaminergic pathways. Moreover, the execution task allowed beta-band modulation increase.

Resumo Introdução: A imagética motora (IM) representa o componente cognitivo do movimento e recruta os sistemas dopaminérgicos. Objetivo: Investigar o papel do sistema dopaminérgico por meio da ação do metilfenidato e da risperidona sobre a coerência em beta durante a execução, observação de ação e imagética motora. Métodos: Os dados de eletroencefalografia (EEG) foram registrados antes e depois da ingestão das substâncias. Para a análise estatística, uma ANOVA de três vias foi utilizada para identificar mudanças na coerência beta induzidas pelas variáveis grupo, tarefa e momento. A significância estatística foi estabelecida em p≤0,007. Resultados: Encontramos um efeito principal para o grupo C3/CZ e um efeito principal para a tarefa nos pares de eletrodos CZ/C4. Além disso, diferenças significativas foram encontradas após a administração da droga entre os grupos para o par de eletrodos C3/CZ e entre tarefa para o par de eletrodos C4/CZ. Conclusão: A administração de metilfenidato e risperidona foi capaz de produzir alterações eletrocorticais das regiões somatomotoras, mesmo apresentando efeitos antagônicos nas vias dopaminérgicas. Além disso, a tarefa de execução provocou maior modulação da banda beta.

Electrical mapping in bipolar disorder patients during the oddball paradigm.

Bipolar disorder (BD) is characterized by an alternated occurrence between acute mania episodes and depression or remission moments. The objective of this study is to analyze the information processing changes in BP (Bipolar Patients) (euthymia, depression and mania) during the oddball paradigm, focusing on the P300 component, an electric potential of the cerebral cortex generated in response to external sensorial stimuli, which involves more complex neurophysiological processes related to stimulus interpretation. Twenty-eight bipolar disorder patients (BP) (17 women and 11 men with average age of 32.5, SD: 9.5) and eleven healthy controls (HC) (7 women and 4 men with average age of 29.78, SD: 6.89) were enrolled in this study. The bipolar patients were divided into 3 major groups (i.e., euthymic, depressive and maniac) according to the score on the Clinical Global Impression--Bipolar Version (CGI-BP). The subjects performed the oddball paradigm simultaneously to the EEG record. EEG data were also recorded before and after the execution of the task. A one-way ANOVA was applied to compare the P300 component among the groups. After observing P300 and the subcomponents P3a and P3b, a similarity of amplitude and latency between euthymic and depressive patients was observed, as well as small amplitude in the pre-frontal cortex and reduced P3a response. This can be evidence of impaired information processing, cognitive flexibility, working memory, executive functions and ability to shift the attention and processing to the target and away from distracting stimuli in BD. Such neuropsychological impairments are related to different BD symptoms, which should be known and considered, in order to develop effective clinical treatment strategies.

Effortless Attention as a Biomarker for Experienced Mindfulness Practitioners.

OBJECTIVE: The present study aimed at comparing frontal beta power between long-term (LTM) and first-time meditators (FTM), before, during and after a meditation session. We hypothesized that LTM would present lower beta power than FTM due to lower effort of attention and awareness. METHODS: Twenty one participants were recruited, eleven of whom were long-term meditators. The subjects were asked to rest for 4 minutes before and after open monitoring (OM) meditation (40 minutes). RESULTS: The two-way ANOVA revealed an interaction between the group and moment factors for the Fp1 (p<0.01), F7 (p = 0.01), F3 (p<0.01), Fz (p<0.01), F4 (p<0.01), F8 (p<0.01) electrodes. CONCLUSION: We found low power frontal beta activity for LTM during the task and this may be associated with the fact that OM is related to bottom-up pathways that are not present in FTM. SIGNIFICANCE: We hypothesized that the frontal beta power pattern may be a biomarker for LTM. It may also be related to improving an attentive state and to the efficiency of cognitive functions, as well as to the long-term experience with meditation (i.e., life-time experience and frequency of practice).

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

The present study investigates the influence of bromazepam while executing a motor task. Specifically, we intend to analyze the changes in alpha absolute power under two experimental conditions, bromazepam and placebo. We also included analyses of theta and beta frequencies. We collected electroencephalographic data before, during, and after motor task execution. We used a Two Way ANOVA to investigate the condition (PL × Br6 mg) and moment (pre and post) variables for the following electrodes: Fp1, Fp2, F7, F3, Fz, F4, F8, C3, CZ and C4. We found a main effect for condition on the electrodes FP1, F7, F3, Fz, F4, C3 and CZ, for alpha and beta bands. For beta band we also found a main effect for condition on the electrodes Fp2, F8 and C4; for theta band we identified a main effect for condition on C3, Cz and C4 electrodes. This finding suggests that the motor task did not have any influence on the electrocortical activity in alpha, and that the existing modifications were a consequence due merely to the drug use. Despite its anxiolytic and sedative action, bromazepam did not show any significant changes when the individuals executed a finger extension motor task.

The effects of bromazepam over the central and frontal areas during a motor task: an EEG study / Os efeitos do bromazepam nas áreas corticais central e frontal durante execução de uma tarefa motora: um estudo de EEG

The present study investigates the influence of bromazepam while executing a motor task. Specifically, we intend to analyze the changes in alpha absolute power under two experimental conditions, bromazepam and placebo. We also included analyses of theta and beta frequencies. We collected electroencephalographic data before, during, and after motor task execution. We used a Two Way ANOVA to investigate the condition (PL × Br6 mg) and moment (pre and post) variables for the following electrodes: Fp1, Fp2, F7, F3, Fz, F4, F8, C3, CZ and C4. We found a main effect for condition on the electrodes FP1, F7, F3, Fz, F4, C3 and CZ, for alpha and beta bands. For beta band we also found a main effect for condition on the electrodes Fp2, F8 and C4; for theta band we identified a main effect for condition on C3, Cz and C4 electrodes. This finding suggests that the motor task did not have any influence on the electrocortical activity in alpha, and that the existing modifications were a consequence due merely to the drug use. Despite its anxiolytic and sedative action, bromazepam did not show any significant changes when the individuals executed a finger extension motor task.

O presente estudo investiga a influência do bromazepam durante a execução de uma tarefa motora. Especificamente, pretende-se analisar as mudanças na potência absoluta de alfa sob duas condições experimentais, bromazepam e placebo. Nós também incluímos as analises das frequências teta e beta. Foram coletados dados eletroencefalográficos antes, durante e depois da execução da tarefa motora. Usamos uma Anova de 2 fatores para investigar a condição (PL × Br6 mg) e variáveis no momento (pré e pós) para os seguintes eletrodos: Fp1, Fp2, F7, F3, Fz, F4, F8, C3, C4 e CZ. Encontramos um efeito principal para a condição e eletrodos FP1, F7, F3, Fz, F4, C3 e CZ para alfa e beta. Para beta também foi encontrado um efeito principal para condição nos eletrodos Fp2, F8 e C4; para theta nós identificamos um efeito principal para condition em C3, Cz e C4. Este achado sugere que a tarefa motora não tem qualquer influência sobre a atividade eletrocortical alfa e que as modificações existentes foram uma consequência devido o uso de drogas. Apesar de sua ação ansiolítica e sedativa, o bromazepam não apresentou mudança significativa quando os indivíduos executaram uma tarefa motora.

Electrophysiological correlates of long-term Soto Zen meditation.

This study aimed to verify the electrophysiological correlates of the changes in long-term regular meditators. We use modern techniques of high-resolution electroencephalography applied to slow potentials, power spectra, and potencies related to the events. To obtain encephalographic records, we use an assembly of 128 channels in 31 subjects (17 Soto Zen Buddhist meditators). The motivation of this study was to determine whether the induced beta power would present an increase in meditators as well as a decrease in induced theta/beta ratio in absolute and relative values. However, opposite to what we expected, no significant change was found in the beta frequency. In contrast, the main findings of the study were correlations between the frequency of weekly meditation practice and the increased theta induced relative power, increase of induced power ratio (ratio theta/beta), and increase of the ratio of induced relative powers (theta/beta ratio) during our task that featured an "adapted meditation," suggesting that the meditative state of "mindfulness" is much more related to the permittivity of "distractions" by the meditators, with a deliberate reduction of attention.

Lower trait frontal theta activity in mindfulness meditators.

Acute and long-term effects of mindfulness meditation on theta-band activity are not clear. The aim of this study was to investigate frontal theta differences between long- and short-term mindfulness practitioners before, during, and after mindfulness meditation. Twenty participants were recruited, of which 10 were experienced Buddhist meditators. Despite an acute increase in the theta activity during meditation in both the groups, the meditators showed lower trait frontal theta activity. Therefore, we suggested that this finding is a neural correlate of the expert practitioners' ability to limit the processing of unnecessary information (e.g., discursive thought) and increase the awareness of the essential content of the present experience. In conclusion, acute changes in the theta band throughout meditation did not appear to be a specific correlate of mindfulness but were rather related to the concentration properties of the meditation. Notwithstanding, lower frontal theta activity appeared to be a trait of mindfulness practices.

Lower trait frontal theta activity in mindfulness meditators / Reduzida atividade teta na região frontal em praticantes de meditação mindfulness

Acute and long-term effects of mindfulness meditation on theta-band activity are not clear. The aim of this study was to investigate frontal theta differences between long- and short-term mindfulness practitioners before, during, and after mindfulness meditation. Twenty participants were recruited, of which 10 were experienced Buddhist meditators. Despite an acute increase in the theta activity during meditation in both the groups, the meditators showed lower trait frontal theta activity. Therefore, we suggested that this finding is a neural correlate of the expert practitioners’ ability to limit the processing of unnecessary information (e.g., discursive thought) and increase the awareness of the essential content of the present experience. In conclusion, acute changes in the theta band throughout meditation did not appear to be a specific correlate of mindfulness but were rather related to the concentration properties of the meditation. Notwithstanding, lower frontal theta activity appeared to be a trait of mindfulness practices.

Os efeitos agudos e de longo prazo da meditação mindfulness sobre a atividade da banda teta não são claros. O objetivo deste estudo foi investigar as diferenças da banda teta na região frontal entre praticantes de mindfulness iniciantes e experientes. Desta forma, vinte participantes foram recrutados (dez meditadores budistas experientes e dez não-meditadores). Apesar do aumento agudo da atividade teta durante a meditação para ambos os grupos, os meditadores apresentaram uma menor potência em ambas as condições. Sugerimos que este achado é um correlato neural da capacidade dos praticantes especialistas em limitar o processamento de informações desnecessárias e aumentar a conscientização sobre o conteúdo essencial da experiência presente. Em conclusão, as alterações agudas na banda teta durante a meditação devem estar relacionadas ao processo de concentração típico de qualquer técnica meditativa. No entanto, a atividade teta reduzida encontrada entre meditadores experientes de mindfulness parece ser uma característica desta prática específica.