Pharmacological Modulation of Perceptual Learning and Associated Cortical Reorganization

Dinse, Hubert R.; Ragert, Patrick; Pleger, Burkhard; Schwenkreis, Peter; Tegenthoff, Martin

doi:10.1126/science.1085423

Cited by 269 publications

(307 citation statements)

References 21 publications

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“…Linear correlation analysis revealed significant relationships between cortical map changes and the parallel improvement in two-point discrimination abilities (23,27,28). A similar result was obtained for changes in cortical excitability: After coactivation, paired-pulse inhibition was reduced, and the amount of suppression was positively correlated with the individual gain in performance (29).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 63%

“…S1). Moreover, in recent experiments on changes in tactile acuity after coactivating fingers of the right, dominant hand, measurable changes of acuity of the left, nonstimulated hand had never been observed (22,23,(25)(26)(27)(28)(29), which argues for a substantial locality of coactivation-induced changes and supports the view that after repeated testing, RT effects are due to practice.…”

Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 51%

“…Coactivation is a form of repetitive stimulation, which follows the idea of Hebbian learning: Synchronous neural activity, necessary to drive plastic changes, is evoked by tactile "co"-activation of the skin. Several studies have shown that after a few hours of coactivation, tactile discrimination abilities were improved (22,23,25,(27)(28)(29). To provide further evidence for the Hebbian nature of coactivation, we used a modified version of the coactivation protocol consisting of a single, small stimulation site instead of one large area.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…To address the role of altered topographic maps in the speed of perceptual decision making, we induced plastic changes to the cortical hand representation by applying a so-called tactile coactivation protocol (22)(23)(24). Coactivation is a form of repetitive sensory stimulation based on the induction of presumably Hebbian learning mechanisms (24)(25)(26).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…1) (21). RTs strongly differ among individual fingers, displaying an inverted U-shaped function in which the RTs for the middle fingers of each hand are significantly slower than those of other fingers.To address the role of altered topographic maps in the speed of perceptual decision making, we induced plastic changes to the cortical hand representation by applying a so-called tactile coactivation protocol (22)(23)(24). Coactivation is a form of repetitive sensory stimulation based on the induction of presumably Hebbian learning mechanisms (24-26).…”

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confidence: 99%

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Cortical topography of intracortical inhibition influences the speed of decision making

Wilimzig

Ragert

Dinse

2012

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

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The neocortex contains orderly topographic maps; however, their functional role remains controversial. Theoretical studies have suggested a role in minimizing computational costs, whereas empirical studies have focused on spatial localization. Using a tactile multiple-choice reaction time (RT) task before and after the induction of perceptual learning through repetitive sensory stimulation, we extend the framework of cortical topographies by demonstrating that the topographic arrangement of intracortical inhibition contributes to the speed of human perceptual decisionmaking processes. RTs differ among fingers, displaying an inverted U-shaped function. Simulations using neural fields show the inverted U-shaped RT distribution as an emergent consequence of lateral inhibition. Weakening inhibition through learning shortens RTs, which is modeled through topographically reorganized inhibition. Whereas changes in decision making are often regarded as an outcome of higher cortical areas, our data show that the spatial layout of interaction processes within representational maps contributes to selection and decisionmaking processes.computational neuroscience | plasticity | cortical reorganization T he mammalian neocortex contains orderly topographic maps of receptor surfaces that emerge early during ontogenetic development (1, 2). However, the functional meaning and relevance of the topographical arrangement are still debated (1-5). There is agreement that topographic mapping is instrumental in minimizing computational costs by keeping the length of axonal and dendritic wiring low, thereby contributing to the compactness of the neural circuitry (1, 6-8). On the other hand, experimental studies have focused on the extent and size of topographic maps, thereby exploring how and where physical stimuli and their attributes are localized and represented in the brain. Cortical lateral interaction seems to play a crucial role in the integration of information from remote skin portions, which is required for localization and discrimination (9-11), contour integration, as well as contextual influences by surrounding elements (12, 13). Accordingly, cortical processing is modulated by nonlinear interactions through range-dependent intracortical excitation and inhibition. The mean-field approach has been shown to provide an adequate and elegant way to model the collective properties of large numbers of interacting neurons (14-16).Decision making has been discussed in the context of contributions of frontal and prefrontal cortical areas (17)(18)(19)(20). Our study provides an extension of the framework of cortical topographies by demonstrating through a combination of psychophysics, plasticity, and modeling that the speed of perceptual decision making is modulated by the topographic layout of intracortical interactions within early sensory cortical areas. We used a tactile multiple-choice reaction time (RT) task that requires selecting a given finger out of all 10 fingers on both hands ( Fig. 1) (21). RTs strongly differ among indivi...

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 63%

Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 51%

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Cortical topography of intracortical inhibition influences the speed of decision making

Wilimzig

Ragert

Dinse

2012

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

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Sensorimotor returning in complex regional pain syndrome parallels pain reduction

Pleger

Tegenthoff

Ragert

et al. 2005

Annals of Neurology

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346

206

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Patients with complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) and intractable pain showed a shrinkage of cortical maps on primary (SI) and secondary somatosensory cortex (SII) contralateral to the affected limb. This was paralleled by an impairment of the two-point discrimination thresholds. Behavioral treatment over 1 to 6 months consisting of graded sensorimotor retuning led to a persistent decrease in pain intensity, which was accompanied by a restoration of the impaired tactile discrimination and regaining of cortical map size in contralateral SI and SII. This suggests that the reversal of tactile impairment and cortical reorganization in CRPS is associated with a decrease in pain.

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Tactile coactivation resets age‐related decline of human tactile discrimination

Dinse

Kleibel

Kalisch

et al. 2006

Annals of Neurology

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119

138

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Pharmacological Modulation of Perceptual Learning and Associated Cortical Reorganization

Cited by 269 publications

References 21 publications

Cortical topography of intracortical inhibition influences the speed of decision making

Cortical topography of intracortical inhibition influences the speed of decision making

Sensorimotor returning in complex regional pain syndrome parallels pain reduction

Tactile coactivation resets age‐related decline of human tactile discrimination

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