Visual spatial attention has opposite effects on bidirectional plasticity in the human motor cortex

Marc R Kamke; Alexander E Ryan; Martin V Sale; Megan E J Campbell; Stephan Riek; Timothy J Carroll; Jason B Mattingley

doi:10.1523/JNEUROSCI.1595-13.2014

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Visual spatial attention has opposite effects on bidirectional plasticity in the human motor cortex

Journal article

Peer reviewed

Visual spatial attention has opposite effects on bidirectional plasticity in the human motor cortex

Marc R Kamke, Alexander E Ryan, Martin V Sale, Megan E J Campbell, Stephan Riek, Timothy J Carroll and Jason B Mattingley

The Journal of Neuroscience, Vol.34(4), pp.1475-1480

2014

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1523/JNEUROSCI.1595-13.2014

PMCID: PMC6705316

PMID: 24453335

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https://doi.org/10.1523/JNEUROSCI.1595-13.2014View

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Abstract

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation

Young Adult

Attention - physiology

Motor Cortex - physiology

Electric Stimulation

Neuronal Plasticity - physiology

Visual Perception - physiology

Evoked Potentials, Motor - physiology

Humans

Adult

Female

Male

Long-term potentiation (LTP) and long-term depression (LTD) are key mechanisms of synaptic plasticity that are thought to act in concert to shape neural connections. Here we investigated the influence of visual spatial attention on LTP-like and LTD-like plasticity in the human motor cortex. Plasticity was induced using paired associative stimulation (PAS), which involves repeated pairing of peripheral nerve stimulation and transcranial magnetic stimulation to alter functional responses in the thumb area of the primary motor cortex. PAS-induced changes in cortical excitability were assessed using motor-evoked potentials. During plasticity induction, participants directed their attention to one of two visual stimulus streams located adjacent to each hand. When participants attended to visual stimuli located near the left thumb, which was targeted by PAS, LTP-like increases in excitability were significantly enhanced, and LTD-like decreases in excitability reduced, relative to when they attended instead to stimuli located near the right thumb. These differential effects on (bidirectional) LTP-like and LTD-like plasticity suggest that voluntary visual attention can exert an important influence on the functional organization of the motor cortex. Specifically, attention acts to both enhance the strengthening and suppress the weakening of neural connections representing events that fall within the focus of attention.

Details

Title: Visual spatial attention has opposite effects on bidirectional plasticity in the human motor cortex
Authors: Marc R Kamke (Author) - University of Queensland
Alexander E Ryan (Author) - University of Queensland
Martin V Sale (Author) - University of Queensland
Megan E J Campbell (Author) - University of Queensland
Stephan Riek (Author) - University of Queensland
Timothy J Carroll (Author) - University of Queensland
Jason B Mattingley (Author) - University of Queensland
Publication details: The Journal of Neuroscience, Vol.34(4), pp.1475-1480
Publisher: Society for Neuroscience
DOI: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.1595-13.2014
ISSN: 1529-2401
PMID: 24453335; PMC6705316
Organisation Unit: University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland; Graduate Research School
Language: English
Record Identifier: 99472605302621
Output Type: Journal article

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