| Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3044301 | Clinical Neurophysiology | 2011 | 6 Pages |
ObjectiveThe traditional view of a predominant inferior parietal representation of gestures has been recently challenged by neuroimaging studies demonstrating that gesture production and discrimination may critically depend on inferior frontal lobe function. The aim of the present work was therefore to investigate the effect of transient disruption of these brain sites by continuous theta burst stimulation (cTBS) on gesture production and recognition.MethodsFourteen healthy subjects participated in the study. A repeated measures design was employed with three experimental sessions: baseline (BSL), left inferior parietal (IPL) and inferior frontal (IFG) TBS. Gesture production and recognition was assessed in an off-line approach using a new test of upper limb apraxia (TULIA) and a modified version of postural knowledge test (PKT).ResultsTBS of the left IFG significantly lowered total TULIA scores. The effect was even more prominent when contrasted with IPL than with BSL. However, TBS over either stimulation site did not significantly influence PKT measures.ConclusionsThe interference of the left inferior frontal cTBS with gesture production emphasizes the role this brain region has in the control of gestures.SignificanceThe study demonstrated that gesture performance is amenable to modulation with TBS.
► “Theta burst stimulation (TBS) over left inferior frontal cortex significantly interfered with gestural performance, pointing to a significant role of this brain region in the control of gestures”. ► Minor temporal spatial inaccuracies in the production of gestures, captured by a sensitive scoring system of the recently developed test of upper limb apraxia (TULIA), mainly accounted for the effect of TBS. ► The study demonstrated in a hitherto not reported approach that gesture performance is amenable to modulation with TBS.
