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Involvement of the subthalamic nucleus and globus pallidus internus in attention

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Abstract

We studied the appearance of cognitive event-related potentials (ERPs) and event-related de/synchronizations (ERD/S) in the subthalamic nucleus (STN) and globus pallidus internus (GPi). We particularly focused on the rare non-target (distractor) stimuli processing. ERPs and ERD/S in the alpha and beta frequency range were analyzed in seven Parkinson’s disease patients and one primary dystonia patient with implanted deep brain stimulation (DBS) electrodes. A visual three-stimulus protocol was used (frequent stimulus, target stimulus, and distractor). The non-target and distractor-related waveforms manifested similar shapes. A specific positive ERP peak around 200 ms and a low alpha frequency ERS were detected from the STN as a response to the distractor stimuli in six of the patients with Parkinson’s disease and also in the primary dystonia patient’s GPi. This positivity probably reflects an attentional orienting response to the distractor stimuli. The STN and GPi are probably involved in attentional cerebral networks.

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Acknowledgments

The study was supported by MSMT CR research project: MSM0021622404. The technical part of this study was supported by grant GA AV IAA 200650801. The technical part of the study was also supported by project: Application laboratories of advanced microtechnologies and nanotechnologies, CZ.1.05/2.1.00/01.0017, co-funded by the Operational Programme ‘Research and Development for Innovations’, the European regional development fund and state budget. We wish to thank Drs Novak and Chrastina (neurosurgery).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. First Department of Neurology, Medical Faculty , St. Anne’s Teaching Hospital, Masaryk University, Pekarska 53, 656 91, Brno, Czech Republic

    M. Bočková, M. Baláž & I. Rektor

  2. Institute of Scientific Instruments of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, v.v.i., Brno, Czech Republic

    J. Chládek, P. Jurák & J. Halámek

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  1. M. Bočková
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  2. J. Chládek
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Correspondence to M. Bočková.

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Bočková, M., Chládek, J., Jurák, P. et al. Involvement of the subthalamic nucleus and globus pallidus internus in attention. J Neural Transm 118, 1235–1245 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00702-010-0575-4

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