A1 Journal article (refereed)
The effect of alertness and attention on the modulation of the beta rhythm to tactile stimulation (2021)

Illman, M., Laaksonen, K., Liljeström, M., Piitulainen, H., & Forss, N. (2021). The effect of alertness and attention on the modulation of the beta rhythm to tactile stimulation. Physiological Reports, 9(12), Article e14818. https://doi.org/10.14814/phy2.14818

JYU authors or editors

Publication details

All authors or editors: Illman, Mia; Laaksonen, Kristina; Liljeström, Mia; Piitulainen, Harri; Forss, Nina

Journal or series: Physiological Reports

ISSN: 2051-817X

eISSN: 2051-817X

Publication year: 2021

Volume: 9

Issue number: 12

Article number: e14818

Publisher: John Wiley & Sons

Publication country: United Kingdom

Publication language: English

DOI: https://doi.org/10.14814/phy2.14818

Publication open access: Openly available

Publication channel open access: Open Access channel

Publication is parallel published (JYX): https://jyx.jyu.fi/handle/123456789/76947

Abstract

Beta rhythm modulation has been used as a biomarker to reflect the functional state of the sensorimotor cortex in both healthy subjects and patients. Here, the effect of reduced alertness and active attention to the stimulus on beta rhythm modulation was investigated. Beta rhythm modulation to tactile stimulation of the index finger was recorded simultaneously with MEG and EEG in 23 healthy subjects (mean 23, range 19–35 years). The temporal spectral evolution method was used to obtain the peak amplitudes of beta suppression and rebound in three different conditions (neutral, snooze, and attention). Neither snooze nor attention to the stimulus affected significantly the strength of beta suppression nor rebound, although a decrease in suppression and rebound strength was observed in some subjects with a more pronounced decrease of alertness. The reduction of alertness correlated with the decrease of suppression strength both in MEG (left hemisphere r = 0.49; right hemisphere r = 0.49, *p < 0.05) and EEG (left hemisphere r = 0.43; right hemisphere r = 0.72, **p < 0.01). The results indicate that primary sensorimotor cortex beta suppression and rebound are not sensitive to slightly reduced alertness nor active attention to the stimulus at a group level. Hence, tactile stimulus-induced beta modulation is a suitable tool for assessing the sensorimotor cortex function at a group level. However, subjects’ alertness should be maintained high during recordings to minimize individual variability.

Keywords: attention; alertness; brain; cerebral cortex; touch; sense of feeling; stimulation; MEG; EEG; neuropsychology

Free keywords: beta oscillation; event-related desynchronization; event-related synchronization; vigilance

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Ministry reporting: Yes

Reporting Year: 2021

JUFO rating: 1