Fronto-parietal overactivation in patients with essential tremor during Stroop task.
Neuropsychological dysfunctions have been consistently reported in essential tremor but the underlying neurobiological mechanisms are unknown. We explored potential abnormalities in the neural network involved in cognitive functions in patients with essential tremor by using functional magnetic resonance imaging. The functional response of 12 patients with essential tremor and 12 matched controls was studied while performing a functional magnetic resonance imaging Stroop task aimed to assess attentional control and evaluating executive functions. Despite similar performances during this task, patients with essential tremor showed greater magnitude of brain response in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and in the inferior parietal cortex with respect to controls. Our study shows that patients with essential tremor require additional cognitive effort to achieve comparable performance levels on test of attentional control.
Cerasa
Antonio
A
Neuroimaging Research Unit, Institute of Neurological Sciences, National Research Council, Catanzaro, Italy.
Passamonti
Luca
L
Novellino
Fabiana
F
Salsone
Maria
M
Gioia
Maria Cecilia
MC
Morelli
Maurizio
M
Paglionico
Sandra
S
Giofrè
Laura
L
Arabia
Gennarina
G
Quattrone
Aldo
A
D000368:Aged; D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology; D001921:Brain / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001931:Brain Mapping; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D020329:Essential Tremor / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D056344:Executive Function / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D005625:Frontal Lobe / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009415:Nerve Net / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D010296:Parietal Lobe / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology; D017397:Prefrontal Cortex / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000503:physiopathology; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology; D057190:Stroop Test