title: Transcranial magnetic theta-burst stimulation of the human cerebellum distinguishes absolute, duration-based from relative, beat-based perception of subsecond time intervals.
abstract: CEREBELLAR FUNCTIONS IN TWO TYPES OF PERCEPTUAL TIMING WERE ASSESSED: the absolute (duration-based) timing of single intervals and the relative (beat-based) timing of rhythmic sequences. Continuous transcranial magnetic theta-burst stimulation (cTBS) was applied over the medial cerebellum and performance was measured adaptively before and after stimulation. A large and significant effect was found in the TBS (n = 12) compared to the SHAM (n = 12) group for single-interval timing but not for the detection of a regular beat or a deviation from it. The data support the existence of distinct perceptual timing mechanisms and an obligatory role of the cerebellum in absolute interval timing with a functional dissociation from relative timing of interval within rhythmic sequences based on a regular beat.
authors.affiliation: Newcastle Auditory Group, Institute of Neuroscience, Medical School, Newcastle University, Framlington Place Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.
authors.forename: Manon
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Grube
authors.forename: Kwang-Hyuk
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Timothy D
authors.initials: TD
authors.lastname: Griffiths
authors.forename: Anthony T
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Barker
authors.forename: Peter W
authors.initials: PW
authors.lastname: Woodruff