title: From neurovascular coupling to neurovascular cascade: a study on neural, autonomic and vascular transients in attention.
abstract: Mental processes bring about neural, vascular and autonomic changes in the brain cortex. Due to the different nature of these modifications, their onsets show no synchrony and time dynamics is often strongly dissimilar. After acquiring data from a group of 16 subjects, we estimated temporal correlation between task and signals in order to assess possible influences induced by an attentive task on electroencephalographic (EEG), heart rate variability (HRV), oxy- and deoxy-haemoglobin concentration signals. We also investigated correlations and time delays between couples of different biological signals. This allowed for the isolation of a subgroup of subjects showing similar tracks. Cardiac frequency and deoxy-haemoglobin signals displayed a strong positive correlation with the task design, while EEG alpha rhythm and oxygenation showed a negative correlation. Neural electrical response was nearly instantaneous with respect to the task progression, and autonomic response showed a mean delay of about 15 s and a slower hemodynamic response (mean delay above 20 s) was finally induced. Globally, the task elicited a cascade of responses, in which delays can be quantified.
authors: Dipartimento di Bioingegneria, Politecnico di Milano, Piazza Leonardo da Vinci 32, I-20133 Milan, Italy.
authors: V
authors: V
authors: Bari
authors: P
authors: P
authors: Calcagnile
authors: E
authors: E
authors: Molteni
authors: R
authors: R
authors: Re
authors: D
authors: D
authors: Contini
authors: L
authors: L
authors: Spinelli
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Caffini
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Torricelli
authors: R
authors: R
authors: Cubeddu
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Cerutti
authors: A M
authors: AM
authors: Bianchi
mesh_terms: D000161:Acoustic Stimulation; D000328:Adult; D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology*; D001341:Autonomic Nervous System / Q000502:physiology*; D001519:Behavior; D001921:Brain / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000502:physiology*; D004569:Electroencephalography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010108:Oxyhemoglobins / Q000378:metabolism; D010775:Photic Stimulation; D012815:Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted; D019265:Spectroscopy, Near-Infrared; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D010108:Oxyhemoglobins