title: Motor threshold predicts working memory performance in healthy humans.
abstract: Cognitive functions, such as working memory, depend on neuronal excitability in a distributed network of cortical regions. It is not known, however, if interindividual differences in cortical excitability are related to differences in working memory performance. In the present transcranial magnetic stimulation study, which included 188 healthy young subjects, we show that participants with lower resting motor threshold, which is related to higher corticospinal excitability, had increased 2-back working memory performance. The findings may help to better understand the link between cortical excitability and cognitive functions and may also have important clinical implications with regard to conditions of altered cortical excitability.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, University of Basel Basel, Switzerland ; Psychiatric University Clinics, University of Basel Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Nathalie
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Schicktanz
authors.affiliation: Division of Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, University of Basel Basel, Switzerland ; Psychiatric University Clinics, University of Basel Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Kyrill
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Schwegler
authors.affiliation: Division of Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, University of Basel Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Matthias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fastenrath
authors.affiliation: Division of Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, University of Basel Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Klara
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Spalek
authors.affiliation: Division of Molecular Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, University of Basel Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Annette
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Milnik
authors.affiliation: Psychiatric University Clinics, University of Basel Basel, Switzerland ; Division of Molecular Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, University of Basel Basel, Switzerland ; Life Sciences Training Facility, Department Biozentrum, University of Basel Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Papassotiropoulos
authors.affiliation: Departments of Neurology and Clinical Research, Perception and Eye Movement Laboratory Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern Bern, Switzerland ; Center of Neurology and Neurorehabilitation, Luzerner Kantonsspital Luzern, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nyffeler
authors.affiliation: Division of Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, University of Basel Basel, Switzerland ; Psychiatric University Clinics, University of Basel Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Dominique J-F
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: de Quervain