title: Startle Habituation and Midfrontal Theta Activity in Parkinson Disease.
abstract: The ability to adapt to aversive stimuli is critical for mental health. Here, we investigate the relationship between habituation to startling stimuli and startle-related activity in medial frontal cortex as measured by EEG in both healthy control participants and patients with Parkinson disease (PD). We report three findings. First, patients with PD exhibited normal initial startle responses but reduced startle habituation relative to demographically matched controls. Second, control participants had midfrontal EEG theta activity in response to startling stimuli, and this activity was attenuated in patients with PD. Finally, startle-related midfrontal theta activity was correlated with the rate of startle habituation. These data indicate that impaired startle habituation in PD is a result of attenuated midfrontal cognitive control signals. Our findings could provide insight into the frontal regulation of startle habituation.
authors.affiliation: University of Iowa.
authors.forename: Kuan-Hua
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: University of Iowa.
authors.forename: Katrina L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Okerstrom
authors.affiliation: University of Iowa.
authors.forename: Jonathan R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Kingyon
authors.affiliation: University of Iowa.
authors.forename: Steven W
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.affiliation: University of New Mexico.
authors.forename: James F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Cavanagh
authors.affiliation: University of Iowa.
authors.forename: Nandakumar S
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Narayanan
mesh_terms: D000978:Antiparkinson Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001767:Blinking / Q000502:physiology; D004569:Electroencephalography; D056344:Executive Function; D005260:Female; D005625:Frontal Lobe / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006185:Habituation, Psychophysiologic / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology*; D013216:Reflex, Startle / Q000502:physiology*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
chemical_list: D000978:Antiparkinson Agents