title: "Cerebellar contribution to visuo-attentional alpha rhythm: insights from weightlessness".
abstract: Human brain adaptation in weightlessness follows the necessity to reshape the dynamic integration of the neural information acquired in the new environment. This basic aspect was here studied by the electroencephalogram (EEG) dynamics where oscillatory modulations were measured during a visuo-attentional state preceding a visuo-motor docking task. Astronauts in microgravity conducted the experiment in free-floating aboard the International Space Station, before the space flight and afterwards. We observed stronger power decrease (~ERD: event related desynchronization) of the ~10 Hz oscillation from the occipital-parietal (alpha ERD) to the central areas (mu ERD). Inverse source modelling of the stronger alpha ERD revealed a shift from the posterior cingulate cortex (BA31, from the default mode network) on Earth to the precentral cortex (BA4, primary motor cortex) in weightlessness. We also observed significant contribution of the vestibular network (BA40, BA32, and BA39) and cerebellum (lobule V, VI). We suggest that due to the high demands for the continuous readjustment of an appropriate body posture in free-floating, this visuo-attentional state required more contribution from the motor cortex. The cerebellum and the vestibular network involvement in weightlessness might support the correction signals processing necessary for postural stabilization, and the increased demand to integrate incongruent vestibular information.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Neurophysiology and Movement Biomechanics, CP640, ULB Neuroscience Institute, Université Libre de Bruxelles, 1070 Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Cebolla
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Neurophysiology and Movement Biomechanics, CP640, ULB Neuroscience Institute, Université Libre de Bruxelles, 1070 Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Petieau
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Neurophysiology and Movement Biomechanics, CP640, ULB Neuroscience Institute, Université Libre de Bruxelles, 1070 Brussels, Belgium.|Inkendaal Rehabilitation Hospital, 1602 Vlezenbeek, Belgium.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Dan
authors.affiliation: Institute for Psychology of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Department of Experimental Psychology, 1132 Budapest, Hungary.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Balazs
authors.affiliation: LNRS/CNRS-Université René Descartes Paris V, 75006, Paris, France.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: McIntyre
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Neurophysiology and Movement Biomechanics, CP640, ULB Neuroscience Institute, Université Libre de Bruxelles, 1070 Brussels, Belgium.|Laboratory of Electrophysiology, Université de Mons, 7000 Mons, Belgium.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cheron
mesh_terms: D000513:Alpha Rhythm / Q000502:physiology*; D018480:Astronauts; D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology; D002531:Cerebellum / Q000502:physiology*; D004569:Electroencephalography; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009044:Motor Cortex / Q000502:physiology; D033281:Nontherapeutic Human Experimentation; D013026:Space Flight; D014722:Vestibule, Labyrinth / Q000502:physiology; D014893:Weightlessness