Neuropsychological, neuroimaging and electrophysiological research supports a crucial role of lateral prefrontal cortex (PFC) in executive control of human behavior. Altered PFC function underlies a host of debilitating developmental, neurological and psychiatric disorders. Despite significant progress in PFC research, the real-time processes supporting PFC control of human cognition remain undetermined. We propose that PFC uses oscillatory dynamics to implement cognitive control of task-dependent neural networks. To address this hypothesis we employ a unique combination of direct cortical recording in neurosurgical patients (Electrocorticography; ECoG) with superb spatio-temporal resolution and signal-to-noise ratio, along with cutting-edge analysis to define PFC-dependent neural networks supporting cognition. We will examine three tasks probing hallmarks of frontal lobe function (categorical perception, working memory and controlled vs. automatic attention) across three sensory modalities (audition, vision, touch) to address the generalizabilty of PFC dependent oscillatory network control. We will then examine the causality of the oscillatory dynamics observed with ECoG using scalp EEG and behavioral methods in patients with focal lesions centered in lateral PFC regions activated in ECoG recording.
Aim 1 will use ECoG recording to define the role of PFC control of phase locking of low frequency neural oscillations between local modules of task dependent networks and examines whether phase locking and cross frequency coupling (CFC) between high gamma oscillations (60-200 Hz) and low frequency oscillations tracks task performance at the single- trial level.
Aim 2 examines the causality of ECoG defined oscillatory processes in patients with focal lateral PFC or posterior parietal cortex (PPC) damage. Finally, we predict that deficits in neural oscillations in the lesioned hemisphere will predict behavioral deficits and that neural oscillations in the non lesioned hemisphere will reveal novel patterns of neuroplasiticity and behavioral compensation. In summary, the proposed work aims to define the role of PFC in both distributed and local network function in the support of human behavior with implications for understanding normal as well as disordered brain function.

Public Health Relevance

This research is relevant to public health because it aims to delineate the mechanisms of PFC control of human behavior. It is well established that a host of disabling neurological, developmental and psychiatric conditions are linked to prefrontal dysfunction. This proposal aims to provide basic information on the role of prefrontal cortex in network control of behavior. This work is essential to the NIH mission since it will provide novel insights into the neurophysiology of prefrontal control of cognition relevant to both normal brain functioning as well as the understanding, diagnosis and treatment of many devastating clinical disorders.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)
Type
Method to Extend Research in Time (MERIT) Award (R37)
Project #
4R37NS021135-29
Application #
9084616
Study Section
Mechanisms of Sensory, Perceptual, and Cognitive Processes Study Section (SPC)
Program Officer
Babcock, Debra J
Project Start
1985-09-09
Project End
2017-06-30
Budget Start
2016-07-01
Budget End
2017-06-30
Support Year
29
Fiscal Year
2016
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
University of California Berkeley
Department
Neurosciences
Type
Organized Research Units
DUNS #
124726725
City
Berkeley
State
CA
Country
United States
Zip Code
94704
Johnson, Elizabeth L; Adams, Jenna N; Solbakk, Anne-Kristin et al. (2018) Dynamic frontotemporal systems process space and time in working memory. PLoS Biol 16:e2004274
Kam, Julia W Y; Solbakk, Anne-Kristin; Funderud, Ingrid et al. (2018) Orbitofrontal damage reduces auditory sensory response in humans. Cortex 101:309-312
Martin, Stephanie; Mikutta, Christian; Leonard, Matthew K et al. (2018) Neural Encoding of Auditory Features during Music Perception and Imagery. Cereb Cortex 28:4222-4233
Piai, Vitória; Rommers, Joost; Knight, Robert T (2018) Lesion evidence for a critical role of left posterior but not frontal areas in alpha-beta power decreases during context-driven word production. Eur J Neurosci 48:2622-2629
Piai, Vitória; Knight, Robert T (2018) Lexical selection with competing distractors: Evidence from left temporal lobe lesions. Psychon Bull Rev 25:710-717
Haller, Matar; Case, John; Crone, Nathan E et al. (2018) Persistent neuronal activity in human prefrontal cortex links perception and action. Nat Hum Behav 2:80-91
Perry, Anat; Stiso, Jennifer; Chang, Edward F et al. (2018) Mirroring in the Human Brain: Deciphering the Spatial-Temporal Patterns of the Human Mirror Neuron System. Cereb Cortex 28:1039-1048
Kam, Julia W Y; Solbakk, Anne-Kristin; Endestad, Tor et al. (2018) Lateral prefrontal cortex lesion impairs regulation of internally and externally directed attention. Neuroimage 175:91-99
Helfrich, Randolph F; Mander, Bryce A; Jagust, William J et al. (2018) Old Brains Come Uncoupled in Sleep: Slow Wave-Spindle Synchrony, Brain Atrophy, and Forgetting. Neuron 97:221-230.e4
Martin, Stephanie; Iturrate, Iñaki; Chavarriaga, Ricardo et al. (2018) Differential contributions of subthalamic beta rhythms and 1/f broadband activity to motor symptoms in Parkinson's disease. NPJ Parkinsons Dis 4:32

Showing the most recent 10 out of 95 publications