Intact proactive motor inhibition after unilateral prefrontal cortex or basal ganglia lesions

Matthias Liebrand, Anne Kristin Solbakk, Ingrid Funderud, Macià Buades-Rotger, Robert T. Knight, Ulrike M. Krämer*

*Corresponding author for this work
3 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Previous research provided evidence for the critical importance of the PFC and BG for reactive motor inhibition, that is, when actions are cancelled in response to external signals. Less is known about the role of the PFC and BG in proactive motor inhibition, referring to preparation for an upcoming stop signal. In this study, patients with unilateral lesions to the BG or lateral PFC performed in a cued go/no-go task, whereas their EEG was recorded. The paradigm called for cue-based preparation for upcoming, lateralized no-go signals. Based on previous findings, we focused on EEG indices of cognitive control (prefrontal beta), motor preparation (sensorimotor mu/beta, contingent negative variation [CNV]), and preparatory attention (occip-ital alpha, CNV). On a behavioral level, no differences between patients and control s were found, suggesting an intact ability to proactively prepare for motor inhibition. Patients showed an altered preparatory CNV effect, but no other differences in electrophysiological activity related to proactive and reactive motor inhibition. Our results suggest a context-dependent role of BG and PFC structures in motor inhibition, being critical in reactive, unpredictable contexts, but less so in situations where one can prepare for stopping on a short timescale.

Original languageEnglish
JournalJournal of Cognitive Neuroscience
Volume33
Issue number9
Pages (from-to)1862-1879
Number of pages18
ISSN0898-929X
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 01.08.2021

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