Dipartimento di Ingegneria dell'Informazione, University of Pisa, Via G. Caruso 16, 56122, Pisa, Italy.
Research Center "E. Piaggio", University of Pisa, Largo Lucio Lazzarino 1, 56122, Pisa, Italy.
Sci Rep. 2023 Jan 24;13(1):1338. doi: 10.1038/s41598-023-27480-z.
Previous studies have identified several brain regions involved in the sympathetic response and its integration with pain, cognition, emotions and memory processes. However, little is known about how such regions dynamically interact during a sympathetic activation task. In this study, we analyzed EEG activity and effective connectivity during a cold pressor test (CPT). A source localization analysis identified a network of common active sources including the right precuneus (r-PCu), right and left precentral gyri (r-PCG, l-PCG), left premotor cortex (l-PMC) and left anterior cingulate cortex (l-ACC). We comprehensively analyzed the network dynamics by estimating power variation and causal interactions among the network regions through the direct directed transfer function (dDTF). A connectivity pattern dominated by interactions in [Formula: see text] (8-12) Hz band was observed in the resting state, with r-PCu acting as the main hub of information flow. After the CPT onset, we observed an abrupt suppression of such [Formula: see text]-band interactions, followed by a partial recovery towards the end of the task. On the other hand, an increase of [Formula: see text]-band (1-4) Hz interactions characterized the first part of CPT task. These results provide novel information on the brain dynamics induced by sympathetic stimuli. Our findings suggest that the observed suppression of [Formula: see text] and rise of [Formula: see text] dynamical interactions could reflect non-pain-specific arousal and attention-related response linked to stimulus' salience.
先前的研究已经确定了几个与交感反应及其与疼痛、认知、情感和记忆过程的整合有关的大脑区域。然而,对于这些区域在交感激活任务中如何动态交互,我们知之甚少。在这项研究中,我们分析了冷加压测试(CPT)期间的 EEG 活动和有效连通性。源定位分析确定了一个包括右侧顶内沟(r-PCu)、右侧和左侧中央前回(r-PCG、l-PCG)、左侧运动前皮层(l-PMC)和左侧前扣带皮层(l-ACC)在内的常见活动源网络。我们通过估计网络区域之间的功率变化和因果相互作用,通过直接定向传递函数(dDTF)全面分析了网络动态。在静息状态下观察到以[公式:见文本](8-12)Hz 频段相互作用为主导的连接模式,r-PCu 充当信息流的主要枢纽。在 CPT 开始后,我们观察到这种[公式:见文本]频段相互作用的突然抑制,随后在任务结束时部分恢复。另一方面,CPT 任务的前半部分特征是[公式:见文本]频段(1-4)Hz 相互作用的增加。这些结果提供了交感刺激引起的大脑动力学的新信息。我们的发现表明,观察到的[公式:见文本]抑制和[公式:见文本]上升的动态相互作用可能反映了与刺激显着性相关的非疼痛特异性唤醒和注意力相关反应。