Decreased Event-Related Desynchronization of Mental Rotation Tasks in Young Tibetan Immigrants

Zu-qiang Xiang; Yi-lin Huang; Guang-li Luo; Guang-li Luo; Hai-lin Ma; Hai-lin Ma; De-long Zhang; De-long Zhang; De-long Zhang; De-long Zhang

doi:10.3389/fnhum.2021.664039

Frontiers in Human Neuroscience (Jun 2021)

Decreased Event-Related Desynchronization of Mental Rotation Tasks in Young Tibetan Immigrants

Zu-qiang Xiang,
Yi-lin Huang,
Guang-li Luo,
Guang-li Luo,
Hai-lin Ma,
Hai-lin Ma,
De-long Zhang,
De-long Zhang,
De-long Zhang,
De-long Zhang

Affiliations

Zu-qiang Xiang: Department of Psychology, School of Education, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou, China
Yi-lin Huang: Department of Psychology, School of Education, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou, China
Guang-li Luo: Department of Psychology, School of Education, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou, China
Guang-li Luo: The Fourth Primary School of Qiaotou Town, Dongguan, China
Hai-lin Ma: Plateau Brain Science Research Center, Tibet University, Lhasa, China
Hai-lin Ma: Plateau Brain Science Research Center, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
De-long Zhang: Plateau Brain Science Research Center, Tibet University, Lhasa, China
De-long Zhang: Plateau Brain Science Research Center, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
De-long Zhang: Key Laboratory of Brain, Cognition and Education Sciences, Ministry of Education, Guangzhou, China
De-long Zhang: School of Psychology, Center for Studies of Psychological Application, and Guangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2021.664039
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 15

Abstract

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The present study aimed to explore the cortical activity underlying mental rotation in high-altitude immigrants via the event-related desynchronization (ERD), the electroencephalogram time–frequency analysis, and source localization based on electroencephalographic data. When compared with the low-altitude individuals, the reaction time of mental rotation tasks was significantly slower in immigrants who had lived in high-altitude areas for 3 years. The time–frequency analysis showed that the alpha ERD and the beta ERD within the time window (400–700 ms) were decreased during the mental rotation tasks in these immigrants. The decreased ERD was observed at the parietal–occipital regions within the alpha band and at the central–parietal regions within the beta band. The decreased ERD might embody the sensorimotor-related cortical activity from hypoxia, which might be involved in cognitive control function in high-altitude immigrants, which provided insights into the neural mechanism of spatial cognition change on aspect of embodied cognition due to high-altitude exposure.

Published in Frontiers in Human Neuroscience

ISSN: 1662-5161 (Online)
Publisher: Frontiers Media S.A.
Country of publisher: Switzerland
LCC subjects: Medicine: Internal medicine: Neurosciences. Biological psychiatry. Neuropsychiatry
Website: http://www.frontiersin.org/human_neuroscience

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