Anterior thalamic stimulation improves working memory precision judgments

Jiali Liu; Tao Yu; Jinfeng Wu; Yali Pan; Zheng Tan; Ruobing Liu; Xueyuan Wang; Liankun Ren; Liang Wang

Brain Stimulation (Sep 2021)

Anterior thalamic stimulation improves working memory precision judgments

Jiali Liu,
Tao Yu,
Jinfeng Wu,
Yali Pan,
Zheng Tan,
Ruobing Liu,
Xueyuan Wang,
Liankun Ren,
Liang Wang

Affiliations

Jiali Liu: CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Beijing, China; Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
Tao Yu: Beijing Institute of Functional Neurosurgery, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China; Comprehensive Epilepsy Center of Beijing, The Beijing Key Laboratory of Neuromodulation, Department of Neurology, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
Jinfeng Wu: CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Beijing, China; Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
Yali Pan: CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Beijing, China
Zheng Tan: CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Beijing, China; Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
Ruobing Liu: CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Beijing, China; Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
Xueyuan Wang: Beijing Institute of Functional Neurosurgery, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China; Comprehensive Epilepsy Center of Beijing, The Beijing Key Laboratory of Neuromodulation, Department of Neurology, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
Liankun Ren: Beijing Institute of Functional Neurosurgery, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China; Comprehensive Epilepsy Center of Beijing, The Beijing Key Laboratory of Neuromodulation, Department of Neurology, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
Liang Wang: CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Beijing, China; Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China; Corresponding author. CAS Key Lab of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, 16 Lincui Rd., Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100101, China.

Journal volume & issue: Vol. 14, no. 5
pp. 1073 – 1080

Abstract

Read online

Background: The anterior nucleus of thalamus (ANT) has been suggested as an extended hippocampal system. The circuit of ANT and hippocampus has been widely demonstrated to be associated with memory function. Both lesions to each region and disrupting inter-regional information flow can induce working memory impairment. However, the role of this circuit in working memory precision remains unknown. Objective: To test the role of the hippocampal-anterior thalamic pathway in working memory precision, we delivered intracranially electrical stimulation to the ANT. We hypothesize that ANT stimulation can improve working memory precision. Methods: Presurgical epilepsy patients with depth electrodes in ANT and hippocampus were recruited to perform a color-recall working memory task. Participants were instructed to point out the color they were supposed to recall by clicking a point on the color wheel, while the intracranial EEG data were synchronously recorded. For randomly selected half trials, a bipolar electrical stimulation was delivered to the ANT electrodes. Results: We found that compared to non-stimulation trials, working memory precision judgements were significantly improved for stimulation trials. ANT electrical stimulation significantly increased spectral power of gamma (30–100 Hz) oscillations and decreased interictal epileptiform discharges (IED) in the hippocampus. Moreover, the increased gamma power during the pre-stimulus and retrieval period predicted the improvement of working memory precision judgements. Conclusion: ANT electrical stimulation can improve working memory precision judgements and modulate hippocampal gamma activity, providing direct evidence on the role of the human hippocampal-anterior thalamic axis in working memory precision.

Published in Brain Stimulation

ISSN: 1935-861X (Print); 1876-4754 (Online)
Publisher: Elsevier
Country of publisher: United States
LCC subjects: Medicine: Internal medicine: Neurosciences. Biological psychiatry. Neuropsychiatry
Website: https://www.journals.elsevier.com/brain-stimulation

About the journal

Abstract

Keywords