Experience-dependent modulation of the visual evoked potential: Testing effect sizes, retention over time, and associations with age in 415 healthy individuals
Mathias Valstad,
Torgeir Moberget,
Daniël Roelfs,
Nora B. Slapø,
Clara M.F. Timpe,
Dani Beck,
Geneviève Richard,
Linn Sofie Sæther,
Beathe Haatveit,
Knut Andre Skaug,
Jan Egil Nordvik,
Christoffer Hatlestad-Hall,
Gaute T. Einevoll,
Tuomo Mäki-Marttunen,
Lars T. Westlye,
Erik G. Jönsson,
Ole A. Andreassen,
Torbjørn Elvsåshagen
Affiliations
Mathias Valstad
NORMENT, Division of Mental Health and Addiction, Oslo University Hospital & Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Norway; Corresponding authors at: Norwegian center for Mental Disorders Research, Oslo University Hospital, PoBox 4956 Nydalen, Norway.
Torgeir Moberget
NORMENT, Division of Mental Health and Addiction, Oslo University Hospital & Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Norway; Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
Daniël Roelfs
NORMENT, Division of Mental Health and Addiction, Oslo University Hospital & Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Norway
Nora B. Slapø
NORMENT, Division of Mental Health and Addiction, Oslo University Hospital & Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Norway
Clara M.F. Timpe
NORMENT, Division of Mental Health and Addiction, Oslo University Hospital & Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Norway; Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
Dani Beck
NORMENT, Division of Mental Health and Addiction, Oslo University Hospital & Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Norway; Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
Geneviève Richard
NORMENT, Division of Mental Health and Addiction, Oslo University Hospital & Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Norway
Linn Sofie Sæther
NORMENT, Division of Mental Health and Addiction, Oslo University Hospital & Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Norway
Beathe Haatveit
NORMENT, Division of Mental Health and Addiction, Oslo University Hospital & Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Norway
Knut Andre Skaug
NORMENT, Division of Mental Health and Addiction, Oslo University Hospital & Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Norway; MentisCura, Reykjavik, Iceland
Jan Egil Nordvik
CatoSenteret Rehabilitation Center, Son, Norway
Christoffer Hatlestad-Hall
Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway; Department of Neurology, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
Gaute T. Einevoll
Faculty of Science and Technology, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås, Norway; Department of Physics, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
Tuomo Mäki-Marttunen
NORMENT, Division of Mental Health and Addiction, Oslo University Hospital & Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Norway; Simula Research Laboratory, Oslo, Norway
Lars T. Westlye
NORMENT, Division of Mental Health and Addiction, Oslo University Hospital & Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Norway; Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
Erik G. Jönsson
NORMENT, Division of Mental Health and Addiction, Oslo University Hospital & Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Norway; Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Centre for Psychiatric Research, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
Ole A. Andreassen
NORMENT, Division of Mental Health and Addiction, Oslo University Hospital & Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Norway
Torbjørn Elvsåshagen
NORMENT, Division of Mental Health and Addiction, Oslo University Hospital & Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Norway; Department of Neurology, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway; Corresponding authors at: Norwegian center for Mental Disorders Research, Oslo University Hospital, PoBox 4956 Nydalen, Norway.
Experience-dependent modulation of the visual evoked potential (VEP) is a promising proxy measure of synaptic plasticity in the cerebral cortex. However, existing studies are limited by small to moderate sample sizes as well as by considerable variability in how VEP modulation is quantified. In the present study, we used a large sample (n = 415) of healthy volunteers to compare different quantifications of VEP modulation with regards to effect sizes and retention of the modulation effect over time. We observed significant modulation for VEP components C1 (Cohen's d = 0.53), P1 (d = 0.66), N1 (d=-0.27), N1b (d=-0.66), but not P2 (d = 0.08), and in three clusters of total power modulation, 2–4 min after 2 Hz prolonged visual stimulation. For components N1 (d=-0.21) and N1b (d=-0.38), as well for the total power clusters, this effect was retained after 54–56 min, by which time also the P2 component had gained modulation (d = 0.54). Moderate to high correlations (0.39≤ρ≤0.69) between modulation at different postintervention blocks revealed a relatively high temporal stability in the modulation effect for each VEP component. However, different VEP components also showed markedly different temporal retention patterns. Finally, participant age correlated negatively with C1 (χ2=30.4), and positively with P1 modulation (χ2=13.4), whereas P2 modulation was larger for female participants (χ2=15.4). There were no effects of either age or sex on N1 and N1b potentiation. These results provide strong support for VEP modulation, and especially N1b modulation, as a robust measure of synaptic plasticity, but underscore the need to differentiate between components, and to control for demographic confounders.
