TY  - JOUR
JF  - Experimental Biology and Medicine
IS  - 2
UR  - http://ebm.sagepub.com/content/236/2/138
Y1  - 2011/02//
AV  - none
TI  - Functional inhibition of the human middle temporal cortex affects non-visual motion perception: a repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation study during tactile speed discrimination
N2  - The visual motion-responsive middle temporal complex (hMT+) is activated during tactile and aural motion discrimination in both sighted and congenitally blind individuals, suggesting a supramodal organization of this area. Specifically, non-visual motion processing has been found to activate the more anterior portion of the hMT+. In the present study, repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) was used to determine whether this more anterior portion of hMT+ truly plays a functional role in tactile motion processing. Sixteen blindfolded, young, healthy volunteers were asked to detect changes in the rotation velocity of a random Braille-like dot pattern by using the index or middle finger of their right hand. rTMS was applied for 600 ms (10 Hz, 110% motor threshold), 200 ms after the stimulus onset with a figure-of-eight coil over either the anterior portion of hMT+ or a midline parieto-occipital site (as a control). Accuracy and reaction times were significantly impaired only when TMS was applied on hMT+, but not on the control area. These results indicate that the recruitment of hMT+ is necessary for tactile motion processing, and thus corroborate the hypothesis of a ?supramodal? functional organization for this sensory motion processing area.
SP  - 138
PB  - SAGE
SN  - 1535-3702
A1  - Ricciardi, Emiliano
A1  - Basso, Demis
A1  - Sani, Lorenzo
A1  - Bonino, Daniela
A1  - Vecchi, Tomaso
A1  - Pietrini, Pietro
A1  - Miniussi, Carlo
EP  - 144
ID  - eprints2934
VL  - 236
ER  -