The Role of the Cerebellum in Social and Non-Social Action Sequences: A Preliminary LF-rTMS Study
An increasing number of studies demonstrated the involvement of the cerebellum in (social) sequence processing. The current preliminary study is the first to investigate the causal involvement of the cerebellum in sequence generation, using low-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2021-02-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Human Neuroscience |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnhum.2021.593821/full |
| _version_ | 1818608041083273216 |
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| author | Elien Heleven Kim van Dun Sara De Witte Chris Baeken Chris Baeken Chris Baeken Chris Baeken Frank Van Overwalle |
| author_facet | Elien Heleven Kim van Dun Sara De Witte Chris Baeken Chris Baeken Chris Baeken Chris Baeken Frank Van Overwalle |
| author_sort | Elien Heleven |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | An increasing number of studies demonstrated the involvement of the cerebellum in (social) sequence processing. The current preliminary study is the first to investigate the causal involvement of the cerebellum in sequence generation, using low-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (LF-rTMS). By targeting the posterior cerebellum, we hypothesized that the induced neuro-excitability modulation would lead to altered performance on a Picture and Story sequencing task, which involve the generation of the correct chronological order of various social and non-social stories depicted in cartoons or sentences. Our results indicate that participants receiving LF-rTMS over the cerebellum, as compared to sham participants, showed a stronger learning effect from pre to post stimulation for both tasks and for all types of sequences (i.e. mechanical, social scripts, false belief, true belief). No differences between sequence types were observed. Our results suggest a positive effect of LF-rTMS on sequence generation. We conclude that the cerebellum is causally involved in the generation of sequences of social and nonsocial events. Our discussion focuses on recommendations for future studies. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-16T14:36:20Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-7cba82a443bf46be94564c0a0a9c4a20 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1662-5161 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-16T14:36:20Z |
| publishDate | 2021-02-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Human Neuroscience |
| spelling | doaj.art-7cba82a443bf46be94564c0a0a9c4a202022-12-21T22:28:06ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Human Neuroscience1662-51612021-02-011510.3389/fnhum.2021.593821593821The Role of the Cerebellum in Social and Non-Social Action Sequences: A Preliminary LF-rTMS StudyElien Heleven0Kim van Dun1Sara De Witte2Chris Baeken3Chris Baeken4Chris Baeken5Chris Baeken6Frank Van Overwalle7Department of Psychology and Center for Neuroscience, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, BelgiumBiomedical Research Institute, Hasselt University, Hasselt, BelgiumDepartment of Head and Skin, Ghent University, Ghent, BelgiumDepartment of Head and Skin, Ghent University, Ghent, BelgiumDepartment of Psychiatry, University Hospital Brussels (UZ Brussel), Brussels, BelgiumGhent Experimental Psychiatry (GHEP) Lab, Ghent University, Ghent, BelgiumDepartment of Electrical Engineering, Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, NetherlandsDepartment of Psychology and Center for Neuroscience, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, BelgiumAn increasing number of studies demonstrated the involvement of the cerebellum in (social) sequence processing. The current preliminary study is the first to investigate the causal involvement of the cerebellum in sequence generation, using low-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (LF-rTMS). By targeting the posterior cerebellum, we hypothesized that the induced neuro-excitability modulation would lead to altered performance on a Picture and Story sequencing task, which involve the generation of the correct chronological order of various social and non-social stories depicted in cartoons or sentences. Our results indicate that participants receiving LF-rTMS over the cerebellum, as compared to sham participants, showed a stronger learning effect from pre to post stimulation for both tasks and for all types of sequences (i.e. mechanical, social scripts, false belief, true belief). No differences between sequence types were observed. Our results suggest a positive effect of LF-rTMS on sequence generation. We conclude that the cerebellum is causally involved in the generation of sequences of social and nonsocial events. Our discussion focuses on recommendations for future studies.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnhum.2021.593821/fullcerebellumsocial action sequencesmentalizingTMSVerbal sequencing taskPicture sequencing task |
| spellingShingle | Elien Heleven Kim van Dun Sara De Witte Chris Baeken Chris Baeken Chris Baeken Chris Baeken Frank Van Overwalle The Role of the Cerebellum in Social and Non-Social Action Sequences: A Preliminary LF-rTMS Study Frontiers in Human Neuroscience cerebellum social action sequences mentalizing TMS Verbal sequencing task Picture sequencing task |
| title | The Role of the Cerebellum in Social and Non-Social Action Sequences: A Preliminary LF-rTMS Study |
| title_full | The Role of the Cerebellum in Social and Non-Social Action Sequences: A Preliminary LF-rTMS Study |
| title_fullStr | The Role of the Cerebellum in Social and Non-Social Action Sequences: A Preliminary LF-rTMS Study |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Role of the Cerebellum in Social and Non-Social Action Sequences: A Preliminary LF-rTMS Study |
| title_short | The Role of the Cerebellum in Social and Non-Social Action Sequences: A Preliminary LF-rTMS Study |
| title_sort | role of the cerebellum in social and non social action sequences a preliminary lf rtms study |
| topic | cerebellum social action sequences mentalizing TMS Verbal sequencing task Picture sequencing task |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnhum.2021.593821/full |
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