Gamma-Band Modulation in Parietal Area as the Electroencephalographic Signature for Performance in Auditory–Verbal Working Memory: An Exploratory Pilot Study in Hearing and Unilateral Cochlear Implant Children
This pilot study investigates the neurophysiological patterns of visual and auditory verbal working memory (VWM) in unilateral cochlear implant users (UCIs). We compared the task-related electroencephalogram (EEG) power spectral density of 7- to 13-year-old UCIs (<i>n</i> = 7) with a hea...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-09-01
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| Series: | Brain Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/12/10/1291 |
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| author | Bianca Maria Serena Inguscio Giulia Cartocci Nicolina Sciaraffa Maria Nicastri Ilaria Giallini Antonio Greco Fabio Babiloni Patrizia Mancini |
| author_facet | Bianca Maria Serena Inguscio Giulia Cartocci Nicolina Sciaraffa Maria Nicastri Ilaria Giallini Antonio Greco Fabio Babiloni Patrizia Mancini |
| author_sort | Bianca Maria Serena Inguscio |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This pilot study investigates the neurophysiological patterns of visual and auditory verbal working memory (VWM) in unilateral cochlear implant users (UCIs). We compared the task-related electroencephalogram (EEG) power spectral density of 7- to 13-year-old UCIs (<i>n</i> = 7) with a hearing control group (HC, <i>n</i> = 10) during the execution of a three-level n-back task with auditory and visual verbal (letters) stimuli. Performances improved as memory load decreased regardless of sensory modality (SM) and group factors. Theta EEG activation over the frontal area was proportionally influenced by task level; the left hemisphere (LH) showed greater activation in the gamma band, suggesting lateralization of VWM function regardless of SM. However, HCs showed stronger activation patterns in the LH than UCIs regardless of SM and in the parietal area (PA) during the most challenging audio condition. Linear regressions for gamma activation in the PA suggest the presence of a pattern-supporting auditory VWM only in HCs. Our findings seem to recognize gamma activation in the PA as the signature of effective auditory VWM. These results, although preliminary, highlight this EEG pattern as a possible cause of the variability found in VWM outcomes in deaf children, opening up new possibilities for interdisciplinary research and rehabilitation intervention. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T20:35:18Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-be8526e20f9b45a091b35cc2c21bd279 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-3425 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T20:35:18Z |
| publishDate | 2022-09-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Brain Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-be8526e20f9b45a091b35cc2c21bd2792023-11-23T23:13:04ZengMDPI AGBrain Sciences2076-34252022-09-011210129110.3390/brainsci12101291Gamma-Band Modulation in Parietal Area as the Electroencephalographic Signature for Performance in Auditory–Verbal Working Memory: An Exploratory Pilot Study in Hearing and Unilateral Cochlear Implant ChildrenBianca Maria Serena Inguscio0Giulia Cartocci1Nicolina Sciaraffa2Maria Nicastri3Ilaria Giallini4Antonio Greco5Fabio Babiloni6Patrizia Mancini7Department of Sense Organs, Sapienza University of Rome, Viale dell’Università 31, 00161 Rome, ItalyBrainSigns Srl, Lungotevere Michelangelo, 9, 00192 Rome, ItalyBrainSigns Srl, Lungotevere Michelangelo, 9, 00192 Rome, ItalyDepartment of Sense Organs, Sapienza University of Rome, Viale dell’Università 31, 00161 Rome, ItalyDepartment of Sense Organs, Sapienza University of Rome, Viale dell’Università 31, 00161 Rome, ItalyDepartment of Sense Organs, Sapienza University of Rome, Viale dell’Università 31, 00161 Rome, ItalyBrainSigns Srl, Lungotevere Michelangelo, 9, 00192 Rome, ItalyDepartment of Sense Organs, Sapienza University of Rome, Viale dell’Università 31, 00161 Rome, ItalyThis pilot study investigates the neurophysiological patterns of visual and auditory verbal working memory (VWM) in unilateral cochlear implant users (UCIs). We compared the task-related electroencephalogram (EEG) power spectral density of 7- to 13-year-old UCIs (<i>n</i> = 7) with a hearing control group (HC, <i>n</i> = 10) during the execution of a three-level n-back task with auditory and visual verbal (letters) stimuli. Performances improved as memory load decreased regardless of sensory modality (SM) and group factors. Theta EEG activation over the frontal area was proportionally influenced by task level; the left hemisphere (LH) showed greater activation in the gamma band, suggesting lateralization of VWM function regardless of SM. However, HCs showed stronger activation patterns in the LH than UCIs regardless of SM and in the parietal area (PA) during the most challenging audio condition. Linear regressions for gamma activation in the PA suggest the presence of a pattern-supporting auditory VWM only in HCs. Our findings seem to recognize gamma activation in the PA as the signature of effective auditory VWM. These results, although preliminary, highlight this EEG pattern as a possible cause of the variability found in VWM outcomes in deaf children, opening up new possibilities for interdisciplinary research and rehabilitation intervention.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/12/10/1291working memorydeafnesscochlear implantschildrenEEGgamma |
| spellingShingle | Bianca Maria Serena Inguscio Giulia Cartocci Nicolina Sciaraffa Maria Nicastri Ilaria Giallini Antonio Greco Fabio Babiloni Patrizia Mancini Gamma-Band Modulation in Parietal Area as the Electroencephalographic Signature for Performance in Auditory–Verbal Working Memory: An Exploratory Pilot Study in Hearing and Unilateral Cochlear Implant Children Brain Sciences working memory deafness cochlear implants children EEG gamma |
| title | Gamma-Band Modulation in Parietal Area as the Electroencephalographic Signature for Performance in Auditory–Verbal Working Memory: An Exploratory Pilot Study in Hearing and Unilateral Cochlear Implant Children |
| title_full | Gamma-Band Modulation in Parietal Area as the Electroencephalographic Signature for Performance in Auditory–Verbal Working Memory: An Exploratory Pilot Study in Hearing and Unilateral Cochlear Implant Children |
| title_fullStr | Gamma-Band Modulation in Parietal Area as the Electroencephalographic Signature for Performance in Auditory–Verbal Working Memory: An Exploratory Pilot Study in Hearing and Unilateral Cochlear Implant Children |
| title_full_unstemmed | Gamma-Band Modulation in Parietal Area as the Electroencephalographic Signature for Performance in Auditory–Verbal Working Memory: An Exploratory Pilot Study in Hearing and Unilateral Cochlear Implant Children |
| title_short | Gamma-Band Modulation in Parietal Area as the Electroencephalographic Signature for Performance in Auditory–Verbal Working Memory: An Exploratory Pilot Study in Hearing and Unilateral Cochlear Implant Children |
| title_sort | gamma band modulation in parietal area as the electroencephalographic signature for performance in auditory verbal working memory an exploratory pilot study in hearing and unilateral cochlear implant children |
| topic | working memory deafness cochlear implants children EEG gamma |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/12/10/1291 |
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