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Involvement of the subthalamic nucleus in cognitive functions — A concept

Basic information
Original title:Involvement of the subthalamic nucleus in cognitive functions — A concept
Authors:Marek Baláž, Martina Bočková, Irena Rektorová, Ivan Rektor
Further information
Citation:BALÁŽ, Marek, Martina BOČKOVÁ, Irena REKTOROVÁ and Ivan REKTOR. Involvement of the subthalamic nucleus in cognitive functions — A concept. Journal of the Neurological Sciences, 2011, vol. 310, 1-2, p. 96-99. ISSN 0022-510X. doi:10.1016/j.jns.2011.07.016.Export BibTeX
@article{950971,
author = {Baláž, Marek and Bočková, Martina and Rektorová, Irena and Rektor, Ivan},
article_number = {1-2},
doi = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jns.2011.07.016},
keywords = {Subthalamic nucleus; Basal ganglia; Cognitive functions; Deep brain stimulation; Hyperdirect pathway},
language = {eng},
issn = {0022-510X},
journal = {Journal of the Neurological Sciences},
note = {7th International Congress on Mental Dysfunction and other Non-Motor Features in Parkinsons Disease and Related Disorders, Barcelona, DEC 09-12, 2010},
title = {Involvement of the subthalamic nucleus in cognitive functions — A concept},
volume = {310},
year = {2011}
}
Original language:English
Field:Neurology, neurosurgery, neurosciences
Type:Article in Periodical
Keywords:Subthalamic nucleus; Basal ganglia; Cognitive functions; Deep brain stimulation; Hyperdirect pathway

The involvement of the subthalamic nucleus (STN) in a broad spectrum of various non-motor functions – attention, executive functions, verbal learning and memory, verbal abstract reasoning, conflict resolution, and emotions – has been reported. The STN has an anatomically central position within the basal ganglia(BG)-thalamocortical motor, associative and limbic circuits. The STN might interfere with non-motor functions as an indirect modulator rather than a regulator. Mechanisms modulating the motor and non-motor functions might differ. The STN has been implicated in control of non-motor behaviors via the tuning of specific circuits depending on the task. The STN might modulate selected non-motor functions via contextual modulation of certain cortical areas. Based on intracerebral recordings, we proposed that the non-motor activities in the BG are organized in some way other than the well-known organization of the cortico-BG-thalamocortical circuits. These findings support the hypothesis of a cortico-STN bypass of the BG-thalamocortical circuitry under some circumstances. The exact role of the STN and the BG in non-motor functions remains an important and interesting challenge for future research.

 
 
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