http://cel.huji.ac.il/courses/structureandprocesses/Bibliography/Somatic_Marker_%202006.pdf

The somatic marker hypothesis: a critical evaluation

Advice taking and decision-making: An integrative literature review, and implications for the organizational sciences

A meta-analysis of 31 studies with 1,791 participants was conducted to investigate the sensitivity of tests of verbal fluency to the presence of focal cortical lesions Relative to healthy controls, participants with focal frontal injuries had large and comparable deficits on phonemic (r = 52) and semantic (r = 54) fluency For frontal but not nonfrontal patients, phonemic fluency deficits qualified as differential deficits when compared with IQ and psychomotor speed; phonemic fluency was also more strongly and more specifically related to the presence of frontal lesions than the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test scores In contrast, temporal damage was associated with a lesser deficit on phonemic fluency (r = 44) but a larger deficit on semantic fluency (r = 61)

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A meta-analytic review of verbal fluency performance following focal cortical lesions.

Purpose—To critically review and evaluate the science behind individual eligibility criteria (indication/inclusion and contraindications/exclusion criteria) for intravenous recombinant tissue-type ...

Scientific Rationale for the Inclusion and Exclusion Criteria for Intravenous Alteplase in Acute Ischemic Stroke: A Statement for Healthcare Professionals From the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association

The prefrontal cortex, Anatomy, physiology, and neuropsychology of the frontal lobe, J.M. Fuster. Raven Press, New York (1980), IX-222 pages

Prior studies have shown that procedural learning is severely impaired in patients with diffuse cerebellar damage (cortical degeneration) as measured by the serial reaction time task (SRTT). We hypothesize that focal cerebellar lesions can also have lateralized effects on procedural learning. Our objective was to assess the effects of focal cerebellar lesions in procedural learning as measured by the SRTT. We studied 14 patients with single, unilateral vascular lesions in the territory of the posterior-inferior or superior cerebellar artery, who were compared with ten age- and sex-matched controls in a one-handed version of the SRTT. Patients with lesions at any other level of the brain or posterior fossa were excluded by cranial magnetic resonance imaging. Our results show that patients do not acquire procedural knowledge when performing the task with the hand ipsilateral to the lesion, but show normal learning with the contralateral hand. No correlation was found with the side, size, or vascular territory of the lesion. We conclude that procedural learning is impaired in hemispheric cerebellar lesions and involves only the hand ipsilateral to the lesion, which suggests a critical role for the cerebellum and/or crossed cerebellar-prefrontal connections in this type of learning.

Effect of focal cerebellar lesions on procedural learning in the serial reaction time task

Objectives: To 1) determine the effect of prefrontal cortex lesions on procedural learning (PL), measured by a serial reaction-time task (SRTT); 2) confirm whether visuomotor PL is lateralized to one hemisphere; and 3) clarify the relation between visuomotor sequence learning and verbal sequence learning, working memory, and executive functions. Background: Previous cognitive neuroscience research has implicated the prefrontal cortex in visuomotor PL but there is a lack of studies examining patients with prefrontal cortex lesions. Methods: We studied 22 patients with strictly unilateral prefrontal cortex lesions (traumatic, ischemic, hemorrhagic, or tumors) and 52 cognitively intact controls matched for age, sex, and educational level. We administered to subjects long (10-item sequence) and short (4-item sequence) versions of the SRTT. With the long version, each hand was evaluated separately. Learning was indicated by the shortening of response times (RT) and decrease in errors across the sequential blocks and, most importantly, the rebound increase in RTs and errors when comparing the last sequence block with the next random block. Frontal lobe functions and verbal sequence learning were also assessed. Results: Patients with unilateral prefrontal cortex lesions show PL impairment that involves both hands, although more errors were observed when the hand contralateral to the lesion was performing. Only those patients whose lesions were >2 cm in diameter were impaired. Neuropsychologic evaluation indicated impaired verbal sequence learning and executive function deficits. Patients with poorer working memory and verbal sequence learning were also more impaired in visuomotor sequence learning. Conclusions: The prefrontal cortex has a role in PL and is part of the neural circuit that mediates this type of learning.

Procedural learning is impaired in patients with prefrontal lesions.

The impact of migraine on quality of life has been traditionally evaluated by quantitative analysis, but diverse aspects remain insufficiently assessed, so a complementary qualitative approach may have advantages. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of migraine on the quality of life of migraineurs through the perception of patients and their relatives, and healthcare professionals. Qualitative methods were used, including six focus groups and nine personal interviews with 33 migraine patients under physician-directed treatment, five self-medicated patients, five relatives of migraine patients and seven healthcare professionals. Migraine has a negative affect on the quality of life, including physical, emotional and social aspects of daily life such as family, work and social relationships. Family environment and psychological well-being of patients were the aspects most affected according to patients and relatives. Health professionals emphasized work impairment and focused on pharmacological ...

Quality of life in migraine patients: a qualitative study.

Objective: (1) To verify whether the prefrontal cortex (PFC) is specifically involved in visuomotor sequence learning as opposed to other forms of motor learning and (2) to establish the role of executive functions in visuomotor sequence learning. Background: Visuomotor skill learning depends on the integrity of the premotor and parietal cortex; the prefrontal cortex, however, is essential when the learning of a sequence is required. Methods: We studied 25 patients with PFC lesions and 86 controls matched for age and educational level. Participants performed: (1) a Pursuit Tracking Task (PTT), composed of a random tracking task (perceptual learning) and a pattern tracking task (explicit motor sequence learning with learning indicated by the decrease in mean root square error across trial blocks), (2) a 12-item sequence version of a serial reaction time task (SRTT) with specific implicit motor sequence learning indicated by the rebound increase in response time when comparing the last sequence block with the next random block, and (3) a neuropsychological battery that assessed executive functions. Results: PFC patients were impaired in sequence learning on the pattern tracking task of the PTT and on the SRTT as compared to controls, but performed normally on the PTT random tracking task. Learning on the PTT did not correlate with learning on the SRTT. PTT performance correlated with planning functions while SRTT performance correlated with working memory capacity. Conclusions: The PFC is specifically involved in explicit and implicit motor sequence learning. Different PFC regions may be selectively involved in such learning depending on the cognitive demands of the sequential task.

Prefrontal lesions impair the implicit and explicit learning of sequences on visuomotor tasks.

The PREEMPT Studies established onabotulinumtoxinA as preventive treatment for adults with chronic migraine (CM). The purpose of the REal-life use of botulinum toxin for the symptomatic treatment of adults with chronic migraine, measuring healthcare resource utilisation, and Patient-reported OutcomeS observed in practice (REPOSE) Study was to observe real-life, long-term (24-month) use of onabotulinumtoxinA in adults with CM and report on the utilisation, effectiveness, safety, and tolerability. The REPOSE Study was a European, open-label, multicentre, prospective, noninterventional study. Patients received onabotulinumtoxinA approximately every 12 weeks according to their physician’s usual practice, guided by the summary of product characteristics (SPC). Patients were observed for 24 months after initiating onabotulinumtoxinA treatment. Outcome measures were collected at baseline and all administration visits and included onabotulinumtoxinA injection practices, headache-day frequency, Migraine-Specific Quality-of-Life Questionnaire (MSQ), EuroQol 5-Dimension Questionnaire (EQ-5D), and adverse drug reactions (ADRs) to evaluate safety/tolerability. Of 641 patients enrolled, 633 received ≥1 dose of onabotulinumtoxinA for a total of 3499 treatment sessions. At baseline, mean (SD) age was 45.4 (11.7) years; patients were predominantly women (85.3%). Injection practices closely followed the SPC in mean dosage (155.1 U) and injection sites per session (31.4), with the exception of a prolongation of the recommended 12-week dosing interval, with 79.1% of patients receiving ≥1 treatment session that was > 13 weeks after the previous treatment session. Headache-day frequency was reduced from a baseline mean (SD) of 20.6 (5.4) to 7.4 (6.6) days at administration visit 8 (P < 0.001). Each MSQ domain (restrictive, preventive, and emotional) was significantly reduced from baseline through each administration visit (P < 0.001). The median EQ-5D total and health state scores were significantly improved from baseline through each administration visit (P < 0.001). Overall, 18.3% of patients reported an ADR; most were mild to moderate intensity, with only 1.3% of patients reporting a serious ADR. Eyelid ptosis (5.4%), neck pain (2.8%), and musculoskeletal stiffness (2.7%) were the most frequently reported. Long-term, real-world preventive treatment of CM with onabotulinumtoxinA showed effectiveness with a sustained reduction in headache-day frequency and significant improvement in quality-of-life measures. ADRs were mild to moderate, with no new safety concerns identified. Trial registration number: NCT01686581. Name of registry: ClinicalTrials.gov. URL of registry: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01686581
 . Date of retrospective registration: September 18, 2012. Date of enrolment of first patient: July 23, 2012.

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Juan Carlos Garcia-Monco

Papers

Effect of focal cerebellar lesions on procedural learning in the serial reaction time task

Procedural learning is impaired in patients with prefrontal lesions.

Quality of life in migraine patients: a qualitative study.

Prefrontal lesions impair the implicit and explicit learning of sequences on visuomotor tasks.

An open-label prospective study of the real-life use of onabotulinumtoxinA for the treatment of chronic migraine: the REPOSE study