Cognitive Deterioration and Functional Compensation in ALS Measured with fMRI Using an Inhibitory Task

• DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1111-14.2014
• Publication Date: 2014-10-22T16:57:56Z
• Authors: Kelsey Witiuk; Juan Fernandez-Ruiz; Ryan McKee; Nadia Alahyane; Brian C. Coe; Michel Melanson; Douglas P. Munoz
• Keywords: Antisaccade task; Dorsolateral prefrontal cortex; Frontal eye fields

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is characterized by degeneration of upper and lower motor neurons, resulting in progressive weakness muscle atrophy. Recent studies suggest that nondemented ALS patients can show selective cognitive impairments, predominantly executive dysfunction, but little known about the neural basis these impairments. Oculomotor have described deficits antisaccade execution, which requires implementation a task set includes inhibition automatic responses followed generation voluntary action. It has been suggested dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) contributes this process. Thus, we investigated whether deterioration functions patients, such as ability to implement flexible behavior during task, related DLPFC dysfunction. While undergoing an fMRI scan, 12 age-matched controls performed with concurrent eye tracking. We hypothesized would appear preparation stage, when being established. made more direction errors showed significant reductions activation. In contrast, regions, supplementary fields frontal fields, increased activation was anticorrelated number errors. The group also reduced saccadic latencies correlated across oculomotor saccade system. These findings results are impaired However, they undergo functional changes partially compensate neurological impairment.