Exploring cortico-striatal connectivity across different domains of cognition combining TMS and fMRI

大脑的额叶部分和深层核团共同参与运动控制以及决策等心理过程。这些结构通常在不同的神经和精神疾病中受到影响，包括帕金森病和精神分裂症。我们的实验室已经开发了任务，使用功能性磁共振成像（MRI）等技术来梳理这些区域中单个结构的作用。特别是，我们能够分离额叶和尾状核（大脑的深层结构）中参与执行过程的两个子区域的功能。我们还开发了一些任务，以区分额叶和壳核（另一个大脑深层结构）的更靠后区域在执行动作时的功能。

Together, the frontal portion and the deep nuclei of the brain are involved in the control of movement as well as mental processes such as making decisions. These structures are often affected in different neurological and psychiatric disorders, including Parkinson's disease and schizophrenia. Our laboratory has developed tasks to tease apart the role of individual structures in these regions, using techniques such as functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). In particular, we were able to separate the functions of two sub-regions of the frontal lobe and the caudate nucleus (a deep structure of the brain) that are involved in executive processes. We have also developed tasks to distinguish the function of a more posterior region of the frontal lobe and the putamen, another deep brain structure, in the execution of movements.