Figure 1.
Coil positions for cTBS stimulation.
The coil positions for Right BA 10 (MNI coordinates: x = 30.3±3.6; y = 50.9±3.8; z = 13.6±2.7; A) Left BA 10 (MNI coordinates: x = –30.3±3.4; y = 50.9±2.8; z = 13.6±1.9; B) and Cz (MNI coordinates: x = 0±3.8; y = 0±2.7; z = 94±4.1; C) are here illustrated. The sites of stimulation were defined by using Softaxic neuronavigation system.
Figure 2.
Schematic illustration of the experimental prospective memory procedure.
After a study phase in which target squares were presented (here not illustrated), the subject was administered the experimental tasks in which an ongoing spatial working memory task and a PM task had to be performed. Each trial consisted of a sequence of 4 different black squares each remaining black for 1500 ms. At the occurrence of a target square subject had to press the “m” key on the keyboard (PM task). Moreover, immediately after the end of each squares sequence an empty grid appeared for 3000 ms in which subject had to reproduce the sequence in the observed or reversed order by marking the correspondent square on the screen by using the mouse (ongoing task). After a fixation cross lasting on the screen 500 ms the next trial was presented in the sequence.
Figure 3.
Subjects’ average accuracy on the PM task.
Number of correct key presses at the occurrence of the target positions in 8 PM trials following cTBS over left frontopolar cortex (left BA10 condition), right frontopolar cortex (right BA10 condition), and Cz (Cz condition) are illustrated. Vertical lines represent standard errors. Asterisk indicates a significant difference with p<0.01 between left BA10 and the Cz condition.
Figure 4.
Subjects’ average response times on the PM task.
Response times following cTBS over the left frontopolar cortex (left BA10 condition), right frontopolar cortex (right BA10 condition), and Cz (Cz condition) are shown. Vertical lines represent standard errors.
Figure 5.
Subjects’ average accuracy score on the ongoing task.
Subjects’ accuracy on 40 trials of the ongoing task after the application of cTBS over left BA10 (left BA10 condition), right BA10 (right BA10 condition), and Cz (Cz condition) is illustrated. Vertical lines represent standard errors.