0000000000745262
AUTHOR
Alberto Costa
Keeping memory for intentions: A cTBS investigation of the frontopolar cortex
The present study aimed to investigate the role of frontopolar cortex in prospective memory (PM) by means of inhibitory theta-burst stimulation (cTBS). "Experiment 1"-8 volunteers were evaluated after inhibitory cTBS over left Brodmann area (BA) 10, right BA10, and Cz. In the PM procedure, sequences of 4 words each were presented. During the intersequence delay, subjects had to repeat the sequence in the observed order (ongoing task forward) or in the reverse order (backward). At the occurrence of a target word, subjects had to press a key on the keyboard (PM task). Recall and recognition of the target words were also tested. PM accuracy was lower after cTBS over left BA10 compared with Cz …
Prefrontal and temporo-parietal involvement in taking others' perspective: TMS evidence.
INTRODUCTION: Understanding the mental states of others entails a number of cognitive processes known as Theory of Mind (ToM). Behavioural and functional neuroimaging evidence suggests that prefrontal and temporo-parietal cortices are involved in these abilities. The present study was aimed at investigating the role of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and temporo-parietal junction in ToM by using a repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) paradigm. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Eleven healthy subjects participated in the study. The experimental ToM procedure was constituted by false belief and faux-pas written stories. Subjects were evaluated in baseline condition (Sham) and after 1Hz …
Changing the education paradigm in oncology: ESO masterclass, 17 years of continuous success
In this review, we summarize the history of the 41 Masterclasses in Clinical Oncology (MCO) organized by ESO or ESO-ESMO during the last 17 years. MCOs have been held in five different geographical regions including: a) Central Europe, b) Eastern Europe and Balkans, c) Baltic and Euroasia, d) Arab World and Southern European Countries and e) Latin America. More than 2.000 young oncologists have attended and more than 250 distinguished faculty members have actively participated. The program exposes students to sessions covering all major tumors ("big killers") and to spotlights updating information on various important cancers and related topics. Participants are able to present their own cl…
Parkinsonian Patients with Deficits in the Dysexecutive Spectrum are Impaired on Theory of Mind Tasks
Understanding the mental states of others entails a number of cognitive processes known as Theory of Mind (ToM). A relationship between ToM deficits and executive disorders has been hypothesized in individuals with Parkinson's disease (PD). The present study was aimed at investigating the effect of dysexecutive deficits on ToM abilities in PD patients without dementia. Participants included 30 PD patients and 30 healthy subjects (HC). PD patients were divided into two groups according to their executive test performance: patients with poor (dysexecutive group; n = 15) and normal (executively unimpaired group; n = 15) performance. All participants were administered faux pas recognition writt…