Motor and Cognition Group

The group studies how brain structures interact in order to coordinate mental and motor actions, and how these interrelations change under pathological conditions.

In clinical studies, we analyse which specific domains of cognition are impaired in patients with movement disorders, in particular Parkinson’s disease, who develop additional symptoms of dementia, and if predictors of such disease courses can be delineated. To study these issues we use biometric methods, such as the simultaneous assessment of behavioural and neurophysiological data in the context of different task demands.

Further, we take a particular interest in patients treated by Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS). In DBS, electrodes are implanted into thalamic or basal ganglia nuclei, depending on the present movement disorder. Based on simultaneous EEG recordings from the scalp and DBS electrodes, we aim to elucidate principles of cortico-basal processing related to different performances. Further, by comparing biometric data under active versus inactive DBS, the functional involvement of thalamic and basal ganglia nuclei in motor as non-motor behaviour can be assessed. From a clinical point of view, this information is relevant as DBS is an increasingly used therapy option, for which long-term experience is scarce and the scope of which is currently extended to further indications, e. g., psychiatric disorders. The research group works together with several external institutions (Max-Planck-Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig / Max-Planck-Institute for Human Development, Berlin / Institute of Linguistics of Potsdam University). Further cooperations exist with the clinics for Audiology and Phoniatrics, for Neurosurgery and Psychiatry at the Charité.

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Selected Publications

Wahl M, Marzinzik F, Friederici AD, Hahne A, Kupsch A, Schneider GH, Saddy D, Curio G, Klostermann F.

The role of the human thalamus in the processing of syntactic and semantic language violations. Neuron (in press)

Nikulin V, Marzinzik F, Wahl M, Schneider GH, Kupsch A, Curio G, Klostermann F.

Anticipatory activity in the human thalamus is predictive of reaction times. Neuroscience (in press)

Marzinzik F, Wahl M, Curio G, Kupsch A, Schneider GH, Klostermann F.

The human thalamus is crucially involved in executive control operations. Journal of cognitive Neuroscience (Epub ahead of print)

Klostermann F, Ehlen F, Vesper J, Marzinzik F, Nubel K, Gross M, Curio G, Sappok T.

Effects of subtahalamic Deep Brain Stimulation on dysarthrophonia in Parkinson’s disease. J Neurol Neurosurg Psych. 2008; 79: 522–529

Klostermann F, Nikulin VV, Kuhn AA, Marzinzik F, Wahl M, Pogosyan A, Kupsch A, Brown P, Curio G.

Task-related differential dynamics of EEG alpha- and beta-band synchronization in cortico-basal motor structures. European Journal of Neuroscience. 2007; 25, 1604-1615

Klostermann F, Wahl M, Marzinzik F, Schneider GH, Kupsch A, Curio G.

Mental chronometry of target detection: human thalamus leads cortex. Brain. 2006; 129: 923-931

Klostermann F, Vesper J, Curio C.

Identification of target areas for deep brain stimulation in human basal ganglia substructures based on median nerve SEP criteria. J Neurol Neurosurg Psych. 2003; 74: 1031-1035

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