Motor threshold predicts working memory performance in healthy humans

Nathalie Schicktanz; Kyrill Schwegler; Matthias Fastenrath; Klara Spalek; Annette Milnik; Andreas Papassotiropoulos; Thomas Nyffeler; Dominique J-F de Quervain

doi:10.1002/acn3.22

Motor threshold predicts working memory performance in healthy humans

Ann Clin Transl Neurol. 2014 Jan;1(1):69-73. doi: 10.1002/acn3.22. Epub 2013 Dec 6.

Authors

Nathalie Schicktanz¹, Kyrill Schwegler¹, Matthias Fastenrath², Klara Spalek², Annette Milnik³, Andreas Papassotiropoulos⁴, Thomas Nyffeler⁵, Dominique J-F de Quervain¹

Affiliations

¹ Division of Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, University of Basel Basel, Switzerland ; Psychiatric University Clinics, University of Basel Basel, Switzerland.
² Division of Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, University of Basel Basel, Switzerland.
³ Division of Molecular Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, University of Basel Basel, Switzerland.
⁴ Psychiatric University Clinics, University of Basel Basel, Switzerland ; Division of Molecular Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, University of Basel Basel, Switzerland ; Life Sciences Training Facility, Department Biozentrum, University of Basel Basel, Switzerland.
⁵ Departments of Neurology and Clinical Research, Perception and Eye Movement Laboratory Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern Bern, Switzerland ; Center of Neurology and Neurorehabilitation, Luzerner Kantonsspital Luzern, Switzerland.

PMID: 25356384
PMCID: PMC4207507
DOI: 10.1002/acn3.22

Abstract

Cognitive functions, such as working memory, depend on neuronal excitability in a distributed network of cortical regions. It is not known, however, if interindividual differences in cortical excitability are related to differences in working memory performance. In the present transcranial magnetic stimulation study, which included 188 healthy young subjects, we show that participants with lower resting motor threshold, which is related to higher corticospinal excitability, had increased 2-back working memory performance. The findings may help to better understand the link between cortical excitability and cognitive functions and may also have important clinical implications with regard to conditions of altered cortical excitability.