Journal international de neuroréadaptation

Direction-Selective Activation in the Prefrontal Cortex through a Visually Guided Tongue Protrusion Task

Abstract

Kenichi Yoshino and Miki Tsuruha

Background: Because the rehabilitation of proper of eating and swallowing is important, the motor function of tongue has been highly studied due to its role in these processes. In addition, the previous studies have reported that the plasticity in the primary motor cortex and the primary somatosensory cortex are induced by tongue-task training.
Objective: This pilot study aimed to verify the possibility of neuroplasticity in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) by the visually guided direction-selective tongue-protrusion task (VD task).
Method: Cortical activities were measured by functional near-infrared spectroscopy, while the subjects performed the VD task and other tasks.
Results: The direction-selective activation of the PFC was found in all subjects performed the VD task. Conclusion: This study suggests that the VD task may contribute to develop a novel rehabilitation method for improving higher brain functions, because the activation have been considered to promote neuroplasticity in the brain.