Abstract Details

Title Space, Time, and Causal Inference: A tDCS Study

Topic Neural Repair/Rehabilitation

Presentation(s) P03 - (-)

Poster/Presentation
Number 263

Objective

Background BACKGROUND: The ability to infer causality is a central feature of human cognition. Causal inferences are partly built upon elemental spatial and temporal information in the environment. We previously reported that the right parietal cortex (rPC) contributes to spatial aspects of causal inference (Straube & Chatterjee, 2010; Woods et al., 2012), while others report that the frontal cortices contribute to decision-making aspects of causal inference (Fonlupt, 2003; Fugelsang et al., 2005).

Design/Methods DESIGN/METHODS: Participants (n=16) underwent three transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) sessions, receiving 1.5 mA's right anode-left cathode stimulation for 20 minutes to the frontal (F3/F4) or parietal cortices (CP3/CP4), or a 30 second sham stimulation. tDCS electrode montages were selected based on computational current density models. Behaviorally, participants inferred causality before and during stimulation in billiard-ball style launching events; a blue ball approaches and contacts a red ball. Spatial and temporal inferences of causality were assessed separately by parametrically varying the spatial trajectories and the temporal delays of the movement of the second ball in separate blocks.

Results RESULTS: Frontal and parietal stimulation significantly decreased the probability of spatial causality judgments (Generalized Linear Model - Session x Location: [Chi]2=6.4, p=.04; Frontal mean difference (MD)=6%, p=.003; Parietal MD=4%, p=.02). Only frontal stimulation significantly decreased the probability of temporal causality judgments (MD=4%, p=.04). Parietal stimulation also significantly improved reaction time for spatial judgments of causality (Session x Location: [Chi]2=15.7, p<.001; MD=72 ms, p<.001).

Conclusions CONCLUSIONS: Our results are consistent with the hypothesis that the parietal cortex contributes to causal inference because of its specific role in processing spatial relations. In contrast, our results suggest that the contribution of the frontal cortices relates to their role in decision-making.

Authors/Disclosures
PRESENTER	No disclosure on file
Barry A. Singer, MD	Dr. Singer has received personal compensation in the range of $500-$4,999 for serving as a Consultant for Alexion. Dr. Singer has received personal compensation in the range of $5,000-$9,999 for serving as a Consultant for EMD Serono. Dr. Singer has received personal compensation in the range of $10,000-$49,999 for serving as a Consultant for Genentech. Dr. Singer has received personal compensation in the range of $5,000-$9,999 for serving as a Consultant for Novartis. Dr. Singer has received personal compensation in the range of $10,000-$49,999 for serving as a Consultant for Sanofi. Dr. Singer has received personal compensation in the range of $50,000-$99,999 for serving as a Consultant for TG Therapeutics. Dr. Singer has received personal compensation in the range of $500-$4,999 for serving as a Consultant for Amgen. Dr. Singer has received personal compensation in the range of $10,000-$49,999 for serving on a Speakers Bureau for Alexion. Dr. Singer has received personal compensation in the range of $10,000-$49,999 for serving on a Speakers Bureau for Biogen. Dr. Singer has received personal compensation in the range of $10,000-$49,999 for serving on a Speakers Bureau for Bristol Myers Squibb (Celgene). Dr. Singer has received personal compensation in the range of $50,000-$99,999 for serving on a Speakers Bureau for EMD Serono. Dr. Singer has received personal compensation in the range of $10,000-$49,999 for serving on a Speakers Bureau for Genentech. Dr. Singer has received personal compensation in the range of $50,000-$99,999 for serving on a Speakers Bureau for Novartis. Dr. Singer has received personal compensation in the range of $500-$4,999 for serving on a Speakers Bureau for Sanofi. Dr. Singer has received personal compensation in the range of $10,000-$49,999 for serving on a Speakers Bureau for Vanda. An immediate family member of Dr. Singer has received personal compensation in the range of $50,000-$99,999 for serving on a Speakers Bureau for TG Therapeutics. The institution of Dr. Singer has received research support from Novartis. The institution of Dr. Singer has received research support from Sanofi. The institution of Dr. Singer has received research support from TG Therapeutics. The institution of Dr. Singer has received research support from Bristol Myers Squibb.
Anjan Chatterjee, MD, FAAN (Univ of Pennsylvania Med Ctr/Dept of Neuro)	The institution of Dr. Chatterjee has received research support from Templeton Religion Trust. The institution of Dr. Chatterjee has received research support from Henry Jackson Foundation.
	No disclosure on file
	No disclosure on file
Efrain D. Salgado, MD (Cleveland Clinic Florida)	Dr. Salgado has nothing to disclose.
Roy H. Hamilton, MD, MS, FANA, FAAN	Dr. Hamilton has received personal compensation in the range of $500-$4,999 for serving on a Scientific Advisory or Data Safety Monitoring board for Highland Instruments. Dr. Hamilton has received personal compensation in the range of $0-$499 for serving on a Scientific Advisory or Data Safety Monitoring board for Cognito Therapeutics. Dr. Hamilton has received personal compensation in the range of $10,000-$49,999 for serving as an officer or member of the Board of Directors for McKnight Brain Research Foundation. The institution of Dr. Hamilton has received research support from NIH. The institution of Dr. Hamilton has received research support from Department of Defense. The institution of Dr. Hamilton has received research support from Chan Zuckerberg Initiative.

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