Temporal and Spectral Properties of the Auditory Mismatch Negativity and P3a Responses in Schizophrenia.

The mismatch negativity (MMN) event-related potential (ERP) indexes relatively automatic detection of changes in sensory stimuli and is typically attenuated in individuals with schizophrenia. However, contributions of different frequencies of electroencephalographic (EEG) activity to the MMN and the later P3a attentional orienting response in schizophrenia are poorly understood and were the focus of the present study. Participants with a schizophrenia-spectrum disorder ( = 85) and non-psychiatric control participants ( = 74) completed a passive auditory oddball task containing 10% 50 ms "deviant" tones and 90% 100 ms "standard" tones.

Polarity- and Intensity-Independent Modulation of Timing During Delay Eyeblink Conditioning Using Cerebellar Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation.

Delay eyeblink conditioning (dEBC) is widely used to assess cerebellar-dependent associative motor learning, including precise timing processes. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), noninvasive brain stimulation used to indirectly excite and inhibit select brain regions, may be a promising tool for understanding how functional integrity of the cerebellum influences dEBC behavior. The aim of this study was to assess whether tDCS-induced inhibition (cathodal) and excitation (anodal) of the cerebellum differentially impact timing of dEBC.