N1m and ASSR source strength ratios.

<p>Normalized N1m and auditory steady-state response (ASSR) changes relative to baseline at three time points after training completion for the patient group characterized by tinnitus frequencies ≤8 kHz. White bars represent N1m source strength, black bars represent ASSR source strength. Asterisks denote significant changes, the error bars denote standard errors of the mean. Positive values indicate increment, and negative values indicate decrement. Please note that for the patient group characterized by tinnitus frequencies >8 kHz auditory evoked fields are not available due to technical limitations of the MEG sound delivery system (limit  = 8 kHz).</p

Patient characteristics and baseline values of outcome measures broken by patient group.

<p>Patient characteristics and baseline values of outcome measures broken by patient group.</p

Tinnitus-related distress ratios.

<p>Normalized tinnitus-related distress changes relative to baseline at four time points after training completion for both patient groups (arrangement according to <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0024685#pone-0024685-g001" target="_blank">Figure 1</a>).</p

Statistical t- (df = 9) and (unilateral) p-values of the calculated planned comparisons broken by patient group and as functions of outcome measure and time point.

<p>^a Tailor-made notched music training.</p><p>*Significant; false discovery rate controlled at 5 %. ¹ Not measured. ² Not analyzable.</p

Image_1_Effects of age and sex on outcomes of the Q-Motor speeded finger tapping and grasping and lifting tests-findings from the population-based BiDirect Study.pdf

BackgroundQ-Motor is a suite of motor tests originally designed to assess motor symptoms in Huntington's disease. Among others, Q-Motor encompasses a finger tapping task and a grasping and lifting task. To date, there are no systematic investigations regarding effects of variables which may affect the performance in specific Q-Motor tests per se, and normative Q-Motor data based on a large population-based sample are not yet available.ObjectiveWe investigated effects of age and sex on five selected Q-Motor outcomes representing the two core Q-Motor tasks speeded finger tapping and grasping and lifting in a community sample of middle-aged to elderly adults. Furthermore, we explored effects of the potentially mediating variables educational attainment, alcohol consumption, smoking status, and depressive symptoms. Moreover, we explored inter-examiner variability. Finally, we compared the findings to findings for the Purdue Pegboard test.MethodsBased on a sample of 726 community-dwelling adults and using multiple (Gaussian) regression analysis, we modeled the motor outcomes using age, sex, years in full-time education, depressive symptoms in the past seven days, alcohol consumption in the past seven days, and smoking status as explanatory variables.ResultsWith regard to the Q-Motor tests, we found that more advanced age was associated with reduced tapping speed, male sex was associated with increased tapping speed and less irregularity, female sex was associated with less involuntary movement, more years of education were associated with increased tapping speed and less involuntary movement, never smoking was associated with less involuntary movement compared to current smoking, and more alcohol consumed was associated with more involuntary movement.ConclusionThe present results show specific effects of age and sex on Q-Motor finger tapping and grasping and lifting performance. In addition, besides effects of education, there also were specific effects of smoking status and alcohol consumption. Importantly, the present study provides normative Q-Motor data based on a large population-based sample. Overall, the results are in favor of the feasibility and validity of Q-Motor finger tapping and grasping and lifting for large observational studies. Due to their low task-complexity and lack of placebo effects, Q-Motor tests may generate additional value in particular with regard to clinical conditions such as Huntington's or Parkinson's disease.</p

Individual source wave forms of the N1m responses.

<p>The x-axis shows the time in ms related to stimulus onset. On the y-axis source strength in nAm is denoted. Upper panel: source wave forms to tone trains presented in silence in the constant condition (black line) and in the random condition (red line). Bottom: source wave forms to tone trains presented in noise (color coding same as in the upper panel).</p

Normalized N1m source strength.

<p>The graphs display the group means (N = 13) of the normalized N1m source strengths for each band-eliminated noise (BEN) condition during distracted (left panel) and focused (right panel) listening. Open and filled circles represent the exposed and control groups with the error bars denoting the 95% confidence limits.</p

Mean (±SD) reaction time (sec) for each band-eliminated noise (BEN) condition.

<p>Mean (±SD) reaction time (sec) for each band-eliminated noise (BEN) condition.</p

Individual auditory evoked field data.

<p>Top: response averaged across all stimuli presented in the first run; an articulate N1m peak is discernible. The green area indicates the 10 ms time range around the latency of highest RMS field amplitude of all sensors. This time range was taken for source reconstruction. Bottom: the magnetic flux at 130 ms, the point of highest RMS field amplitude demonstrates clear dipolar field distribution.</p

Mean (±SD) error rate (%) for each band-eliminated noise (BEN) condition.

<p>Mean (±SD) error rate (%) for each band-eliminated noise (BEN) condition.</p