Lower-level associations in Gilles de la Tourette syndrome: Convergence between hyperbinding of stimulus and response features and procedural hyperfunctioning theories

Research output: Contribution to journalReview articleContributedpeer-review

Contributors

Abstract

Gilles de la Tourette syndrome (GTS) can be characterized by enhanced cognitive functions related to creating, modifying and maintaining connections between stimuli and responses (S-R links). Specifically, two areas, procedural sequence learning and, as a novel finding, also event file binding, show converging evidence of hyperfunctioning in GTS. In this review, we describe how these two enhanced functions can be considered as cognitive mechanisms behind habitual behaviour, such as tics in GTS. Moreover, the presence of both procedural sequence learning and event file binding hyperfunctioning in the same disorder can be treated as evidence for their functional connections, even beyond GTS. Importantly though, we argue that hyperfunctioning of event file binding and procedural learning are not interchangeable: they have different time scales, different sensitivities to potential impairment in action sequencing and distinguishable contributions to the cognitive profile of GTS. An integrated theoretical account of hyperbinding and hyperlearning in GTS allows to formulate predictions for the emergence, activation and long-term persistence of tics in GTS.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)5143-5160
Number of pages18
JournalEuropean journal of neuroscience
Volume54
Issue number3
Publication statusPublished - Aug 2021
Peer-reviewedYes

External IDs

PubMed 34155701
ORCID /0000-0002-2989-9561/work/160952384

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Keywords

  • Gilles de la Tourette syndrome, habits, procedural memory, sequence learning, theory of event coding