Niclo Francesco Bernardi, PhD
Post Doctoral Fellow
M.Sc. Psychology, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milano
Ph.D. Psychology, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milano
Tel.: +1-514-398-6111
Email: bernardi.nf@gmail.com
Linkedin: Nicolò Bernardi
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Journal
Articles
Sidarta A, Vahdat S, Bernardi NF, Ostry DJ (2016) Somatic and reinforcement-based plasticity in the initial
stages of human motor learning. J Neurosci. 36:11682-11692.
Abstract PDF
As one learns to dance or play tennis, the desired somatosensory state is typically unknown. Trial and error is important as motor
behavior is shaped by successful and unsuccessful movements. As an experimental model, we designed a task in which human participants
make reaching movements to a hidden target and receive positive reinforcement when successful. We identified somatic and
reinforcement-based sources of plasticity on the basis of changes in functional connectivity using resting-state fMRI before and after
learning. The neuroimaging data revealed reinforcement-related changes in both motor and somatosensory brain areas in which a
strengthening of connectivity was related to the amount of positive reinforcement during learning. Areas of prefrontal cortex were
similarly altered in relation to reinforcement, with connectivity between sensorimotor areas of putamen and the reward-related ventromedial
prefrontal cortex strengthened in relation to the amount of successful feedback received. In other analyses, we assessed connectivity
related to changes in movement direction between trials, a type of variability that presumably reflects exploratory strategies during
learning. We found that connectivity in a network linking motor and somatosensory cortices increased with trial-to-trial changes in
direction. Connectivity varied as well with the change in movement direction following incorrect movements. Here the changes were
observed in a somatic memory and decision making network involving ventrolateral prefrontal cortex and second somatosensory cortex.
Our results point to the idea that the initial stages of motor learning are not wholly motor but rather involve plasticity in somatic and
prefrontal networks related both to reward and exploration.
Bernardi NF, Darainy M, Ostry DJ (2015) Somatosensory contribution to the early stages of motor skill learning. Journal of Neuroscience (in press).
Abstract Article in PDF format
Rinaldi L, Lega C, Cattaneo Z, Girelli L, Bernardi NF (2015) Grasping the sound: Auditory pitch influences size processing in motor planning. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance. [Epub ahead of print]
Abstract
Growing evidence shows that individuals consistently match auditory pitch with visual size. For instance,
high-pitched sounds are perceptually associated with smaller visual stimuli, whereas low-pitched sounds
with larger ones. The present study explores whether this crossmodal correspondence, reported so far for
perceptual processing, also modulates motor planning. To address this issue, we carried out a series of
kinematic experiments to verify whether actions implying size processing are affected by auditory pitch.
Experiment 1 showed that grasping movements toward small/large objects were initiated faster in
response to high/low pitches, respectively, thus extending previous findings in the literature to more
complex motor behavior. Importantly, auditory pitch influenced the relative scaling of the hand preshaping,
with high pitches associated with smaller grip aperture compared with low pitches. Notably, no
effect of auditory pitch was found in case of pointing movements (no grasp implied, Experiment 2), as
well as when auditory pitch was irrelevant to the programming of the grip aperture, that is, in case of
grasping an object of uniform size (Experiment 3). Finally, auditory pitch influenced also symbolic
manual gestures expressing "small" and "large" concepts (Experiment 4). In sum, our results are novel
in revealing the impact of auditory pitch on motor planning when size processing is required, and shed
light on the role of auditory information in driving actions.
Bernardi NF, Cioffi MC, Ronchi R, Maravita A, Bricolo E, Zigiotto L, Perucca L, Vallar G (2015) Improving left spatial neglect through music-scale playing. Journal of Neuropsychology. [Epub ahead of print]
Abstract Article in PDF format
The study assessed whether the auditory reference provided by a music scale could
improve spatial exploration of a standard musical instrument keyboard in right-braindamaged
patients with left spatial neglect. As performing music scales involves the
production of predictable successive pitches, the expectation of the subsequent note may
facilitate patients to explore a larger extension of space in the left affected side, during the
production of music scales from right to left. Eleven right-brain-damaged stroke patients
with left spatial neglect, 12 patients without neglect, and 12 age-matched healthy
participants played descending scales on a music keyboard. In a counterbalanced design,
the participants' exploratory performance was assessed while producing scales in three
feedback conditions: With congruent sound, no-sound, or random sound feedback
provided by the keyboard. The number of keys played and the timing of key press were
recorded. Spatial exploration by patients with left neglect was superior with congruent
sound feedback, compared to both Silence and Random sound conditions. Both the
congruent and incongruent sound conditions were associated with a greater deceleration
in all groups. The frame provided by the music scale improves exploration of the left side
of space, contralateral to the right hemisphere, damaged in patients with left neglect.
Performing a scale with congruent sounds may trigger at some extent preserved auditory
and spatial multisensory representations of successive sounds, thus influencing the time
course of space scanning, and ultimately resulting in a more extensive spatial exploration.
These findings offer new perspectives also for the rehabilitation of the disorder.
Codrons E*, Bernardi NF, Vandoni M, Bernardi L (2014) Spontaneous group synchronization of movements and respiratory rhythms. PLoS One 9: e107538 (*equal contribution).
Abstract Article in PDF format
We tested whether pre-assigned arm movements performed in a group setting spontaneously synchronized and whether
synchronization extended to heart and respiratory rhythms. We monitored arm movements, respiration and
electrocardiogram at rest and during spontaneous, music and metronome-associated arm-swinging. No directions were
given on whether or how the arm swinging were to be synchronized between participants or with the external cues.
Synchronization within 3 groups of 10 participants studied collectively was compared with pseudo-synchronization of 3
groups of 10 participants that underwent an identical protocol but in an individual setting. Motor synchronization was
found to be higher in the collective groups than in the individuals for the metronome-associated condition. On a repetition
of the protocol on the following day, motor synchronization in the collective groups extended to the spontaneous, un-cued
condition. Breathing was also more synchronized in the collective groups than in the individuals, particularly at rest and in
the music-associated condition. Group synchronization occurs without explicit instructions, and involves both movements
and respiratory control rhythms.
Bodak R, Malhotra P, Bernardi NF, Cocchini G, Stewart L (2014) Reducing chronic visuo-spatial neglect following right hemisphere stroke through instrument playing. Frontiers of Human Neuroscience 8:413.
Abstract Article in PDF format
Unilateral visuo-spatial neglect is a neuropsychological syndrome commonly resulting from
right hemisphere stroke at the temporo-parietal junction of the infero-posterior parietal cortex.
Neglect is characterized by reduced awareness of stimuli presented on patients' contralesional side
of space. Inspired by evidence of increased spatial exploration of patients' left side achieved
during keyboard scale-playing, the current study employed a musical intervention that involved
making sequential goal-directed actions in the neglected part of space, in order to determine
whether this would bring about clinically significant improvement in chronic neglect. Two left
neglect patients completed an intervention com- prising four weekly 30-min music intervention
sessions involving playing scales and familiar melodies on chime bars from right to left. Two
cancellation tests [Mesulam shape, Behav- ioral Inattention Test (BIT) star], the neglect subtest
from the computerized TAP (Test of Attentional Performance) battery, and the line bisection test
were administered three times during a preliminary baseline phase, before and after the four
intervention sessions dur- ing the intervention phase to investigate short-term effects, and 1 week
after the last intervention session to investigate whether any changes in performance would
persist. Both patients demonstrated significant short-term and longer-lasting improvements on the
Mesulam shape cancellation test. One patient also showed longer-lasting effects on the BIT star
cancellation test and scored in the normal range 1 week after the intervention. These findings
provide preliminary evidence that active music-making with a horizontally
aligned instrument may help neglect patients attend more to their affected side.
Bernardi NF, De Buglio M, Trimarchi D, Chielli A, Bricolo E (2013). Mental practice promotes motor anticipation: evidence from skilled music performance. Frontiers of Human Neuroscience 7:451.
Abstract Article in PDF format
Mental practice (MP) has been shown to improve movement accuracy and velocity, but
it is not known whether MP can also optimize movement timing. We addressed this question by
studying two groups of expert pianists who performed challenging music sequences after either MP or
physical practice (PP). Performance and motion-capture data were collected along with responses to
imagery questionnaires. The results showed that MP produced performance improvements, although to a
lower degree than PP did. MP and PP induced changes in both movement velocity and movement timing,
promoting the emergence of movement anticipatory patterns. Furthermore, motor imagery was
associated with greater changes in movement velocity, while auditory imagery was associated with
greater movement anticipation. Data from a control group that was not allowed to practice confirmed
that the changes in accuracy and kinematics were not due to mere repetition of the sequence during
testing. This study provides the first evidence of an anticipatory control following MP and extends
the present knowledge on the effectiveness of MP to a task of unparalleled motor complexity. The
practical implications of MP in the
motor domain are discussed.
Bernardi NF, Darainy M, Bricolo E, Ostry DJ (2013) Observing motor learning produces somatosensory change. J Neurophysiol 110: 1804-1810.
Abstract Article in PDF format
Observing the actions of others has been shown to affect motor
learning, but does it have effects on sensory systems as well? It has
been recently shown that motor learning that involves actual physical
practice is also associated with plasticity in the somatosensory system.
Here, we assessed the idea that observational learning likewise
changes somatosensory function. We evaluated changes in somatosensory
function after human subjects watched videos depicting motor
learning. Subjects first observed video recordings of reaching movements
either in a clockwise or counterclockwise force field. They were
then trained in an actual force-field task that involved a counterclockwise
load. Measures of somatosensory function were obtained before
and after visual observation and also following force-field learning.
Consistent with previous reports, video observation promoted motor
learning. We also found that somatosensory function was altered
following observational learning, both in direction and in magnitude,
in a manner similar to that which occurs when motor learning is
achieved through actual physical practice. Observation of the same
sequence of movements in a randomized order did not result in
somatosensory perceptual change. Observational learning and real
physical practice appear to tap into the same capacity for sensory
change in that subjects that showed a greater change following observational
learning showed a reliably smaller change following physical
motor learning. We conclude that effects of observing motor
learning extend beyond the boundaries of traditional motor circuits, to
include somatosensory representations.
Bernardi NF, Marino B, Maravita A, Castelnuovo G, Tebano R, Bricolo E (2013) Grasping in wonderland: The effects of a modified vision of hand size on the kinematics of grasping. Experimental brain research
Abstract Article in PDF format
Can viewing our own body modified in size reshape the bodily representation employed for interacting with the environment? This question was addressed here by exposing participants to either an enlarged, a shrunken, or an unmodified view of their own hand in a reach-to-grasp task toward a target of fixed dimensions. When presented with a visually larger hand, participants modified the kinematics of their grasping movement by reducing maximum grip aperture. This adjustment was carried over even when the hand was rendered invisible in subsequent trials, suggesting a stable modification of the bodily representation employed for the action. The effect was specific for the size of the grip aperture, leaving the other features of the reach-to-grasp movement unaffected. Reducing the visual size of the hand did not induce the opposite effect, although individual differences were found, which possibly depended on the degree of subject’s reliance on visual input. A control experiment suggested that the effect exerted by the vision of the enlarged hand could not be merely explained by simple global visual rescaling. Overall, our results suggest that visual information pertaining to the size of the body is accessed by the body schema and is prioritized over the proprioceptive input for motor control.
Bernardi NF, Schories A, Jabusch H-C, Colombo B, Altenmüller E (2013) Mental practice in music memorization: an ecological-empirical study. Music perception 30: 275-290.
Abstract Article in PDF format
Background—Reactions to music are considered subjective, but previous studies suggested that cardiorespiratory variables increase with faster tempo independent of individual preference. We tested whether compositions characterized by variable emphasis could produce parallel instantaneous cardiovascular/respiratory responses and whether these changes mirrored music profiles. Methods and Results—Twenty-four young healthy subjects, 12 musicians (choristers) and 12 nonmusician control subjects, listened (in random order) to music with vocal (Puccini’s “Turandot”) or orchestral (Beethoven’s 9th Symphony adagio) progressive crescendos, more uniform emphasis (Bach cantata), 10-second period (ie, similar to Mayer waves) rhythmic phrases (Giuseppe Verdi’s arias “Va pensiero” and “Libiam nei lieti calici”), or silence while heart rate, respiration, blood pressures, middle cerebral artery flow velocity, and skin vasomotion were recorded. Common responses were recognized by averaging instantaneous cardiorespiratory responses regressed against changes in music profiles and by coherence analysis during rhythmic phrases. Vocal and orchestral crescendos produced significant (P 0.05 or better) correlations between cardiovascular or respiratory signals and music profile, particularly skin vasoconstriction and blood pressures, proportional to crescendo, in contrast to uniform emphasis, which induced skin vasodilation and reduction in blood pressures. Correlations were significant both in individual and group-averaged signals. Phrases at 10-second periods by Verdi entrained the cardiovascular autonomic variables. No qualitative differences in recorded measurements were seen between musicians and nonmusicians. Conclusions—Music emphasis and rhythmic phrases are tracked consistently by physiological variables. Autonomic responses are synchronized with music, which might therefore convey emotions through autonomic arousal during crescendos or rhythmic phrases.
Innocenti A, De Stefani E, Bernardi NF, Campione GC, Gentilucci M (2012) Gaze direction and request gesture in social interactions. PLoS one 7: e36390.
Abstract Article in PDF format
The present study aims to systematically describe mental practice (MP) in music memorization,
with regard to individual differences in the use of different MP strategies and their performance outcomes. Sixteen pianists were studied while they memorized piano pieces. Each subject memorized two pieces, either via MP or physical practice (PP). In order to keep the setting as ecologically valid as possible within the experimental setup, we allowed subjects to freely apply their preferred MP strategies with the exception of physically playing a real piano. Practice and performances were video documented and expert rated; practice strategies were reported in researcher-developed questionnaires. The use of MP alone led to successful music learning. MP combined with PP produced results that were indistinguishable from those following PP alone. Pitch imagery and structural analysis were associated with better post-MP performance. Results are discussed in the frame of expert memory theory (Chase & Simon,
1973; Chaffin, Logan, & Begosh, 2009) and practical implications for musicians are provided.
De Stefani E, Innocenti A, Bernardi NF, Campione GC, Gentilucci M (2012) The bottle and the glass say to me: “Pour!”. Experimental brain research 218: 539-549.
Abstract Article in PDF format
One of the most important faculties of humans is to understand the behaviour of other conspecifics. The present study aimed at determining whether, in a social context, request gesture and gaze direction of an individual are enough to infer his/her intention to communicate, by searching for their effects on the kinematics of another individual’s arm action. In four experiments participants reached, grasped and lifted a bottle filled of orange juice in presence of an empty glass. In experiment 1, the further presence of a conspecific not producing any request with a hand and gaze did not modify the kinematics of the sequence. Conversely, experiments 2 and 3 showed that the presence of a conspecific producing only a request of pouring by holding the glass with his/her right hand, or only a request of comunicating with the conspecific, by using his/her gaze, affected lifting and grasping of the sequence, respectively. Experiment 4 showed that hand gesture and eye contact simultaneously produced affected the entire sequence. The results suggest that the presence of both request gesture and direct gaze produced by an individual changes the control of a motor sequence executed by another individual. We propose that a social request activates a social affordance that interferes with the control of whatever sequence and that the gaze of the potential receiver who held the glass with her hand modulates the effectiveness of the manual gesture. This paradigm if applied to individuals affected by autism disorder can give new insight on the nature of their impairment in social interaction and communication.
Bernardi NF, Aggujaro S, Caimmi M, Molteni F, Maravita A, Luzzatti C (2009) A new approach to studying rhythm cueing of cognitive functions: The case of ideomotor-apraxia. Annals of the New York Academy of Science 1169: 417-421.
Abstract Article in PDF format
The present study aimed at determining whether the observation of two functionally compatible artefacts, that is which potentially concur in achieving a specific function, automatically activates a motor programme of interaction between the two objects. To this purpose, an interference paradigm was used during which an artefact (a bottle filled with orange juice), target of a reaching-grasping and lifting sequence, was presented alone or with a non-target object (distractor) of the same or different semantic category and functionally compatible or not. In experiment 1, the bottle was presented alone or with an artefact (a sphere), or a natural (an apple) distractor. In experiment 2, the bottle was presented with either the apple or a glass (an artefact) filled with orange juice, whereas in experiment 3, either an empty or a filled glass was presented. In the control experiment 4, we compared the kinematics of reaching-grasping and pouring with those of reaching-grasping and lifting. The kinematics of reach, grasp and lift was affected by distractor presentation. However, no difference was observed between two distractors that belonged to different semantic categories. In contrast, the presence of the empty rather filled glass affected the kinematics of the actual grasp. This suggests that an actually functional compatibility between target (the bottle) and distractor (the empty glass) was necessary to activate automatically a programme of interaction (i.e. pouring) between the two artefacts. This programme affected the programme actually executed (i.e. lifting). The results of the present study indicate that, in addition to affordances related to intrinsic object properties, ‘‘working affordances’’ related to a specific use of an artefact with another object can be activated on the basis of functional compatibility.
Bernardi L, Porta C, Casucci G, Balsamo R, Bernardi NF, Fogari R, Sleight P (2009) Dynamic interactions between musical, cardiovascular, and cerebral rhythms in humans. Circulation 119: 3171-3180.
Abstract Article in PDF format
Although positive effects of rhythm cueing on motor control in neurologic disorders
are known, no studies have yet focused on patients suffering from impaired programming
of complex actions. One patient suffering from ideomotor apraxia (a potentially
ideal experimental paradigm to test the effect of rhythm on high-level motor control)
underwent two rehabilitation training sets differing only for the presence or absence
of rhythm cueing. Both sets of training increased the patient’s proficiency, but rhythm
cueing was significantly more effective, during the training as well as during the posttraining
uncued test. Ideomotor apraxia represents an effectivemodel to test the effects
of rhythm on high-level motor control.
Conference
presentations / published abstracts
Bernardi NF, Bordino M, Bernardi L. Disentangling the role of breathing in the cardiovascular response to meditation. PsychoNeuroImmunology Research Society Annual Meeting, Seattle, 3-6 June 2015.
Bernardi NF, Darainy M, Ostry DJ. The contribution of somatosensory perceptual learning to human motor skill acquisition. Society for Neuroscience, Washington DC, 15-19 November 2014.
Bernardi NF*, Codrons E*, Vandoni M, Bernardi L. Spontaneous group synchronization: From simple movements to the respiratory and cardiac rhythms. Society for Neuroscience, San Diego, 9-13 Nov 2013 (*equal contribution).
Bernardi NF, Zhao J, Dobkin PL. Exploring the relationship between subjective ratings of mindfulness practices and outcomes in patients participating in an MBSR program. First International Congress on Whole Person Care, Montréal, 17-20 Oct 2013.
Bernardi NF, Darainy M, Bricolo E, Ostry DJ. Motor learning by observing promotes sensory plasticity. Society for Neuroscience, New Orleans, 13-17 Oct 2012.
Bernardi NF, Sala L, Trimarchi D, De Buglio M, Chielli A, Bricolo E. Mental Practice enhance fine motor control in music performance. The Neurosciences and music – IV, “Learning and Memory”, University of Edinburgh, 8-12 Jun 2011.
Bernardi NF, Trimarchi D, Sala L, De Buglio M, Maravita A, Bricolo E. Effects of mental practice on motor performance: when the mind shapes the body. Mozart & Science, University of Krems, 4-6 Nov 2010.
Bernardi NF, Schories A, Jabusch HC, Colombo B, Altenmüller E. mental practice in music memorization: an ecological-empirical study. Seventh Triennial Conference of European Society for the Cognitive Sciences of Music, University of Jyvaskyla, 12-16 Aug 2009.
Bernardi NF, Aggujaro S, Molteni F, Maravita A, Luzzatti C. A new approach to studying rhythm cueing of cognitive functions: The case of ideomotor-apraxia. The Neurosciences and music – III, “Disorders and plasticity”, McGill University, Montreal, 26-28 Jun 2008.