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Mark JA, Curtin A, Kraft AE, Ziegler MD, Ayaz H. Mental workload assessment by monitoring brain, heart, and eye with six biomedical modalities during six cognitive tasks. FRONTIERS IN NEUROERGONOMICS 2024; 5:1345507. [PMID: 38533517 PMCID: PMC10963413 DOI: 10.3389/fnrgo.2024.1345507] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2023] [Accepted: 02/15/2024] [Indexed: 03/28/2024]
Abstract
Introduction The efficiency and safety of complex high precision human-machine systems such as in aerospace and robotic surgery are closely related to the cognitive readiness, ability to manage workload, and situational awareness of their operators. Accurate assessment of mental workload could help in preventing operator error and allow for pertinent intervention by predicting performance declines that can arise from either work overload or under stimulation. Neuroergonomic approaches based on measures of human body and brain activity collectively can provide sensitive and reliable assessment of human mental workload in complex training and work environments. Methods In this study, we developed a new six-cognitive-domain task protocol, coupling it with six biomedical monitoring modalities to concurrently capture performance and cognitive workload correlates across a longitudinal multi-day investigation. Utilizing two distinct modalities for each aspect of cardiac activity (ECG and PPG), ocular activity (EOG and eye-tracking), and brain activity (EEG and fNIRS), 23 participants engaged in four sessions over 4 weeks, performing tasks associated with working memory, vigilance, risk assessment, shifting attention, situation awareness, and inhibitory control. Results The results revealed varying levels of sensitivity to workload within each modality. While certain measures exhibited consistency across tasks, neuroimaging modalities, in particular, unveiled meaningful differences between task conditions and cognitive domains. Discussion This is the first comprehensive comparison of these six brain-body measures across multiple days and cognitive domains. The findings underscore the potential of wearable brain and body sensing methods for evaluating mental workload. Such comprehensive neuroergonomic assessment can inform development of next generation neuroadaptive interfaces and training approaches for more efficient human-machine interaction and operator skill acquisition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesse A. Mark
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Science, and Health Systems, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Adrian Curtin
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Science, and Health Systems, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Amanda E. Kraft
- Advanced Technology Laboratories, Lockheed Martin, Arlington, VA, United States
| | - Matthias D. Ziegler
- Advanced Technology Laboratories, Lockheed Martin, Arlington, VA, United States
| | - Hasan Ayaz
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Science, and Health Systems, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
- Drexel Solutions Institute, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
- A. J. Drexel Autism Institute, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
- Department of Family and Community Health, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
- Center for Injury Research and Prevention, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, United States
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Lyu H, Zhao M, Xu P, Li Y, Jiang C, Zhao H, Shen W, Hu X, Wang K, Xu Y, Huang M. Gender differences in brain region activation during verbal fluency task as detected by fNIRS in patients with depression. World J Biol Psychiatry 2024; 25:141-150. [PMID: 37998167 DOI: 10.1080/15622975.2023.2287735] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2023] [Accepted: 11/21/2023] [Indexed: 11/25/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Gender plays a role in the mechanisms of depression, but fewer studies have focused on gender differences in the abnormal activation of brain regions when patients perform specific cognitive tasks. METHODS A total of 110 major depressive disorder (MDD) patients and 106 healthy controls were recruited. The relative change in oxygen-haemoglobin (oxy-Hb) concentration during the verbal fluency task were measured by a 52-channel near-infra-red spectroscopy (NIRS) system. Differences in brain region activation between patients and healthy controls and between genders of depression patients were compared. RESULTS MDD patients demonstrated significantly decreased [oxy-Hb] changes in the right inferior frontal gyrus (p = 0.043) compared to healthy controls. A marked increase in leftward functional language lateralisation in the inferior frontal gyrus was observed in the MDD group in contrast to the HC group (p = 0.039). Furthermore, female patients in the MDD group exhibited significant reductions in [oxy-Hb] changes in the right frontal region (specifically, the superior and middle frontal gyrus; p = 0.037) compared with male patients. CONCLUSIONS Gender impacts depression-related brain activation during cognitive tasks, potentially influencing depression's pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hailong Lyu
- Department of Psychiatry, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Key Laboratory of Mental Disorder's Management of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China
- Brain Research Institute of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Zhejiang Engineering Center for Mathematical Mental Health, Hangzhou, China
| | - Miaomiao Zhao
- Department of Psychiatry, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Key Laboratory of Mental Disorder's Management of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China
- Brain Research Institute of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Zhejiang Engineering Center for Mathematical Mental Health, Hangzhou, China
| | - Pengfeng Xu
- Department of Psychiatry, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Key Laboratory of Mental Disorder's Management of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China
- Brain Research Institute of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Zhejiang Engineering Center for Mathematical Mental Health, Hangzhou, China
| | - Ying Li
- Department of Psychiatry, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Key Laboratory of Mental Disorder's Management of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China
- Brain Research Institute of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Zhejiang Engineering Center for Mathematical Mental Health, Hangzhou, China
| | - Chaonan Jiang
- Department of Psychiatry, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Key Laboratory of Mental Disorder's Management of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China
- Brain Research Institute of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Zhejiang Engineering Center for Mathematical Mental Health, Hangzhou, China
| | - Haoyang Zhao
- Department of Psychiatry, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Key Laboratory of Mental Disorder's Management of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China
- Brain Research Institute of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Zhejiang Engineering Center for Mathematical Mental Health, Hangzhou, China
| | - Wenjing Shen
- Department of Psychiatry, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Key Laboratory of Mental Disorder's Management of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China
- Department of Psychiatry, The Second People's Hospital of Lishui, Lishui, China
| | - Xiaohan Hu
- Department of Psychiatry, Wen Zhou seventh People's Hospital, Wenzhou, China
| | - Kaiqi Wang
- Department of Psychiatry, Ningbo Psychiatric Hospital, Ningbo, China
| | - Yi Xu
- Department of Psychiatry, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Key Laboratory of Mental Disorder's Management of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China
- Brain Research Institute of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Zhejiang Engineering Center for Mathematical Mental Health, Hangzhou, China
| | - Manli Huang
- Department of Psychiatry, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Key Laboratory of Mental Disorder's Management of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China
- Brain Research Institute of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Zhejiang Engineering Center for Mathematical Mental Health, Hangzhou, China
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Vijayapriya CV, Tamarana R. Effectiveness of dialectical behavior therapy as a transdiagnostic treatment for improving cognitive functions: a systematic review. RESEARCH IN PSYCHOTHERAPY (MILANO) 2023; 26:662. [PMID: 37401476 PMCID: PMC10481423 DOI: 10.4081/ripppo.2023.662] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2022] [Accepted: 05/14/2023] [Indexed: 07/05/2023]
Abstract
Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) has been found to be an efficacious treatment for disorders characterized by high levels of emotional instability. In view of the multifaceted applications of DBT and the extent to which mental disorders can incapacitate cognitive functions, the current systematic review aimed to investigate the effect of DBT in strengthening cognitive functions across various mental health conditions. Original research studies employing both experimental and quasi-experimental designs were included in the review. The literature search was done using different electronic databases, from the first available literature until June 2022, that covered an approximate period of ten years. Joanna Briggs Institute checklist was used to assess the methodological rigor of the studies. Twelve studies conducted on adolescents with emotional dysregulation, and adults with borderline personality disorder, bipolar disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and multiple sclerosis were selected. Results indicate that DBT has the potential to improve key cognitive functions such as attention, memory, fluency, response inhibition, planning, set shifting, tolerance for delayed rewards and time perception, as assessed by neuropsychological tests, self-report of cognitive functions, and neuroimaging techniques. Considering the review's findings that showcase the effectiveness of DBT in fostering improvements in cognitive functions, DBT may possibly be chosen as a preferred treatment to ensure that patients reach optimal levels of cognitive functioning. Limitations include lack of sufficient studies encompassing all the common mental health conditions, usage of neuroimaging techniques as only an indirect measure of cognitive functioning and nuances related to the quality of individual studies.
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Yang S, Enkhzaya G, Zhu BH, Chen J, Wang ZJ, Kim ES, Kim NY. High-Definition Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation in the Right Ventrolateral Prefrontal Cortex Lengthens Sustained Attention in Virtual Reality. Bioengineering (Basel) 2023; 10:721. [PMID: 37370652 DOI: 10.3390/bioengineering10060721] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2023] [Revised: 05/31/2023] [Accepted: 06/06/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Due to the current limitations of three-dimensional (3D) simulation graphics technology, mind wandering commonly occurs in virtual reality tasks, which has impeded it being applied more extensively. The right ventrolateral prefrontal cortex (rVLPFC) plays a vital role in executing continuous two-dimensional (2D) mental paradigms, and transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) over this cortical region has been shown to successfully modulate sustained 2D attention. Accordingly, we further explored the effects of electrical activation of the rVLPFC on 3D attentional tasks using anodal high-definition (HD)-tDCS. A 3D Go/No-go (GNG) task was developed to compare the after effects of real and sham brain stimulation. Specifically, GNG tasks were periodically interrupted to assess the subjective perception of attentional level, behavioral reactions were tracked and decomposed into an underlying decision cognition process, and electroencephalography data were recorded to calculate event-related potentials (ERPs) in rVLPFC. The p-values statistically indicated that HD-tDCS improved the subjective mentality, led to more cautious decisions, and enhanced neuronal discharging in rVLPFC. Additionally, the neurophysiological P300 ERP component and stimulation being active or sham could effectively predict several objective outcomes. These findings indicate that the comprehensive approach including brain stimulation, 3D mental paradigm, and cross-examined performance could significantly lengthen and robustly compare sustained 3D attention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shan Yang
- RFIC Center, Department of Electronic Engineering, Kwangwoon University, Nonwon-gu, Seoul 01897, Republic of Korea
- NDAC Center, Department of Electronic Engineering, Kwangwoon University, Nonwon-gu, Seoul 01897, Republic of Korea
| | - Ganbold Enkhzaya
- RFIC Center, Department of Electronic Engineering, Kwangwoon University, Nonwon-gu, Seoul 01897, Republic of Korea
- NDAC Center, Department of Electronic Engineering, Kwangwoon University, Nonwon-gu, Seoul 01897, Republic of Korea
| | - Bao-Hua Zhu
- RFIC Center, Department of Electronic Engineering, Kwangwoon University, Nonwon-gu, Seoul 01897, Republic of Korea
| | - Jian Chen
- RFIC Center, Department of Electronic Engineering, Kwangwoon University, Nonwon-gu, Seoul 01897, Republic of Korea
| | - Zhi-Ji Wang
- RFIC Center, Department of Electronic Engineering, Kwangwoon University, Nonwon-gu, Seoul 01897, Republic of Korea
- Department of Pediatrics, Severance Children's Hospital, Yonsei University, Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - Eun-Seong Kim
- RFIC Center, Department of Electronic Engineering, Kwangwoon University, Nonwon-gu, Seoul 01897, Republic of Korea
| | - Nam-Young Kim
- RFIC Center, Department of Electronic Engineering, Kwangwoon University, Nonwon-gu, Seoul 01897, Republic of Korea
- NDAC Center, Department of Electronic Engineering, Kwangwoon University, Nonwon-gu, Seoul 01897, Republic of Korea
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Berner LA, Winter SR, Ayaz H, Shewokis PA, Izzetoglu M, Marsh R, Nasser JA, Matteucci AJ, Lowe MR. Altered prefrontal activation during the inhibition of eating responses in women with bulimia nervosa. Psychol Med 2023; 53:3580-3590. [PMID: 35209961 PMCID: PMC9476324 DOI: 10.1017/s0033291722000198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The sense of 'loss of control' (LOC), or a feeling of being unable to stop eating or control what or how much one is eating, is the most salient aspect of binge eating. However, the neural alterations that may contribute to this experience and eating behavior remain poorly understood. METHODS We used functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) to measure activation in the prefrontal cortices of 23 women with bulimia nervosa (BN) and 23 healthy controls (HC) during two tasks: a novel go/no-go task requiring inhibition of eating responses, and a standard go/no-go task requiring inhibition of button-pressing responses. RESULTS Women with BN made more commission errors on both tasks. BN subgroups with the most severe LOC eating (n = 12) and those who felt most strongly that they binge ate during the task (n = 12) showed abnormally reduced bilateral ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) and right ventrolateral prefrontal cortex (vlPFC) activation associated with eating-response inhibition. In the entire BN sample, lower eating-task activation in right vlPFC was related to more frequent and severe LOC eating, but no group differences in activation were detected on either task when this full sample was compared with HC. BN severity was unrelated to standard-task activation. CONCLUSIONS Results provide initial evidence that diminished PFC activation may directly contribute to more severe eating-specific control deficits in BN. Our findings support vmPFC and vlPFC dysfunction as promising treatment targets, and indicate that eating-specific tasks and fNIRS may be useful tools for identifying neural mechanisms underlying dysregulated eating.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura A. Berner
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
| | | | - Hasan Ayaz
- Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
- University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
- Center for Injury Research and Prevention at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | | | | | - Rachel Marsh
- Columbia University Irving Medical Center and the New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, United States
| | | | - Alyssa J. Matteucci
- The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
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Del Mauro L, Vergallito A, Gattavara G, Juris L, Gallucci A, Vedani A, Cappelletti L, Farneti PM, Romero Lauro LJ. Betting on Non-Invasive Brain Stimulation to Treat Gambling Disorder: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Brain Sci 2023; 13:698. [PMID: 37190663 PMCID: PMC10136786 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci13040698] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2023] [Revised: 04/13/2023] [Accepted: 04/18/2023] [Indexed: 05/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Gambling disorder (GD) is a behavioral addiction that severely impacts individuals' functioning, leading to high socioeconomic costs. Non-invasive brain stimulation (NiBS) has received attention for treating psychiatric and neurological conditions in recent decades, but there is no recommendation for its use for GD. Therefore, this study aimed to systematically review and analyze the available literature to determine the effectiveness of NiBS in treating GD. Following the PRISMA guidelines, we screened four electronic databases up to July 2022 and selected relevant English-written original articles. We included ten papers in the systematic review and seven in the meta-analysis. As only two studies employed a sham-controlled design, the pre-post standardized mean change (SMCC) was computed as effect size only for real stimulation. The results showed a significant effect of NiBS in reducing craving scores (SMCC = -0.69; 95% CI = [-1.2, -0.2], p = 0.010). Moreover, considering the GD's frequent comorbidity with mood disorders, we ran an exploratory analysis of the effects of NiBS on depressive symptoms, which showed significant decreases in post-treatment scores (SMCC = -0.71; 95% CI = [-1.1, -0.3], p < 0.001). These results provide initial evidence for developing NiBS as a feasible therapy for GD symptoms but further comprehensive research is needed to validate these findings. The limitations of the available literature are critically discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lilia Del Mauro
- Department of Psychology, University of Milano-Bicocca, 20126 Milano, Italy
- Fondazione Eris Onlus, 20134 Milano, Italy
| | - Alessandra Vergallito
- Department of Psychology & Neuromi, University of Milano-Bicocca, 20126 Milano, Italy
| | - Gaia Gattavara
- Department of Psychology, University of Milano-Bicocca, 20126 Milano, Italy
| | | | - Alessia Gallucci
- Ph.D. Program in Neuroscience, School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca, 20900 Monza, Italy
| | - Anna Vedani
- Department of Psychology, University of Milano-Bicocca, 20126 Milano, Italy
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Rau JMH, Sundermann B, Pfleiderer B, Dehghan-Nayyeri M, Garde S, Weglage J, Feldmann R. Inhibitory control in young adult women with fetal alcohol syndrome: Findings from a pilot functional magnetic resonance imaging study. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2023; 47:600-612. [PMID: 36807201 DOI: 10.1111/acer.15025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2022] [Revised: 12/08/2022] [Accepted: 01/10/2023] [Indexed: 02/19/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Executive dysfunction, especially impaired inhibitory control, is a common finding in individuals with fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS). Previous research has mostly focused on neural correlates of inhibitory deficits in children and adolescents. We investigated inhibitory functions and underlying cerebral activation patterns in young adult women with FAS. METHODS Task performance and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data were acquired during a Go/NoGo (GNG) inhibition task in 19 young adult women with FAS and 19 healthy female control subjects. Whole-brain activation and task performance analyses were supplemented by region of interest (ROI) analyses of fMRI data within a predefined cognitive control network (CCN). RESULTS Task performance did not differ significantly between groups on errors of commission, associated with inhibitory control. Similarly, overall activation within the preselected ROIs did not differ significantly between groups for the main inhibitory contrast NoGo > Go. However, whole-brain analyses revealed activation differences in the FAS group when compared to controls under inhibitory conditions. This included hyperactivations in the left inferior frontal, superior temporal, and supramarginal gyri in the FAS group. Likewise, lateralization tendencies toward right-hemispheric ROIs were weaker in FAS subjects. In contrast to comparable inhibitory performance, attention-related errors of omission were significantly higher in the FAS group. Correspondingly, FAS subjects had lower activity in attention-related temporal and parietal areas. CONCLUSIONS The known alterations of inhibitory functions associated with prenatal alcohol exposure in children and adolescents were not seen in this adult sample. However, differential brain activity was observed, reflecting potential compensatory mechanisms. Secondary results suggest that there is impaired attentional control in young adult women with FAS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johanna M H Rau
- Clinic of Radiology, Medical Faculty, University Hospital Münster, University of Münster, Münster, Germany.,Department of Neurology with Institute of Translational Neurology, University Hospital Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Benedikt Sundermann
- Clinic of Radiology, Medical Faculty, University Hospital Münster, University of Münster, Münster, Germany.,Institute of Radiology and Neuroradiology, Evangelisches Krankenhaus Oldenburg, Medical Campus, University of Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany.,Research Center Neurosensory Science, University of Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Bettina Pfleiderer
- Clinic of Radiology, Medical Faculty, University Hospital Münster, University of Münster, Münster, Germany.,Otto Creutzfeldt Center for Cognitive and Behavioral Neuroscience, Münster, Germany
| | - Mahboobeh Dehghan-Nayyeri
- Clinic of Radiology, Medical Faculty, University Hospital Münster, University of Münster, Münster, Germany.,Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, LVR Clinic, Medical Faculty of the Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Stefan Garde
- Clinic of Radiology, Medical Faculty, University Hospital Münster, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Josef Weglage
- Department of General Pediatrics, University Hospital Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Reinhold Feldmann
- Department of General Pediatrics, University Hospital Münster, Münster, Germany
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An exploratory study of functional brain activation underlying response inhibition in major depressive disorder and borderline personality disorder. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0280215. [PMID: 36608051 PMCID: PMC9821521 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0280215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2022] [Accepted: 12/21/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Cognitive control is associated with impulsive and harmful behaviours, such as substance abuse and suicidal behaviours, as well as major depressive disorder (MDD) and borderline personality disorder (BPD). The association between MDD and BPD is partially explained by shared pathological personality traits, which may be underpinned by aspects of cognitive control, such as response inhibition. The neural basis of response inhibition in MDD and BPD is not fully understood and could illuminate factors that differentiate between the disorders and that underlie individual differences in cross-cutting pathological traits. In this study, we sought to explore the neural correlates of response inhibition in MDD and BPD, as well as the pathological personality trait domains contained in the ICD-11 personality disorder model. We measured functional brain activity underlying response inhibition on a Go/No-Go task using functional magnetic resonance imaging in 55 female participants recruited into three groups: MDD without comorbid BPD (n = 16), MDD and comorbid BPD (n = 18), and controls with neither disorder (n = 21). Whereas response-inhibition-related activation was observed bilaterally in frontoparietal cognitive control regions across groups, there were no group differences in activation or significant associations between activation in regions-of-interest and pathological personality traits. The findings highlight potential shared neurobiological substrates across diagnoses and suggest that the associations between individual differences in neural activation and pathological personality traits may be small in magnitude. Sufficiently powered studies are needed to elucidate the associations between the functional neural correlates of response inhibition and pathological personality trait domains.
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Rodrigo AH, Di Domenico SI, Wright L, Page-Gould E, Fournier MA, Ayaz H, Ruocco AC. Interpersonal traits and the neural representations of cognitive control in the prefrontal cortex. COGNITIVE, AFFECTIVE & BEHAVIORAL NEUROSCIENCE 2022; 22:1001-1020. [PMID: 35332509 DOI: 10.3758/s13415-022-00986-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/19/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Adaptive interpersonal functioning relies on the effectiveness of behavioral and neural systems involved in cognitive control. Whether different subcomponents of cognitive control and their neural representations are associated with distinctive interpersonal dispositions has yet to be determined. The present study investigated the relationships between prefrontal cortex (PFC) activation associated with two subcomponents of cognitive control and individual differences in interpersonally relevant traits and facets within the Five-Factor Model of personality. Undergraduate participants (n = 237) provided self-ratings of interpersonal traits and underwent functional near-infrared spectroscopy to measure activation in regions-of-interest linked to subcomponents of cognitive control: the right lateral PFC and its involvement in response selection and inhibition/suppression (RS) during a go/no-go task, and the left lateral PFC associated with goal selection, updating, representation, and maintenance (GS) on a tower planning task. Multilevel models revealed that during both RS and GS, Neuroticism and Extraversion were associated with lower and higher levels of activation, respectively. Higher Agreeableness was related to lower activation during RS but also with greater activation during GS. More narrowly defined interpersonal facets subsumed within the broader trait domains were differentially associated with RS- and GS-related neural responses. Taken together, these findings highlight potential avenues of future research to better understand the ways in which the neural processes that subserve cognitive control may underlie interpersonal dispositions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Achala H Rodrigo
- Department of Psychological Clinical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto (Scarborough), Toronto, ON, Canada
| | | | - Liam Wright
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto (Scarborough), Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Elizabeth Page-Gould
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto (St. George), Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Marc A Fournier
- Department of Psychological Clinical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto (Scarborough), Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Hasan Ayaz
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Science and Health Systems, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Anthony C Ruocco
- Department of Psychological Clinical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto (Scarborough), Toronto, ON, Canada.
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Guo Z, Gong Y, Lu H, Qiu R, Wang X, Zhu X, You X. Multitarget high-definition transcranial direct current stimulation improves response inhibition more than single-target high-definition transcranial direct current stimulation in healthy participants. Front Neurosci 2022; 16:905247. [PMID: 35968393 PMCID: PMC9372262 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.905247] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2022] [Accepted: 07/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Prior studies have focused on single-target anodal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) over the right inferior frontal gyrus (rIFG) or pre-supplementary motor area (pre-SMA) to improve response inhibition in healthy individuals. However, the results are contradictory and the effect of multitarget anodal stimulation over both brain regions has never been investigated. The present study aimed to investigate the behavioral and neurophysiological effects of different forms of anodal high-definition tDCS (HD-tDCS) on improving response inhibition, including HD-tDCS over the rIFG or pre-SMA and multitarget HD-tDCS over both areas. Ninety-two healthy participants were randomly assigned to receive single-session (20 min) anodal HD-tDCS over rIFG + pre-SMA, rIFG, pre-SMA, or sham stimulation. Before and immediately after tDCS intervention, participants completed a stop-signal task (SST) and a go/nogo task (GNG). Their cortical activity was recorded using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) during the go/nogo task. The results showed multitarget stimulation produced a significant reduction in stop-signal reaction time (SSRT) relative to baseline. The pre-to-post SSRT change was not significant for rIFG, pre-SMA, or sham stimulation. Further analyses revealed multitarget HD-tDCS significantly decreased SSRT in both the high-performance and low-performance subgroups compared with the rIFG condition which decreased SSRT only in the low-performance subgroup. Only the multitarget condition significantly improved neural efficiency as indexed by lower △oxy-Hb after stimulation. In conclusion, the present study provides important preliminary evidence that multitarget HD-tDCS is a promising avenue to improve stimulation efficacy, establishing a more effective montage to enhance response inhibition relative to the commonly used single-target stimulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhihua Guo
- Department of Military Medical Psychology, Air Force Medical University, Xi’an, China
| | - Yue Gong
- School of Psychology, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi’an, China
| | - Hongliang Lu
- Department of Military Medical Psychology, Air Force Medical University, Xi’an, China
| | - Rui Qiu
- Department of Military Medical Psychology, Air Force Medical University, Xi’an, China
| | - Xinlu Wang
- Department of Military Medical Psychology, Air Force Medical University, Xi’an, China
| | - Xia Zhu
- Department of Military Medical Psychology, Air Force Medical University, Xi’an, China
- *Correspondence: Xia Zhu,
| | - Xuqun You
- School of Psychology, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi’an, China
- Xuqun You,
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Joshi S, Weedon BD, Esser P, Liu YC, Springett DN, Meaney A, Inacio M, Delextrat A, Kemp S, Ward T, Izadi H, Dawes H, Ayaz H. Neuroergonomic assessment of developmental coordination disorder. Sci Rep 2022; 12:10239. [PMID: 35715433 PMCID: PMC9206023 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-13966-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2021] [Accepted: 05/31/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Until recently, neural assessments of gross motor coordination could not reliably handle active tasks, particularly in realistic environments, and offered a narrow understanding of motor-cognition. By applying a comprehensive neuroergonomic approach using optical mobile neuroimaging, we probed the neural correlates of motor functioning in young people with Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD), a motor-learning deficit affecting 5-6% of children with lifelong complications. Neural recordings using fNIRS were collected during active ambulatory behavioral task execution from 37 Typically Developed and 48 DCD Children who performed cognitive and physical tasks in both single and dual conditions. This is the first of its kind study targeting regions of prefrontal cortical dysfunction for identification of neuropathophysiology for DCD during realistic motor tasks and is one of the largest neuroimaging study (across all modalities) involving DCD. We demonstrated that DCD is a motor-cognitive disability, as gross motor /complex tasks revealed neuro-hemodynamic deficits and dysfunction within the right middle and superior frontal gyri of the prefrontal cortex through functional near infrared spectroscopy. Furthermore, by incorporating behavioral performance, decreased neural efficiency in these regions were revealed in children with DCD, specifically during motor tasks. Lastly, we provide a framework, evaluating disorder impact in ecologically valid contexts to identify when and for whom interventional approaches are most needed and open the door for precision therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shawn Joshi
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Science and Health Systems, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA. .,College of Medicine, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA. .,Centre for Movement, Occupation and Rehabilitation Services, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, UK. .,Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
| | - Benjamin D Weedon
- Centre for Movement, Occupation and Rehabilitation Services, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, UK.,Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Patrick Esser
- Centre for Movement, Occupation and Rehabilitation Services, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, UK.,Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Yan-Ci Liu
- Centre for Movement, Occupation and Rehabilitation Services, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, UK.,Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.,School and Graduate Institute of Physical Therapy, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.,Physical Therapy Center, National Taiwan University Hospita, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Daniella N Springett
- Centre for Movement, Occupation and Rehabilitation Services, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, UK.,Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.,Department for Health, University of Bath, Bath, UK
| | - Andy Meaney
- Centre for Movement, Occupation and Rehabilitation Services, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, UK.,NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford University Hospitals, Oxford, UK
| | - Mario Inacio
- Centre for Movement, Occupation and Rehabilitation Services, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, UK.,Research Center in Sports Sciences, Health Sciences and Human Development, University of Maia, Porto, Portugal
| | - Anne Delextrat
- Centre for Movement, Occupation and Rehabilitation Services, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, UK
| | - Steve Kemp
- Centre for Movement, Occupation and Rehabilitation Services, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, UK
| | - Tomás Ward
- Insight SFI Research Centre for Data Analytics, Dublin City University, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Hooshang Izadi
- School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics, School of Technology, Design and Environment, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, UK
| | - Helen Dawes
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.,Intersect@Exeter, College of Medicine and Health, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK.,Oxford Health BRC, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Hasan Ayaz
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Science and Health Systems, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA.,Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA.,Drexel Solution Institute, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA.,Department of Family and Community Health, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.,Center for Injury Research and Prevention, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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12
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Yang Z, Zhang W, Liu D, Zhang SS, Tang Y, Song J, Long J, Yang J, Jiang H, Li Y, Liu X, Lü Y, Ding F. Effects of Sport Stacking on Neuropsychological, Neurobiological, and Brain Function Performances in Patients With Mild Alzheimer's Disease and Mild Cognitive Impairment: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Front Aging Neurosci 2022; 14:910261. [PMID: 35645781 PMCID: PMC9133718 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2022.910261] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2022] [Accepted: 04/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective To investigate the effects of sport stacking on the overall cognition and brain function in patients with mild Alzheimer's disease (AD) and mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Methods A single-blind randomized controlled design was performed using sport stacking for 30 min, 5 days/week for 12 weeks. Forty-eight subjects with mild AD or MCI were randomly divided into the sport stacking group (T-mAD = 12, T-MCI = 12) and the active control group (C-mAD = 11, C-MCI = 13). Auditory Verbal Learning Test (AVLT), Alzheimer's Disease Cooperative Study–Activities of Daily Living scale (ADCS-ADL), Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-30), and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) were performed, the level of amyloid β-protein-40 (Aβ-40), Aβ-42, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), insulin-like growth factor-1(IGF-1), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), Interleukin-6 (IL-6), and soluble trigger receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2 (sTREM2) in plasma were tested, and brain functional connectivity in resting state and activation under finger movement task were analyzed by functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). Results Thirty-nine patients completed the trial. After 4 weeks, we found a significant increase in AVLT score in T-MCI (6.36 ± 5.08 vs. −1.11 ± 4.23, p = 0.004), and T-mAD group (4.60 ± 4.77 vs. −0.11 ± 2.89, p = 0.039). After 12 weeks, there was a significantly improved in AVLT (9.64 ± 4.90 vs. −0.33 ± 6.10, p = 0.002) and ADCS-ADL (3.36 ± 3.59 vs. −1.89 ± 2.71, p = 0.003) in T-MCI. There was a significant improvement in AVLT (5.30 ± 5.42 vs. 0.44 ± 2.40) in T-mAD (p < 0.05). Plasma levels of BDNF were upregulated in both T-MCI and T-mAD, and IGF-1 increased in T-MCI (P < 0.05) compared to the control groups. The functional connectivity in MCI patients between DLPFC.R and SCA.R, SMA.L, and SCA.R was decreased. In contrast, in mAD patients, the brain regional function connection was increased between DLPFC.R and Broca's.L. The activation of channel 36 located in the left primary somatosensory cortex was significantly increased after 12-week training, which was correlated with the improved AVLT and the increase of BDNF. Conclusion Our findings suggested that sport stacking is effective for patients with MCI and mild AD, possibly through increasing the expression of neuroprotective growth factors and enhancing neural plasticity to improve neurocognitive performance. Clinical Trial Registration https://www.ClinicalTrials.gov, ChiCTR.org.cn, identifier: ChiCTR-2100045980.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ziying Yang
- Department of Nursing, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Wenbo Zhang
- Department of Geriatrics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Dunxiu Liu
- Department of General Practice, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Shan-shan Zhang
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
- Laboratory of Stem Cell and Tissue Engineering, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Yong Tang
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
- Laboratory of Stem Cell and Tissue Engineering, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Jiaqi Song
- Institute of Neuroscience, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Jinfeng Long
- Department of Nursing, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Jun Yang
- Department of General Practice, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Hong Jiang
- Department of Geriatrics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Yaling Li
- Department of Nursing, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Xintong Liu
- Department of Geriatrics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Yang Lü
- Department of Geriatrics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
- *Correspondence: Yang Lü
| | - Fu Ding
- Department of Nursing, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
- Fu Ding
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Piani MC, Maggioni E, Delvecchio G, Brambilla P. Sustained attention alterations in major depressive disorder: A review of fMRI studies employing Go/No-Go and CPT tasks. J Affect Disord 2022; 303:98-113. [PMID: 35139418 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2022.02.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2021] [Revised: 12/23/2021] [Accepted: 02/04/2022] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a severe psychiatric condition characterized by selective cognitive dysfunctions. In this regard, functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) studies showed, both at resting state and during tasks, alterations in the brain functional networks involved in cognitive processes in MDD patients compared to controls. Among those, it seems that the attention network may have a role in the disease pathophysiology. Therefore, in this review we aim at summarizing the current fMRI evidence investigating sustained attention in MDD patients. METHODS We conducted a search on PubMed on case-control studies on MDD employing fMRI acquisitions during Go/No-Go and continuous performance tasks. A total of 12 studies have been included in the review. RESULTS Overall, the majority of fMRI studies reported quantitative alterations in the response to attentive tasks in selective brain regions, including the prefrontal cortex, the cingulate cortex, the temporal and parietal lobes, the insula and the precuneus, which are key nodes of the attention, the executive, and the default mode networks. LIMITATIONS The heterogeneity in the study designs, fMRI acquisition techniques and processing methods have limited the generalizability of the results. CONCLUSIONS The results from the included studies showed the presence of alterations in the activation patterns of regions involved in sustained attention in MDD, which are in line with current evidence and seemed to explain some of the key symptoms of depression. However, given the paucity and heterogeneity of studies available, it may be worthwhile to continue investigating the attentional domain in MDD with ad-hoc study designs to retrieve more robust evidence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Chiara Piani
- Department of Neurosciences and Mental Health, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milano 20122, Italy
| | - Eleonora Maggioni
- Department of Neurosciences and Mental Health, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milano 20122, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Delvecchio
- Department of Neurosciences and Mental Health, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milano 20122, Italy.
| | - Paolo Brambilla
- Department of Neurosciences and Mental Health, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milano 20122, Italy; Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, University of Milan, Italy
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14
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Wang L, Ke J, Zhang H. A Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy Examination of the Neural Correlates of Mental Rotation for Individuals With Different Depressive Tendencies. Front Hum Neurosci 2022; 16:760738. [PMID: 35197834 PMCID: PMC8860193 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2022.760738] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2021] [Accepted: 01/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The present study aimed to examine the neural mechanisms underlying the ability to process the mental rotation with mirrored stimuli for different depressive tendencies with psychomotor retardation. Using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), we measured brain cortex activation of participants with higher and lower depressive tendencies while performing a left-right paradigm of object mental rotation or a same-different paradigm of subject mental rotation. Behavioral data revealed no differences in reaction time and rotation speed. The fNIRS data revealed a higher deactivation of oxyhemoglobin (HbO) change for the higher depression group in the perceptual stage of object mental rotation with mirrored stimuli in the superior external frontal cortex (BA46), inferior frontal gyrus (BA45), premotor cortex (BA6), and primary motor cortex (BA4) (study 1). In addition, there existed a significant difference between the two groups in premotor cortex (BA6) in subject mental rotation with mirrored stimuli (study 2). These results suggest that the neural mechanism of higher depression individuals connected with psychomotor retardation exists in the frontal and motor areas when processing object mental rotation with mirrored stimuli, and the motor cortex when processing subject mental rotation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jingqi Ke
- Institute of Special Environment Medicine, Nantong University, Nantong, China
| | - Haiyan Zhang
- School of Foreign Languages, Jimei University, Xiamen, China
- *Correspondence: Haiyan Zhang,
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15
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Frequency-Specific Changes of Amplitude of Low-Frequency Fluctuations in Patients with Acute Basal Ganglia Ischemic Stroke. Neural Plast 2022; 2022:4106131. [PMID: 35111218 PMCID: PMC8803449 DOI: 10.1155/2022/4106131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2021] [Revised: 12/18/2021] [Accepted: 01/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective. The purpose of this study was to investigate the characteristics of different frequency bands in the spontaneous brain activity among patients with acute basal ganglia ischemic stroke (BGIS). Methods. In the present study, thirty-four patients with acute BGIS and forty-four healthy controls were examined by resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) from May 2019 to December 2020. Two amplitude methods including amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (ALFF) and fractional ALFF (fALFF) calculated in three frequency bands (conventional frequency band: 0.01-0.08 Hz; slow-5 frequency band: 0.01-0.027 Hz; and slow-4 frequency band: 0.027-0.073 Hz) were conducted to evaluate the spontaneous brain activity in patients with acute BGIS and healthy controls (HCs). Gaussian Random Field Theory (GRF, voxel
and cluster
) correction was applied. The correlation analyses were performed between clinical scores and altered metrics values. Results. Compared to HCs, patients with acute BGIS showed decreased ALFF in the right supramarginal gyrus (SMG) in the conventional and slow-4 bands, increased fALFF in the right middle frontal gyrus (MFG) in the conventional and slow-4 bands, and increased fALFF in the bilateral caudate in the slow-5 frequency band. The fALFF value of the right caudate in the slow-5 frequency band was negatively correlated with the clinical scores. Conclusion. In conclusion, this study showed the alterations in ALFF and fALFF in three frequency bands between patients with acute BGIS and HCs. The results reflected that the abnormal LFO amplitude might be related with different frequency bands and promoted our understanding of pathophysiological mechanism in acute BGIS.
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16
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Sinko L, Regier P, Curtin A, Ayaz H, Rose Childress A, Teitelman AM. Neural correlates of cognitive control in women with a history of sexual violence suggest altered prefrontal cortical activity during cognitive processing. WOMEN'S HEALTH (LONDON, ENGLAND) 2022; 18:17455057221081326. [PMID: 35225075 PMCID: PMC8883288 DOI: 10.1177/17455057221081326] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2021] [Revised: 01/31/2022] [Accepted: 02/01/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Women's experiences of sexual violence can be not only psychologically and physically traumatizing but may also have lasting effects on brain functions, including cognitive control relating to the inhibition and processing of emotion. Thus, the purpose of this pilot study is to explore underlying neural correlates of sexual violence's impact on cognitive control in women. METHODS Thirty women (aged 21-30 years) participants underwent a quantitative survey along with an affect-congruent Go-NoGo task. Prefrontal activity was monitored using functional near-infrared spectroscopy, a portable neuroimaging technology. An analysis of variance tested for main effects of the condition (Go versus NoGo), group (sexual violence versus no prior sexual violence), and potential interactions. RESULTS Fifteen of 30 women reported a history of childhood (n = 5) and/or adult (n = 12) sexual violence. Those with sexual violence histories reported significantly higher depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress symptoms, as well as increased impulsivity compared to their peers. Behavioral performance did not differ between the groups; however, functional near-infrared spectroscopy data revealed a significant (group × condition) interaction in Optodes 13 and 16. Women with histories of sexual violence had a significantly lower response during the "NoGo" condition and a heightened response during the "Go" condition, in the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. CONCLUSION These results suggest altered prefrontal cortical activity during cognitive processing in women with a history of sexual violence, showing hypoactivity during response inhibition and hyperactivity to the positive stimuli. These findings have strong translational promise for innovative assessment and prevention of untoward effects among women with sexual violence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Sinko
- Department of Nursing, College of Public Health, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Paul Regier
- Department of Psychiatry, Center for Studies of Addiction, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Adrian Curtin
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Science and Health Systems, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Hasan Ayaz
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Science and Health Systems, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- School of Nursing, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Psychology, College of Arts and Sciences, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Drexel Solutions Institute, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Center for Injury Research and Prevention, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Anna Rose Childress
- Department of Psychiatry, Center for Studies of Addiction, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Anne M Teitelman
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Science and Health Systems, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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17
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Kim AR, Cha H, Kim E, Kim S, Lee HJ, Park E, Lee YS, Jung TD, Chang Y. Impact of fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations in motor- and sensory-related brain networks on spinal cord injury severity. NMR IN BIOMEDICINE 2022; 35:e4612. [PMID: 34505321 DOI: 10.1002/nbm.4612] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2021] [Revised: 08/18/2021] [Accepted: 08/19/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Spinal cord injury (SCI) can cause motor, sensory, and autonomic dysfunctions and may affect the cerebral functions. However, the mechanisms of plastic changes in the brain according to SCI severity remain poorly understood. Therefore, in the current study, we compared the brain activity of the entire neural network according to severity of SCI using fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (fALFF) analysis in resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI). A total of 59 participants were included, consisting of 19 patients with complete SCI, 20 patients with incomplete SCI, and 20 healthy individuals. Their motor and sensory functions were evaluated. The rs-fMRI data of low-frequency fluctuations were analyzed based on fALFF. Differences in fALFF values among complete-SCI patients, incomplete-SCI patients, and healthy controls were assessed using ANOVA. Then post hoc analysis and two-sample t-tests were conducted to assess the differences between the three groups. Pearson correlation analyses were used to determine correlations between clinical measures and the z-score of the fALFF in the SCI groups. Patients with SCI (complete and incomplete) showed lower fALFF values in the superior medial frontal gyrus than the healthy controls, and were associated with poor motor and sensory function (p < .05). Higher fALFF values were observed in the putamen and thalamus, and were negatively associated with motor and sensory function (p < .05). In conclusion, alterations in the neural activity of the motor- and sensory-related networks of the brain were observed in complete-SCI and incomplete-SCI patients. Moreover, plastic changes in these brain regions were associated with motor and sensory function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ae Ryoung Kim
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Kyungpook National University School of Medicine, South Korea
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Kyungpook National University Hospital, South Korea
| | - Hyunsil Cha
- Department of Medical & Biological Engineering, Kyungpook National University, South Korea
| | - Eunji Kim
- Department of Medical & Biological Engineering, Kyungpook National University, South Korea
| | - Seungho Kim
- Department of Medical & Biological Engineering, Kyungpook National University, South Korea
| | - Hui Joong Lee
- Department of Radiology, Kyungpook National University School of Medicine, South Korea
- Department of Radiology, Kyungpook National University Hospital, South Korea
| | - Eunhee Park
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Kyungpook National University School of Medicine, South Korea
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Kyungpook National University Hospital, South Korea
| | - Yang-Soo Lee
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Kyungpook National University School of Medicine, South Korea
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Kyungpook National University Hospital, South Korea
| | - Tae-Du Jung
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Kyungpook National University School of Medicine, South Korea
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Kyungpook National University Hospital, South Korea
| | - Yongmin Chang
- Department of Medical & Biological Engineering, Kyungpook National University, South Korea
- Department of Radiology, Kyungpook National University Hospital, South Korea
- The Department of Molecular Medicine, Kyungpook National University School of Medicine, South Korea
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18
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Neurophysiological biomarkers of response inhibition and the familial risk for borderline personality disorder. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2021; 111:110115. [PMID: 32971219 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2020.110115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2020] [Revised: 08/20/2020] [Accepted: 09/16/2020] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Understanding of the biological factors that run in families affected with borderline personality disorder (BPD) is limited. The authors investigated the familial aggregation of neurophysiological biomarkers of response inhibition in the first-degree biological relatives of probands with BPD and associations with psychiatric diagnosis and impulsive traits. In the present study, psychiatric diagnoses and impulsive traits were measured in BPD probands (n = 86), psychiatrically affected and non-affected relatives (n = 60) and controls (n = 83). While undergoing neuroimaging using functional near-infrared spectroscopy, prefrontal cortex (PFC) activation was measured during a go/no-go response inhibition task and compared between probands, relatives and controls. Additionally, non-psychiatrically affected relatives and controls were contrasted to examine the potential impact of familial risk for BPD on response inhibition-related PFC activation in the absence of confounding psychiatric morbidity. Probands showed bilateral decreases in PFC activation during response inhibition compared to relatives and controls. Conversely, both affected and non-affected relatives displayed higher activation than controls and probands in left lateral/medial and right medial PFC, although non-affected relatives showed a lesser extent of activation than affected relatives. Probands and controls reporting greater impulsive traits displayed deactivation across the PFC during response inhibition, whereas relatives showed increased activation. In this first family study of neuroimaging biomarkers in BPD, we show that the familial risk for BPD is reflected in activation of the PFC during response inhibition, with lifetime psychiatric diagnosis and higher impulsive traits in relatives associated with larger increases in PFC activity. Higher PFC activity during response inhibition including among non-affected relatives could reflect a neurophysiological compensatory mechanism.
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Cognitive deficits and rehabilitation mechanisms in mild traumatic brain injury patients revealed by EEG connectivity markers. Clin Neurophysiol 2021; 132:554-567. [PMID: 33453686 DOI: 10.1016/j.clinph.2020.11.034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2020] [Revised: 10/13/2020] [Accepted: 11/16/2020] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To explore the multiple specific biomarkers and cognitive compensatory mechanisms of mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) patients at recovery stage. METHODS The experiment was performed in two sections. In Section I, using event-related potential, event-related oscillation and spatial phase-synchronization, we explored neural dynamics in 24 volunteered healthy controls (HC) and 38 patients at least 6 months post-mTBI (19 with epidural hematoma, EDH; 19 with subdural hematoma, SDH) during a Go/NoGo task. In Section II, according to the neuropsychological scales, patients were divided into sub-groups to assess these electroencephalography (EEG) indicators in identifying different rehabilitation outcomes of mTBI. RESULTS In Section I, mean amplitudes of NoGo-P3 and P3d were decreased in mTBI patients relative to HC, and NoGo-theta power in the non-injured hemisphere was decreased in SDH patients only. In Section II, patients with chronic neuropsychological defects exhibited more serious impairments of intra-hemispheric connectivity, whereas inter-hemispheric centro-parietal and frontal connectivity were enhanced in response to lesions. CONCLUSIONS EEG distinguished mTBI patients from healthy controls, and estimated different rehabilitation outcomes of mTBI. The centro-parietal and frontal connectivity are the main compensatory mechanism for the recovery of mTBI patients. SIGNIFICANCE EEG measurements and network connectivity can track recovery process and mechanism of mTBI.
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20
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Condy EE, Friedman BH, Gandjbakhche A. Probing Neurovisceral Integration via Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy and Heart Rate Variability. Front Neurosci 2020; 14:575589. [PMID: 33324146 PMCID: PMC7723853 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2020.575589] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2020] [Accepted: 10/19/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The neurovisceral integration model (NVM) proposes that an organism’s ability to flexibly adapt to its environment is related to biological flexibility within the central autonomic network (CAN). One important aspect of this flexibility is behavioral inhibition (Thayer and Friedman, 2002). During a behavioral inhibition task, the CAN, which comprises a series of feedback loops, must be able to integrate information and react to these inputs flexibly to facilitate optimal performance. The functioning of the CAN is shown to be associated with respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA), as the vagus nerve is part of this feedback system. Although the NVM has been examined through neural imaging and RSA, only a few studies have examined these measures simultaneously during the neuroimaging procedure. Furthermore, these studies were done at rest or used tasks that were not targeted at processes associated with the NVM, such as behavioral inhibition and cognitive flexibility. For this reason, the present study assessed RSA and neural activation in the pre-frontal cortex simultaneously while participants completed a behavior inhibition task. RSA and functional near-infrared spectroscopy were collected in 38 adults, and resting levels of pre-frontal activation were negatively related to RSA, but pre-frontal activation during the behavior inhibition task was not. The negative relationship between RSA and oxygenated hemoglobin is consistent with previous functional magnetic resonance imaging work examining the NVM at baseline and should be further studied. Additional research investigating how this relationship may change based on task demands or environmental contexts would help clarify the applicability of the model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma E Condy
- National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Bruce H Friedman
- Department of Psychology, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, United States
| | - Amir Gandjbakhche
- National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, MD, United States
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Surkar SM, Hoffman RM, Harbourne R, Kurz MJ. Cognitive-Motor Interference Heightens the Prefrontal Cortical Activation and Deteriorates the Task Performance in Children With Hemiplegic Cerebral Palsy. Arch Phys Med Rehabil 2020; 102:225-232. [PMID: 32976843 DOI: 10.1016/j.apmr.2020.08.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2020] [Accepted: 08/07/2020] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To compare the prefrontal cortex (PFC) activation and task performance during single- and dual-task conditions between typically developing (TD) children and children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy (HCP). DESIGN A prospective, comparative design. SETTING Research laboratory. PARTICIPANTS Participants (N=21) included 12 TD children (age, 6.0±1.1y) and 9 children with HCP (age, 7.2±3.1). INTERVENTIONS Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES PFC activation was assessed by measuring the concentration of oxygenated hemoglobin while the children performed a shape-matching task with their more affected arm while sitting on a stable (single task) vs dynamic surface (dual task). The task performance was assessed with the total number of shapes matched, dual-task cost, and reaction time (RT). RESULTS For both conditions, the children with HCP exhibited greater PFC activation, matched a fewer shapes, and had slower RT than the TD children. These differences were accentuated during the dual-task condition and the dual-task cost was greater. An increase in the PFC activation during the dual-task condition was tightly correlated with a higher dual-task cost in children with HCP (r=0.77, P=.01). CONCLUSIONS Children with HCP appear to have a heightened amount of PFC activity while performing a dual task. The greater cortical activity may be a result of the finite attentional resources that are shared between both the motor as well as cognitive demands of the task. The cognitive-motor interference is likely exacerbated in children with HCP because of the structural and functional brain changes as a result of an insult to the developing brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Swati M Surkar
- Department of Physical Therapy, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina; Department of Physical Therapy, Munroe Meyer Institute of Genetics and Rehabilitation, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska
| | - Rashelle M Hoffman
- Department of Physical Therapy, Munroe Meyer Institute of Genetics and Rehabilitation, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska
| | - Regina Harbourne
- Department of Physical Therapy John G. Rangos School of Health Sciences, Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Max J Kurz
- Department of Physical Therapy, Munroe Meyer Institute of Genetics and Rehabilitation, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska; Cognitive Neuroscience of Development & Aging (CoNDA) Center, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska.
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22
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Sanchis C, Blasco E, Luna FG, Lupiáñez J. Effects of caffeine intake and exercise intensity on executive and arousal vigilance. Sci Rep 2020; 10:8393. [PMID: 32439849 PMCID: PMC7242431 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-65197-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2019] [Accepted: 04/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
During physical efforts and sport practice, vigilance is responsible for maintaining an optimal state of activation, guaranteeing the ability to quickly respond and detect unexpected, but critical, stimuli over time. Caffeine and physical exercise are able to modulate the activation state, affecting vigilance performance. The aim of the present work was to assess the specific effects and modulations of caffeine intake and two physical intensities on vigilance components. Participants performed an attentional task (ANTI-Vea) to measure the executive and arousal components of vigilance, in six double-blinded counterbalanced sessions combining caffeine, placebo, or no-ingestion, with light vs. moderate cyclergometer exercise. Exercise at moderate intensity improved executive vigilance with faster overall reaction time (RT), without impairing error rates. Instead, caffeine intake generally improved arousal vigilance. In conclusion, caffeine and acute exercise seems to moderate executive and arousal vigilance in different ways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos Sanchis
- Faculty of Physical Education & Sport Sciences, Catholic University of Valencia, Valencia, 46001, Spain.
| | - Esther Blasco
- Faculty of Physical Education & Sport Sciences, Catholic University of Valencia, Valencia, 46001, Spain
| | - Fernando G Luna
- Department of Experimental Psychology, Mind, Brain and Behavior Research Center, University of Granada, 18071, Granada, Spain
- Instituto de Investigaciones Psicológicas (IIPsi, CONICET-UNC), Facultad de Psicología, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Juan Lupiáñez
- Department of Experimental Psychology, Mind, Brain and Behavior Research Center, University of Granada, 18071, Granada, Spain.
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23
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Kobrzycka A, Napora P, Pearson BL, Pierzchała-Koziec K, Szewczyk R, Wieczorek M. Peripheral and central compensatory mechanisms for impaired vagus nerve function during peripheral immune activation. J Neuroinflammation 2019; 16:150. [PMID: 31324250 PMCID: PMC6642550 DOI: 10.1186/s12974-019-1544-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2019] [Accepted: 07/10/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Determining the etiology and possible treatment strategies for numerous diseases requires a comprehensive understanding of compensatory mechanisms in physiological systems. The vagus nerve acts as a key interface between the brain and the peripheral internal organs. We set out to identify mechanisms compensating for a lack of neuronal communication between the immune and the central nervous system (CNS) during infection. METHODS We assessed biochemical and central neurotransmitter changes resulting from subdiaphragmatic vagotomy and whether they are modulated by intraperitoneal infection. We performed a series of subdiaphragmatic vagotomy or sham operations on male Wistar rats. Next, after full, 30-day recovery period, they were randomly assigned to receive an injection of Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide or saline. Two hours later, animal were euthanized and we measured the plasma concentration of prostaglandin E2 (with HPLC-MS), interleukin-6 (ELISA), and corticosterone (RIA). We also had measured the concentration of monoaminergic neurotransmitters and their metabolites in the amygdala, brainstem, hippocampus, hypothalamus, motor cortex, periaqueductal gray, and prefrontal medial cortex using RP-HPLC-ED. A subset of the animals was evaluated in the elevated plus maze test immediately before euthanization. RESULTS The lack of immunosensory signaling of the vagus nerve stimulated increased activity of discrete inflammatory marker signals, which we confirmed by quantifying biochemical changes in blood plasma. Behavioral results, although preliminary, support the observed biochemical alterations. Many of the neurotransmitter changes observed after vagotomy indicated that the vagus nerve influences the activity of many brain areas involved in control of immune response and sickness behavior. Our studies show that these changes are largely eliminated during experimental infection. CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest that in vagotomized animals with blocked CNS, communication may transmit via a pathway independent of the vagus nerve to permit restoration of CNS activity for peripheral inflammation control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Kobrzycka
- Department of Neurobiology, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Lodz, Lodz, Poland
| | - Paweł Napora
- Department of Neurobiology, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Lodz, Lodz, Poland
| | - Brandon L. Pearson
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, USA
| | | | - Rafał Szewczyk
- Department of Industrial Microbiology and Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Lodz, Lodz, Poland
| | - Marek Wieczorek
- Department of Neurobiology, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Lodz, Lodz, Poland
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24
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Curtin A, Ayaz H, Tang Y, Sun J, Wang J, Tong S. Enhancing neural efficiency of cognitive processing speed via training and neurostimulation: An fNIRS and TMS study. Neuroimage 2019; 198:73-82. [PMID: 31078636 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2019.05.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2019] [Revised: 05/06/2019] [Accepted: 05/08/2019] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Speed of Processing (SoP) represents a fundamental limiting step in cognitive performance which may underlie General Intelligence. The measure of SoP is particularly sensitive to aging, neurological or cognitive diseases, and has become a benchmark for diagnosis, cognitive remediation, and enhancement. Neural efficiency of the Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex (DLPFC) is proposed to account for individual differences in SoP. However, the mechanisms by which DLPFC efficiency is shaped by training and whether it can be enhanced remain elusive. To address this, we monitored the brain activity of sixteen healthy participants using functional Near Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS) while practicing a common SoP task (Symbol Digit Substitution Task) across 4 sessions. Furthermore, in each session, participants received counterbalanced excitatory repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) during mid-session breaks. Results indicate a significant involvement of the left-DLPFC in SoP, whose neural efficiency is consistently increased through task practice. Active neurostimulation, but not Sham, significantly enhanced the neural efficiency. These findings suggest a common mechanism by which neurostimulation may aid to accelerate learning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adrian Curtin
- Drexel University, School of Biomedical Engineering, Science and Health Systems, Philadelphia, PA, USA; Shanghai Jiao Tong University, School of Biomedical Engineering, Shanghai, China
| | - Hasan Ayaz
- Drexel University, School of Biomedical Engineering, Science and Health Systems, Philadelphia, PA, USA; University of Pennsylvania, Department of Family and Community Health, Philadelphia, PA, USA; Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Center for Injury Research and Prevention, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
| | - Yingying Tang
- Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Junfeng Sun
- Shanghai Jiao Tong University, School of Biomedical Engineering, Shanghai, China
| | - Jijun Wang
- Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Shanbao Tong
- Shanghai Jiao Tong University, School of Biomedical Engineering, Shanghai, China.
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25
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APOE-ε4 risk variant for Alzheimer's disease modifies the association between cognitive performance and cerebral morphology in healthy middle-aged individuals. NEUROIMAGE-CLINICAL 2019; 23:101818. [PMID: 30991302 PMCID: PMC6463204 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2019.101818] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2018] [Revised: 04/01/2019] [Accepted: 04/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
The APOE-ε4 genotype is the highest genetic risk factor for Alzheimer's disease (AD). In cognitively unimpaired individuals, it has been related to altered brain morphology, function and earlier amyloid beta accumulation. However, its impact on cognitive performance is less evident. Here, we examine the impact of APOE-ε4 allele load in modulating the association between cognitive functioning and brain morphology in middle-aged healthy individuals. A high-resolution structural MRI scan was acquired and episodic memory (EM) as well as executive functions (EFs) were assessed in a sample of 527 middle-aged unimpaired individuals hosting a substantial representation of ε4-homozygous (N = 64). We adopted a voxel-wise unbiased method to assess whether the number of APOE-ε4 alleles significantly modified the associations between gray matter volumes (GMv) and performance in both cognitive domains. Even though the APOE-ε4 allele load did not exert a direct impact on any cognitive measures, it reversed the relationships between GMv and cognitive performance in a highly symmetrical topological pattern. For EM, interactions mapped onto the inferior temporal gyrus and the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex. Regarding EFs, significant interactions were observed for processing speed, working memory, and visuospatial attention in distinct brain regions. These results suggest that APOE-ε4 carriers display a structure-function association corresponding to an older age than their chronological one. Our findings additionally indicate that APOE-ε4 carriers may rely on the integrity of multiple compensatory brain systems in order to preserve their cognitive abilities, possibly due to an incipient neurodegeneration. Overall this study provides novel insights on the mechanisms through which APOE-ε4 posits an increased AD risk.
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26
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Hu Z, Zhang J, Zhang L, Xiang YT, Yuan Z. Linking brain activation to topological organization in the frontal lobe as a synergistic indicator to characterize the difference between various cognitive processes of executive functions. NEUROPHOTONICS 2019; 6:025008. [PMID: 31172018 PMCID: PMC6537479 DOI: 10.1117/1.nph.6.2.025008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2018] [Accepted: 03/28/2019] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
Executive functions (EFs) associated with the frontal lobe are vital for goal-orientated behavior. To date, limited efforts have been made to examine the relationships among the behavior, brain activation, and topological organization of functional networks in the frontal lobe underlying various EF tasks, including inhibition, working memory, and cognitive flexibility. In this study, functional near-infrared spectroscopy neuroimaging technique was used to systematically inspect the differences in the brain activation and the topological organization of brain networks between various EF tasks in the frontal lobe. In addition, the relationships between brain activation/network properties and task performances and the relationships between brain activation and network properties were, respectively, examined for different EF tasks. Consequently, we have discovered that the nodal and global properties of the resting-state and task-evoked networks, respectively, exhibited significant correlations with the activation of various brain regions during various EF tasks. In particular, the measure that links the neural activation to the topological organization of the brain networks in the frontal lobe can serve as a synergistic indicator to examine the difference between various EF tasks, which paves a way toward a comprehensive understanding of the neural mechanism underlying EFs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhishan Hu
- University of Macau, Faculty of Health Sciences, Macao Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Juan Zhang
- University of Macau, Faculty of Education, Macao Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Lingyan Zhang
- The Third Affiliated Hospital of China Southern Medical University, Department of Radiology, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yu-Tao Xiang
- University of Macau, Faculty of Health Sciences, Macao Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Zhen Yuan
- University of Macau, Faculty of Health Sciences, Macao Special Administrative Region, China
- Address all correspondence to Zhen Yuan, E-mail:
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27
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Uscinska M, Bellino S. Treatment-induced brain plasticity in borderline personality disorder: review of functional MRI studies. FUTURE NEUROLOGY 2018. [DOI: 10.2217/fnl-2018-0006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Although neural substrates of symptoms expression in borderline personality disorder (BPD) have been studied extensively, neural mechanisms mediating post treatment amelioration of symptoms remain poorly characterized. Herein present review sheds a critical light on all here-to-date functional MRI findings of brain changes in BPD patients following a treatment with psychotherapy or drugs. Preliminary evidence points to downregulation of neuronal activity within the insula and amygdala, together with differential employment of prefrontal areas, mainly orbitofrontal cortex, anterior cingulate cortex and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, as well as enhanced functional connectivity between limbic and prefrontal regions induced by dialectical behavioral therapy. Identifying neural circuits behind treatment processes may refine strategies to target specific symptoms, thereby resolving some of the controversies over BPD treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Uscinska
- Department of Neurosciences, Centre for Personality Disorders, University of Turin, Via Cherasco 11, 10126, Turin, Italy
| | - Silvio Bellino
- Department of Neurosciences, Centre for Personality Disorders, University of Turin, Via Cherasco 11, 10126, Turin, Italy
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28
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Hudak J, Blume F, Dresler T, Haeussinger FB, Renner TJ, Fallgatter AJ, Gawrilow C, Ehlis AC. Near-Infrared Spectroscopy-Based Frontal Lobe Neurofeedback Integrated in Virtual Reality Modulates Brain and Behavior in Highly Impulsive Adults. Front Hum Neurosci 2017; 11:425. [PMID: 28928644 PMCID: PMC5591376 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2017.00425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2017] [Accepted: 08/08/2017] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Based on neurofeedback (NF) training as a neurocognitive treatment in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), we designed a randomized, controlled functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) NF intervention embedded in an immersive virtual reality classroom in which participants learned to control overhead lighting with their dorsolateral prefrontal brain activation. We tested the efficacy of the intervention on healthy adults displaying high impulsivity as a sub-clinical population sharing common features with ADHD. Twenty participants, 10 in an experimental and 10 in a shoulder muscle-based electromyography control group, underwent eight training sessions across 2 weeks. Training was bookended by a pre- and post-test including go/no-go, n-back, and stop-signal tasks (SST). Results indicated a significant reduction in commission errors on the no-go task with a simultaneous increase in prefrontal oxygenated hemoglobin concentration for the experimental group, but not for the control group. Furthermore, the ability of the subjects to gain control over the feedback parameter correlated strongly with the reduction in commission errors for the experimental, but not for the control group, indicating the potential importance of learning feedback control in moderating behavioral outcomes. In addition, participants of the fNIRS group showed a reduction in reaction time variability on the SST. Results indicate a clear effect of our NF intervention in reducing impulsive behavior possibly via a strengthening of frontal lobe functioning. Virtual reality additions to conventional NF may be one way to improve the ecological validity and symptom-relevance of the training situation, hence positively affecting transfer of acquired skills to real life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justin Hudak
- LEAD Graduate School & Research Network, University of TübingenTübingen, Germany
| | - Friederike Blume
- LEAD Graduate School & Research Network, University of TübingenTübingen, Germany
| | - Thomas Dresler
- LEAD Graduate School & Research Network, University of TübingenTübingen, Germany.,Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital TübingenTübingen, Germany
| | - Florian B Haeussinger
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital TübingenTübingen, Germany
| | - Tobias J Renner
- Department of Child and Adolescence Psychiatry, University Hospital TübingenTübingen, Germany
| | - Andreas J Fallgatter
- LEAD Graduate School & Research Network, University of TübingenTübingen, Germany.,Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital TübingenTübingen, Germany.,Center for Integrative Neuroscience, University of TübingenTübingen, Germany
| | - Caterina Gawrilow
- LEAD Graduate School & Research Network, University of TübingenTübingen, Germany.,Department of Psychology, University of TübingenTübingen, Germany.,Center for Individual Development and Adaptive Education of Children at Risk, Goethe University FrankfurtFrankfurt, Germany
| | - Ann-Christine Ehlis
- LEAD Graduate School & Research Network, University of TübingenTübingen, Germany.,Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital TübingenTübingen, Germany
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29
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Modulating perceptual complexity and load reveals degradation of the visual working memory network in ageing. Neuroimage 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2017.06.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
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30
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Di Domenico SI, Fournier MA, Rodrigo AH, Dong M, Ayaz H, Ruocco AC. Need fulfillment and the modulation of medial prefrontal activity when judging remembered past, perceived present, and imagined future identities. SELF AND IDENTITY 2017. [DOI: 10.1080/15298868.2017.1327452] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Stefano I. Di Domenico
- Institute for Positive Psychology and Education, Australian Catholic University, Strathfield, Australia
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Marc A. Fournier
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Achala H. Rodrigo
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Mengxi Dong
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Hasan Ayaz
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Science and Health Systems, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Family and Community Health, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Division of General Pediatrics, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Anthony C. Ruocco
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto, ON, Canada
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31
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Holtzer R, Schoen C, Demetriou E, Mahoney JR, Izzetoglu M, Wang C, Verghese J. Stress and gender effects on prefrontal cortex oxygenation levels assessed during single and dual-task walking conditions. Eur J Neurosci 2017; 45:660-670. [PMID: 28028863 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.13518] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2016] [Revised: 11/15/2016] [Accepted: 12/14/2016] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
The ability to walk is critical for functional independence and wellbeing. The pre-frontal cortex (PFC) plays a key role in cognitive control of locomotion, notably under attention-demanding conditions. Factors that influence brain responses to cognitive demands of locomotion, however, are poorly understood. Herein, we evaluated the individual and combined effects of gender and perceived stress on stride velocity and PFC Oxygenated Hemoglobin (HbO2 ) assessed during single and dual-task walking conditions. The experimental paradigm included Normal Walk (NW); Cognitive Interference (Alpha); and Walk-While-Talk (WWT) tasks. An instrumented walkway was used to assess stride velocity in NW and WWT conditions. Functional Near-Infrared-Spectroscopy (fNIRS) was used to quantify PFC HbO2 levels during NW, Alpha and WWT. Perceived task-related stress was evaluated with a single 11-point scale item. Participants were community residing older adults (age = 76.8 ± 6.7 years; %female = 56). Results revealed that higher perceived stress was associated with greater decline in stride velocity from single to dual-task conditions among men. Three-way interactions revealed that gender moderated the effect of perceived stress on changes in HbO2 levels comparing WWT to NW and Alpha. Attenuation in the increase in HbO2 levels, in high compared to low perceived stress levels, from the two single task conditions to WWT was observed only in men. Thus, older men may be more vulnerable to the effect of perceived stress on the change in PFC oxygenation levels across walking conditions that vary in terms of cognitive demands. These findings confer important implications for assessment and treatment of individuals at risk of mobility impairments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roee Holtzer
- Department of Neurology, 1225 Morris Park Avenue, Van Etten, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, 10461, USA.,Ferkauf Graduate School of Psychology of Yeshiva University, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Chelsea Schoen
- Ferkauf Graduate School of Psychology of Yeshiva University, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Eleni Demetriou
- Ferkauf Graduate School of Psychology of Yeshiva University, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Jeannette R Mahoney
- Department of Neurology, 1225 Morris Park Avenue, Van Etten, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, 10461, USA
| | - Meltem Izzetoglu
- Drexel University School of Biomedical Engineering, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Cuiling Wang
- Department of Epidemiology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Joe Verghese
- Department of Neurology, 1225 Morris Park Avenue, Van Etten, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, 10461, USA.,Department of Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
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32
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Çakır MP, Çakır NA, Ayaz H, Lee FJ. Behavioral and Neural Effects of Game-Based Learning on Improving Computational Fluency With Numbers. ZEITSCHRIFT FUR PSYCHOLOGIE-JOURNAL OF PSYCHOLOGY 2016. [DOI: 10.1027/2151-2604/a000267] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
Abstract. This study examines the short-term behavioral and neural effects of an educational mobile game called MathDash on computational fluency. A portable functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIR) device was used to monitor changes in the prefrontal cortices of middle school students due to game-based training. Our aim is to explore changes in neural activity at regions in the prefrontal cortex associated with the management of working memory and attentional resources due to arithmetic training with MathDash. Overall, our results indicated that playing MathDash for a short duration of time elicited behavioral improvements as well as functional changes in bilateral dorsolateral prefrontal cortex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Murat Perit Çakır
- Department of Cognitive Science, Informatics Institute, Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Nur Akkuş Çakır
- Westphal College of Media Arts & Design, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Hasan Ayaz
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Science & Health Systems, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Family and Community Health, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Division of General Pediatrics, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Frank J. Lee
- Westphal College of Media Arts & Design, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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33
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Batula AM, Ayaz H, Kim YE. Evaluating a four-class motor-imagery-based optical brain-computer interface. ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE OF THE IEEE ENGINEERING IN MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY SOCIETY. IEEE ENGINEERING IN MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY SOCIETY. ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE 2016; 2014:2000-3. [PMID: 25570375 DOI: 10.1109/embc.2014.6944007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
This work investigates the potential of a four-class motor-imagery-based brain-computer interface (BCI) using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). Four motor imagery tasks (right hand, left hand, right foot, and left foot tapping) were executed while motor cortex activity was recorded via fNIRS. Preliminary results from three participants suggest that this could be a viable BCI interface, with two subjects achieving 50% accuracy. fNIRS is a noninvasive, safe, portable, and affordable optical brain imaging technique used to monitor cortical hemodynamic changes. Because of its portability and ease of use, fNIRS is amenable to deployment in more natural settings. Electroencephalography (EEG) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) BCIs have already been used with up to four motor-imagery-based commands. While fNIRS-based BCIs are relatively new, success with EEG and fMRI systems, as well as signal characteristics similar to fMRI and complementary to EEG, suggest that fNIRS could serve to build or augment future BCIs.
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34
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Ruocco AC, Rodrigo AH, McMain SF, Page-Gould E, Ayaz H, Links PS. Predicting Treatment Outcomes from Prefrontal Cortex Activation for Self-Harming Patients with Borderline Personality Disorder: A Preliminary Study. Front Hum Neurosci 2016; 10:220. [PMID: 27242484 PMCID: PMC4870399 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2016.00220] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2016] [Accepted: 04/28/2016] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Self-harm is a potentially lethal symptom of borderline personality disorder (BPD) that often improves with dialectical behavior therapy (DBT). While DBT is effective for reducing self-harm in many patients with BPD, a small but significant number of patients either does not improve in treatment or ends treatment prematurely. Accordingly, it is crucial to identify factors that may prospectively predict which patients are most likely to benefit from and remain in treatment. In the present preliminary study, 29 actively self-harming patients with BPD completed brain-imaging procedures probing activation of the prefrontal cortex (PFC) during impulse control prior to beginning DBT and after 7 months of treatment. Patients that reduced their frequency of self-harm the most over treatment displayed lower levels of neural activation in the bilateral dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) prior to beginning treatment, and they showed the greatest increases in activity within this region after 7 months of treatment. Prior to starting DBT, treatment non-completers demonstrated greater activation than treatment-completers in the medial PFC and right inferior frontal gyrus. Reductions in self-harm over the treatment period were associated with increases in activity in right DLPFC even after accounting for improvements in depression, mania, and BPD symptom severity. These findings suggest that pre-treatment patterns of activation in the PFC underlying impulse control may be prospectively associated with improvements in self-harm and treatment attrition for patients with BPD treated with DBT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anthony C Ruocco
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto Scarborough Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Achala H Rodrigo
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto Scarborough Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Shelley F McMain
- Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Borderline Personality Disorder Clinic Toronto, ON, Canada
| | | | - Hasan Ayaz
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Science and Health Systems, Drexel UniversityPhiladelphia, PA, USA; Department of Family and Community Health, University of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphia, PA, USA; Division of General Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of PhiladelphiaPhiladelphia, PA, USA
| | - Paul S Links
- Department of Psychiatry, Western University London, ON, Canada
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Andreu-Perez J, Leff DR, Shetty K, Darzi A, Yang GZ. Disparity in Frontal Lobe Connectivity on a Complex Bimanual Motor Task Aids in Classification of Operator Skill Level. Brain Connect 2016; 6:375-88. [PMID: 26899241 DOI: 10.1089/brain.2015.0350] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective metrics of technical performance (e.g., dexterity, time, and path length) are insufficient to fully characterize operator skill level, which may be encoded deep within neural function. Unlike reports that capture plasticity across days or weeks, this articles studies long-term plasticity in functional connectivity that occurs over years of professional task practice. Optical neuroimaging data are acquired from professional surgeons of varying experience on a complex bimanual coordination task with the aim of investigating learning-related disparity in frontal lobe functional connectivity that arises as a consequence of motor skill level. The results suggest that prefrontal and premotor seed connectivity is more critical during naïve versus expert performance. Given learning-related differences in connectivity, a least-squares support vector machine with a radial basis function kernel is employed to evaluate skill level using connectivity data. The results demonstrate discrimination of operator skill level with accuracy ≥0.82 and Multiclass Matthew's Correlation Coefficient ≥0.70. Furthermore, these indices are improved when local (i.e., within-region) rather than inter-regional (i.e., between-region) frontal connectivity is considered (p = 0.002). The results suggest that it is possible to classify operator skill level with good accuracy from functional connectivity data, upon which objective assessment and neurofeedback may be used to improve operator performance during technical skill training.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Kunal Shetty
- 1 The Hamlyn Centre Imperial College London , London, United Kingdom
| | - Ara Darzi
- 1 The Hamlyn Centre Imperial College London , London, United Kingdom
| | - Guang-Zhong Yang
- 1 The Hamlyn Centre Imperial College London , London, United Kingdom
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Manasse SM, Forman EM, Ruocco AC, Butryn ML, Juarascio AS, Fitzpatrick KK. Do executive functioning deficits underpin binge eating disorder? A comparison of overweight women with and without binge eating pathology. Int J Eat Disord 2015; 48:677-83. [PMID: 25644028 PMCID: PMC4516709 DOI: 10.1002/eat.22383] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2014] [Revised: 12/16/2014] [Accepted: 12/17/2014] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Deficits in executive function (EF)-including inhibitory control, cognitive flexibility, decision-making, and working memory-may be risk or maintenance factors for binge eating disorder (BED). However, there is mixed evidence regarding EF deficits in individuals with BED. Significant methodological weaknesses (e.g., use of a single EF measure, omission of relevant covariates) in the current literature represent one reason for lack of consensus. METHOD This study compared EF in a sample of overweight women with (n = 31) and without (n = 43) full or subthreshold BED, with the aim of conducting a multifaceted investigation of the neurocognitive profile of BED. A neuropsychological battery of EF was administered to all participants. RESULTS After controlling for IQ and age, individuals with binge eating displayed significantly poorer performance on tasks of problem-solving and inhibitory control, and displayed higher prioritization of immediate versus delayed rewards, but the two groups did not appear to differ on set-shifting, working memory, and risk taking. Differences in inhibitory control were no longer statistically significant when depressive symptomology was added as a covariate and correction for multiple comparisons was applied. Exploratory analyses indicated that full and sub-threshold BED groups did not differ in EF. DISCUSSION Results partially support the hypothesis of relative EF deficits in individuals with BED, suggesting that binge eating may be maintained by cognitive factors distinct from those of obesity. Future research should aim to replicate with a larger sample, control for a wider range of psychiatric comorbidities, and examine whether EF deficits predict treatment outcome.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Evan M. Forman
- Drexel University, Department of Psychology, Philadelphia PA
| | - Anthony C. Ruocco
- University of Toronto Scarborough, Department of Psychology, Toronto, Canada
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Rodrigo AH, Di Domenico SI, Graves B, Lam J, Ayaz H, Bagby RM, Ruocco AC. Linking trait-based phenotypes to prefrontal cortex activation during inhibitory control. Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci 2015; 11:55-65. [PMID: 26163672 DOI: 10.1093/scan/nsv091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2015] [Accepted: 07/07/2015] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Inhibitory control is subserved in part by discrete regions of the prefrontal cortex whose functionality may be altered according to specific trait-based phenotypes. Using a unified model of normal range personality traits, we examined activation within lateral and medial aspects of the prefrontal cortex during a manual go/no-go task. Evoked hemodynamic oxygenation within the prefrontal cortex was measured in 106 adults using a 16-channel continuous-wave functional near-infrared spectroscopy system. Within lateral regions of the prefrontal cortex, greater activation was associated with higher trait levels of extraversion, agreeableness and conscientiousness, and lower neuroticism. Higher agreeableness was also related to more activation in the medial prefrontal cortex during inhibitory control. These results suggest that personality traits reflecting greater emotional stability, extraversion, agreeableness and conscientiousness may be associated with more efficient recruitment of control processes subserved by lateral regions of the prefrontal cortex. These findings highlight key links between trait-based phenotypes and neural activation patterns in the prefrontal cortex underlying inhibitory control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Achala H Rodrigo
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto, Ontario, Canada and
| | - Stefano I Di Domenico
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto, Ontario, Canada and
| | - Bryanna Graves
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto, Ontario, Canada and
| | - Jaeger Lam
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto, Ontario, Canada and
| | - Hasan Ayaz
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Science and Health Systems, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - R Michael Bagby
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto, Ontario, Canada and
| | - Anthony C Ruocco
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto, Ontario, Canada and
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Eng GK, Sim K, Chen SHA. Meta-analytic investigations of structural grey matter, executive domain-related functional activations, and white matter diffusivity in obsessive compulsive disorder: an integrative review. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2015; 52:233-57. [PMID: 25766413 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2015.03.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 95] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2014] [Revised: 02/27/2015] [Accepted: 03/03/2015] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a debilitating disorder. However, existing neuroimaging findings involving executive function and structural abnormalities in OCD have been mixed. Here we conducted meta-analyses to investigate differences in OCD samples and controls in: Study 1 - grey matter structure; Study 2 - executive function task-related activations during (i) response inhibition, (ii) interference, and (iii) switching tasks; and Study 3 - white matter diffusivity. Results showed grey matter differences in the frontal, striatal, thalamus, parietal and cerebellar regions; task domain-specific neural differences in similar regions; and abnormal diffusivity in major white matter regions in OCD samples compared to controls. Our results reported concurrence of abnormal white matter diffusivity with corresponding abnormalities in grey matter and task-related functional activations. Our findings suggested the involvement of other brain regions not included in the cortico-striato-thalamo-cortical network, such as the cerebellum and parietal cortex, and questioned the involvement of the orbitofrontal region in OCD pathophysiology. Future research is needed to clarify the roles of these brain regions in the disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Goi Khia Eng
- Division of Psychology, School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, 14 Nanyang Drive, Singapore 637332, Singapore
| | - Kang Sim
- Department of General Psychiatry, Institute of Mental Health, 10 Buangkok View, Singapore 539747, Singapore
| | - Shen-Hsing Annabel Chen
- Division of Psychology, School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, 14 Nanyang Drive, Singapore 637332, Singapore; Centre for Research and Development in Learning, 62 Nanyang Drive, Singapore 637459, Singapore.
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Pijnenburg M, Brumagne S, Caeyenberghs K, Janssens L, Goossens N, Marinazzo D, Swinnen SP, Claeys K, Siugzdaite R. Resting-State Functional Connectivity of the Sensorimotor Network in Individuals with Nonspecific Low Back Pain and the Association with the Sit-to-Stand-to-Sit Task. Brain Connect 2015; 5:303-11. [PMID: 25557846 DOI: 10.1089/brain.2014.0309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Individuals with nonspecific low back pain (NSLBP) show a decreased sit-to-stand-to-sit (STSTS) performance. This dynamic sensorimotor task requires integration of sensory and motor information in the brain. Therefore, a better understanding of the underlying central mechanisms of impaired sensorimotor performance and the presence of NSLBP is needed. The aims of this study were to characterize differences in sensorimotor functional connectivity in individuals with NSLBP and to investigate whether the patterns of sensorimotor functional connectivity underlie the impaired STSTS performance. Seventeen individuals with NSLBP and 17 healthy controls were instructed to perform five consecutive STSTS movements as fast as possible. Based on the center of pressure displacement, the total duration of the STSTS task was determined. In addition, resting-state functional connectivity images were acquired and analyzed on a multivariate level using both functional connectivity density mapping and independent component analysis. Individuals with NSLBP needed significantly more time to perform the STSTS task compared to healthy controls. In addition, decreased resting-state functional connectivity of brain areas related to the integration of sensory and/or motor information was shown in the individuals with NSLBP. Moreover, the decreased functional connectivity at rest of the left precentral gyrus and lobule IV and V of the left cerebellum was associated with a longer duration of the STSTS task in both individuals with NSLBP and healthy controls. In summary, individuals with NSLBP showed a reorganization of the sensorimotor network at rest, and the functional connectivity of specific sensorimotor areas was associated with the performance of a dynamic sensorimotor task.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madelon Pijnenburg
- 1 Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, KU Leuven-University of Leuven , Leuven, Belgium
| | - Simon Brumagne
- 1 Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, KU Leuven-University of Leuven , Leuven, Belgium
| | - Karen Caeyenberghs
- 2 Department of Physical Therapy and Motor Rehabilitation, University of Ghent , Ghent, Belgium .,3 Department of Movement and Sports Sciences, University of Ghent , Ghent, Belgium
| | - Lotte Janssens
- 1 Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, KU Leuven-University of Leuven , Leuven, Belgium
| | - Nina Goossens
- 1 Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, KU Leuven-University of Leuven , Leuven, Belgium
| | | | - Stephan P Swinnen
- 5 Department of Kinesiology, KU Leuven-University of Leuven , Leuven, Belgium
| | - Kurt Claeys
- 6 Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, KU Leuven-University of Leuven , Leuven, Belgium
| | - Roma Siugzdaite
- 4 Department of Data Analysis, University of Ghent , Ghent, Belgium
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Di Domenico SI, Rodrigo AH, Ayaz H, Fournier MA, Ruocco AC. Decision-making conflict and the neural efficiency hypothesis of intelligence: a functional near-infrared spectroscopy investigation. Neuroimage 2015; 109:307-17. [PMID: 25625894 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2015.01.039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2014] [Revised: 12/16/2014] [Accepted: 01/18/2015] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Research on the neural efficiency hypothesis of intelligence (NEH) has revealed that the brains of more intelligent individuals consume less energy when performing easy cognitive tasks but more energy when engaged in difficult mental operations. However, previous studies testing the NEH have relied on cognitive tasks that closely resemble psychometric tests of intelligence, potentially confounding efficiency during intelligence-test performance with neural efficiency per se. The present study sought to provide a novel test of the NEH by examining patterns of prefrontal activity while participants completed an experimental paradigm that is qualitatively distinct from the contents of psychometric tests of intelligence. Specifically, participants completed a personal decision-making task (e.g., which occupation would you prefer, dancer or chemist?) in which they made a series of forced choices according to their subjective preferences. The degree of decisional conflict (i.e., choice difficulty) between the available response options was manipulated on the basis of participants' unique preference ratings for the target stimuli, which were obtained prior to scanning. Evoked oxygenation of the prefrontal cortex was measured using 16-channel continuous-wave functional near-infrared spectroscopy. Consistent with the NEH, intelligence predicted decreased activation of the right inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) during low-conflict situations and increased activation of the right-IFG during high-conflict situations. This pattern of right-IFG activity among more intelligent individuals was complemented by faster reaction times in high-conflict situations. These results provide new support for the NEH and suggest that the neural efficiency of more intelligent individuals generalizes to the performance of cognitive tasks that are distinct from intelligence tests.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Achala H Rodrigo
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto, Canada
| | - Hasan Ayaz
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Science and Health Systems, Drexel University, Philadelphia, USA
| | - Marc A Fournier
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto, Canada
| | - Anthony C Ruocco
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto, Canada.
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Sebastian A, Jung P, Krause-Utz A, Lieb K, Schmahl C, Tüscher O. Frontal dysfunctions of impulse control - a systematic review in borderline personality disorder and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Front Hum Neurosci 2014; 8:698. [PMID: 25232313 PMCID: PMC4153044 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2014.00698] [Citation(s) in RCA: 99] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2014] [Accepted: 08/20/2014] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Disorders such as borderline personality disorder (BPD) or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are characterized by impulsive behaviors. Impulsivity as used in clinical terms is very broadly defined and entails different categories including personality traits as well as different cognitive functions such as emotion regulation or interference resolution and impulse control. Impulse control as an executive function, however, is neither cognitively nor neurobehaviorally a unitary function. Recent findings from behavioral and cognitive neuroscience studies suggest related but dissociable components of impulse control along functional domains like selective attention, response selection, motivational control, and behavioral inhibition. In addition, behavioral and neural dissociations are seen for proactive vs. reactive inhibitory motor control. The prefrontal cortex with its sub-regions is the central structure in executing these impulse control functions. Based on these concepts of impulse control, neurobehavioral findings of studies in BPD and ADHD were reviewed and systematically compared. Overall, patients with BPD exhibited prefrontal dysfunctions across impulse control components rather in orbitofrontal, dorsomedial, and dorsolateral prefrontal regions, whereas patients with ADHD displayed disturbed activity mainly in ventrolateral and medial prefrontal regions. Prefrontal dysfunctions, however, varied depending on the impulse control component and from disorder to disorder. This suggests a dissociation of impulse control related frontal dysfunctions in BPD and ADHD, although only few studies are hitherto available to assess frontal dysfunctions along different impulse control components in direct comparison of these disorders. Yet, these findings might serve as a hypothesis for the future systematic assessment of impulse control components to understand differences and commonalities of prefrontal cortex dysfunction in impulsive disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Sebastian
- Emotion Regulation and Impulse Control Group, Focus Program Translational Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Johannes Gutenberg-University , Mainz , Germany
| | - Patrick Jung
- Emotion Regulation and Impulse Control Group, Focus Program Translational Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Johannes Gutenberg-University , Mainz , Germany
| | - Annegret Krause-Utz
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health Mannheim, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University , Mannheim , Germany
| | - Klaus Lieb
- Emotion Regulation and Impulse Control Group, Focus Program Translational Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Johannes Gutenberg-University , Mainz , Germany
| | - Christian Schmahl
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health Mannheim, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University , Mannheim , Germany
| | - Oliver Tüscher
- Emotion Regulation and Impulse Control Group, Focus Program Translational Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Johannes Gutenberg-University , Mainz , Germany ; Department of Neurology, Albert-Ludwigs-University Medical Center , Freiburg , Germany
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Boas DA, Elwell CE, Ferrari M, Taga G. Twenty years of functional near-infrared spectroscopy: introduction for the special issue. Neuroimage 2014; 85 Pt 1:1-5. [PMID: 24321364 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2013.11.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 302] [Impact Index Per Article: 30.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2013] [Accepted: 06/03/2013] [Indexed: 10/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Papers from four different groups were published in 1993 demonstrating the ability of functional near infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) to non-invasively measure hemoglobin concentration responses to brain function in humans. This special issue commemorates the first 20years of fNIRS research. The 9 reviews and 49 contributed papers provide a comprehensive survey of the exciting advances driving the field forward and of the myriad of applications that will benefit from fNIRS.
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Affiliation(s)
- David A Boas
- Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, USA
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Sexually dimorphic functional connectivity in response to high vs. low energy-dense food cues in obese humans: an fMRI study. Neuroimage 2014; 100:405-13. [PMID: 24862077 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2014.05.054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2013] [Revised: 02/19/2014] [Accepted: 05/17/2014] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Sexually-dimorphic behavioral and biological aspects of human eating have been described. Using psychophysiological interaction (PPI) analysis, we investigated sex-based differences in functional connectivity with a key emotion-processing region (amygdala, AMG) and a key reward-processing area (ventral striatum, VS) in response to high vs. low energy-dense (ED) food images using blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in obese persons in fasted and fed states. When fed, in response to high vs. low-ED food cues, obese men (vs. women) had greater functional connectivity with AMG in right subgenual anterior cingulate, whereas obese women had greater functional connectivity with AMG in left angular gyrus and right primary motor areas. In addition, when fed, AMG functional connectivity with pre/post-central gyrus was more associated with BMI in women (vs. men). When fasted, obese men (vs. women) had greater functional connectivity with AMG in bilateral supplementary frontal and primary motor areas, left precuneus, and right cuneus, whereas obese women had greater functional connectivity with AMG in left inferior frontal gyrus, right thalamus, and dorsomedial prefrontal cortex. When fed, greater functional connectivity with VS was observed in men in bilateral supplementary and primary motor areas, left postcentral gyrus, and left precuneus. These sex-based differences in functional connectivity in response to visual food cues may help partly explain differential eating behavior, pathology prevalence, and outcomes in men and women.
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Ruocco AC, Rodrigo AH, Lam J, Di Domenico SI, Graves B, Ayaz H. A problem-solving task specialized for functional neuroimaging: validation of the Scarborough adaptation of the Tower of London (S-TOL) using near-infrared spectroscopy. Front Hum Neurosci 2014; 8:185. [PMID: 24734017 PMCID: PMC3975118 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2014.00185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2013] [Accepted: 03/13/2014] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Problem-solving is an executive function subserved by a network of neural structures of which the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) is central. Whereas several studies have evaluated the role of the DLPFC in problem-solving, few standardized tasks have been developed specifically for use with functional neuroimaging. The current study adapted a measure with established validity for the assessment of problem-solving abilities to design a test more suitable for functional neuroimaging protocols. The Scarborough adaptation of the Tower of London (S-TOL) was administered to 38 healthy adults while hemodynamic oxygenation of the PFC was measured using 16-channel continuous-wave functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). Compared to a baseline condition, problems that required two or three steps to achieve a goal configuration were associated with higher activation in the left DLPFC and deactivation in the medial PFC. Individuals scoring higher in trait deliberation showed consistently higher activation in the left DLPFC regardless of task difficulty, whereas individuals lower in this trait displayed less activation when solving simple problems. Based on these results, the S-TOL may serve as a standardized task to evaluate problem-solving abilities in functional neuroimaging studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anthony C Ruocco
- Clinical Neurosciences Laboratory, Department of Psychology, University of Toronto Scarborough Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Achala H Rodrigo
- Clinical Neurosciences Laboratory, Department of Psychology, University of Toronto Scarborough Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Jaeger Lam
- Clinical Neurosciences Laboratory, Department of Psychology, University of Toronto Scarborough Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Stefano I Di Domenico
- Clinical Neurosciences Laboratory, Department of Psychology, University of Toronto Scarborough Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Bryanna Graves
- Clinical Neurosciences Laboratory, Department of Psychology, University of Toronto Scarborough Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Hasan Ayaz
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Science and Health Systems, Drexel University Philadelphia, PA, USA
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