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Coronel-Oliveros C, Medel V, Orellana S, Rodiño J, Lehue F, Cruzat J, Tagliazucchi E, Brzezicka A, Orio P, Kowalczyk-Grębska N, Ibáñez A. Gaming expertise induces meso‑scale brain plasticity and efficiency mechanisms as revealed by whole-brain modeling. Neuroimage 2024; 293:120633. [PMID: 38704057 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2024.120633] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2023] [Revised: 04/17/2024] [Accepted: 04/30/2024] [Indexed: 05/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Video games are a valuable tool for studying the effects of training and neural plasticity on the brain. However, the underlying mechanisms related to plasticity-associated brain structural changes and their impact on brain dynamics are unknown. Here, we used a semi-empirical whole-brain model to study structural neural plasticity mechanisms linked to video game expertise. We hypothesized that video game expertise is associated with neural plasticity-mediated changes in structural connectivity that manifest at the meso‑scale level, resulting in a more segregated functional network topology. To test this hypothesis, we combined structural connectivity data of StarCraft II video game players (VGPs, n = 31) and non-players (NVGPs, n = 31), with generic fMRI data from the Human Connectome Project and computational models, to generate simulated fMRI recordings. Graph theory analysis on simulated data was performed during both resting-state conditions and external stimulation. VGPs' simulated functional connectivity was characterized by a meso‑scale integration, with increased local connectivity in frontal, parietal, and occipital brain regions. The same analyses at the level of structural connectivity showed no differences between VGPs and NVGPs. Regions that increased their connectivity strength in VGPs are known to be involved in cognitive processes crucial for task performance such as attention, reasoning, and inference. In-silico stimulation suggested that differences in FC between VGPs and NVGPs emerge in noisy contexts, specifically when the noisy level of stimulation is increased. This indicates that the connectomes of VGPs may facilitate the filtering of noise from stimuli. These structural alterations drive the meso‑scale functional changes observed in individuals with gaming expertise. Overall, our work sheds light on the mechanisms underlying structural neural plasticity triggered by video game experiences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos Coronel-Oliveros
- Latin American Brain Health Institute (BrainLat), Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, Diagonal Las Torres, Peñalolén, Santiago 2640, Chile; Global Brain Health Institute (GBHI), University of California San Francisco (UCSF), California US and Trinity College Dublin, Ireland; Centro Interdisciplinario de Neurociencia de Valparaíso (CINV), Universidad de Valparaíso, Harrington, Playa Ancha, Valparaíso 287, Chile
| | - Vicente Medel
- Latin American Brain Health Institute (BrainLat), Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, Diagonal Las Torres, Peñalolén, Santiago 2640, Chile; Brain and Mind Centre, The University of Sydney, 94 Mallett St, Camperdown, NSW 2050, Australia; Department of Neuroscience, Universidad de Chile, Independencia 1027, Independencia, Santiago, Chile
| | - Sebastián Orellana
- Centro Interdisciplinario de Neurociencia de Valparaíso (CINV), Universidad de Valparaíso, Harrington, Playa Ancha, Valparaíso 287, Chile
| | - Julio Rodiño
- Centro Interdisciplinario de Neurociencia de Valparaíso (CINV), Universidad de Valparaíso, Harrington, Playa Ancha, Valparaíso 287, Chile; Brain Dynamics Laboratory, Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad de Valparaíso, General Cruz 222, Valparaíso, Chile
| | - Fernando Lehue
- Centro Interdisciplinario de Neurociencia de Valparaíso (CINV), Universidad de Valparaíso, Harrington, Playa Ancha, Valparaíso 287, Chile
| | - Josephine Cruzat
- Latin American Brain Health Institute (BrainLat), Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, Diagonal Las Torres, Peñalolén, Santiago 2640, Chile
| | - Enzo Tagliazucchi
- Latin American Brain Health Institute (BrainLat), Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, Diagonal Las Torres, Peñalolén, Santiago 2640, Chile; Buenos Aires Physics Institute and Physics Department, University of Buenos Aires, Intendente Güiraldes 2160 - Ciudad Universitaria, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Aneta Brzezicka
- Faculty of Psychology, SWPS University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Chodakowska 19/31, Warsaw, 03-815, Poland
| | - Patricio Orio
- Centro Interdisciplinario de Neurociencia de Valparaíso (CINV), Universidad de Valparaíso, Harrington, Playa Ancha, Valparaíso 287, Chile; Instituto de Neurociencia, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Valparaíso, Gran Bretaña 1091, Playa Ancha, Valparaíso, Chile.
| | - Natalia Kowalczyk-Grębska
- Faculty of Psychology, SWPS University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Chodakowska 19/31, Warsaw, 03-815, Poland.
| | - Agustín Ibáñez
- Latin American Brain Health Institute (BrainLat), Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, Diagonal Las Torres, Peñalolén, Santiago 2640, Chile; Global Brain Health Institute (GBHI), University of California San Francisco (UCSF), California US and Trinity College Dublin, Ireland; Cognitive Neuroscience Center (CNC), Universidad de San Andrés, Vito Dumas 284, Provincia de Buenos Aires, Argentina; Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin, Lloyd Building, Dublin 2, Ireland.
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Bertoni S, Franceschini S, Mancarella M, Puccio G, Ronconi L, Marsicano G, Gori S, Campana G, Facoetti A. Action video games and posterior parietal cortex neuromodulation enhance both attention and reading in adults with developmental dyslexia. Cereb Cortex 2024; 34:bhae152. [PMID: 38610090 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhae152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2024] [Revised: 03/20/2024] [Accepted: 03/25/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024] Open
Abstract
The impact of action video games on reading performance has been already demonstrated in individuals with and without neurodevelopmental disorders. The combination of action video games and posterior parietal cortex neuromodulation by a transcranial random noise stimulation could enhance brain plasticity, improving attentional control and reading skills also in adults with developmental dyslexia. In a double blind randomized controlled trial, 20 young adult nonaction video game players with developmental dyslexia were trained for 15 h with action video games. Half of the participants were stimulated with bilateral transcranial random noise stimulation on the posterior parietal cortex during the action video game training, whereas the others were in the placebo (i.e. sham) condition. Word text reading, pseudowords decoding, and temporal attention (attentional blink), as well as electroencephalographic activity during the attentional blink, were measured before and after the training. The action video game + transcranial random noise stimulation group showed temporal attention, word text reading, and pseudoword decoding enhancements and P300 amplitude brain potential changes. The enhancement in temporal attention performance was related with the efficiency in pseudoword decoding improvement. Our results demonstrate that the combination of action video game training with parietal neuromodulation increases the efficiency of visual attention deployment, probably reshaping goal-directed and stimulus-driven fronto-parietal attentional networks interplay in young adults with neurodevelopmental conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Bertoni
- Department of Human and Social Sciences, University of Bergamo, Piazzale Sant'Agostino 2, Bergamo 24129, Italy
| | - Sandro Franceschini
- Developmental and Cognitive Neuroscience Lab, Department of General Psychology, University of Padua, Via Venezia 8, Padua 35131, Italy
| | - Martina Mancarella
- Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Leopold Vanderkelenstraat 32, Leuven 3000, Belgium
| | - Giovanna Puccio
- Developmental and Cognitive Neuroscience Lab, Department of General Psychology, University of Padua, Via Venezia 8, Padua 35131, Italy
| | - Luca Ronconi
- School of Psychology, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Via Olgettina 58, Milan 20132, Italy
| | - Gianluca Marsicano
- Centre for Studies and Research in Cognitive Neuroscience, University of Bologna, Viale Rasi e Spinelli 176, Cesena 47521, Italy
- Department of Psychology, University of Bologna, Viale Berti Pichat 5, Bologna 40121, Italy
| | - Simone Gori
- Department of Human and Social Sciences, University of Bergamo, Piazzale Sant'Agostino 2, Bergamo 24129, Italy
| | - Gianluca Campana
- PercUp Lab, Department of General Psychology, University of Padua, Via Venezia 8, Padua 35131, Italy
| | - Andrea Facoetti
- Developmental and Cognitive Neuroscience Lab, Department of General Psychology, University of Padua, Via Venezia 8, Padua 35131, Italy
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Thakuri DS, Bhattarai P, Wong DF, Chand GB. Dysregulated Salience Network Control over Default-Mode and Central-Executive Networks in Schizophrenia Revealed Using Stochastic Dynamical Causal Modeling. Brain Connect 2024; 14:70-79. [PMID: 38164105 PMCID: PMC10890948 DOI: 10.1089/brain.2023.0054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction: Neuroimaging studies suggest that the human brain consists of intrinsically organized, large-scale neural networks. Among these networks, the interplay among the default-mode network (DMN), salience network (SN), and central-executive network (CEN) has been widely used to understand the functional interaction patterns in health and disease. This triple network model suggests that the SN causally controls over the DMN and CEN in healthy individuals. This interaction is often referred to as SN's dynamic regulating mechanism. However, such interactions are not well understood in individuals with schizophrenia. Methods: In this study, we leveraged resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging data from schizophrenia (n = 67) and healthy controls (n = 81) and evaluated the directional functional interactions among DMN, SN, and CEN using stochastic dynamical causal modeling methodology. Results: In healthy controls, our analyses replicated previous findings that SN regulates DMN and CEN activities (Mann-Whitney U test; p < 10-8). In schizophrenia, however, our analyses revealed a disrupted SN-based controlling mechanism over the DMN and CEN (Mann-Whitney U test; p < 10-16). Conclusions: These results indicate that the disrupted controlling mechanism of SN over the other two neural networks may be a candidate neuroimaging phenotype in schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deepa S. Thakuri
- Department of Radiology, Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
- Departments of Medicine and Radiology, University of Missouri School of Medicine, Columbia, Missouri, USA
| | - Puskar Bhattarai
- Department of Radiology, Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Dean F. Wong
- Department of Radiology, Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
- Departments of Neuroscience, Psychiatry, and Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
- Imaging Core, Knight Alzheimer Disease Research Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Ganesh B. Chand
- Department of Radiology, Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
- Imaging Core, Knight Alzheimer Disease Research Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
- Institute of Clinical and Translational Sciences, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
- NeuroGenomics and Informatics Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
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Coronel-Oliveros C, Medel V, Orellana S, Rodiño J, Lehue F, Cruzat J, Tagliazucchi E, Brzezicka A, Orio P, Kowalczyk-Grębska N, Ibáñez A. Gaming expertise induces meso-scale brain plasticity and efficiency mechanisms as revealed by whole-brain modeling Gaming expertise, neuroplasticity and functional dynamics. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.08.21.554072. [PMID: 38077041 PMCID: PMC10705274 DOI: 10.1101/2023.08.21.554072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
Video games are a valuable tool for studying the effects of training and neural plasticity on the brain. However, the underlaying mechanisms related to plasticity-induced brain structural changes and their impact in brain dynamics are unknown. Here, we used a semi-empirical whole-brain model to study structural neural plasticity mechanisms linked to video game expertise. We hypothesized that video game expertise is associated with neural plasticity-mediated changes in structural connectivity that manifest at the meso-scale level, resulting in a more segregated functional network topology. To test this hypothesis, we combined structural connectivity data of StarCraft II video game players (VGPs, n = 31) and non-players (NVGPs, n = 31), with generic fMRI data from the Human Connectome Project and computational models, with the aim of generating simulated fMRI recordings. Graph theory analysis on simulated data was performed during both resting-state conditions and external stimulation. VGPs' simulated functional connectivity was characterized by a meso-scale integration, with increased local connectivity in frontal, parietal and occipital brain regions. The same analyses at the level of structural connectivity showed no differences between VGPs and NVGPs. Regions that increased their connectivity strength in VGPs are known to be involved in cognitive processes crucial for task performance such as attention, reasoning, and inference. In-silico stimulation suggested that differences in FC between VGPs and NVGPs emerge in noisy contexts, specifically when the noisy level of stimulation is increased. This indicates that the connectomes of VGPs may facilitate the filtering of noise from stimuli. These structural alterations drive the meso-scale functional changes observed in individuals with gaming expertise. Overall, our work sheds light into the mechanisms underlying structural neural plasticity triggered by video game experiences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos Coronel-Oliveros
- Latin American Brain Health Institute (BrainLat), Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, Diagonal Las Torres 2640, Penalolen, Santiago (Chile)
- Global Brain Health Institute (GBHI), University of California San Francisco (UCSF), California US and Trinity College Dublin, Ireland
- Centro Interdisciplinario de Neurociencia de Valparaíso (CINV), Universidad de Valparaíso, Harrington 287, Playa Ancha, Valparaíso (Chile)
| | - Vicente Medel
- Latin American Brain Health Institute (BrainLat), Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, Diagonal Las Torres 2640, Penalolen, Santiago (Chile)
- Brain and Mind Centre, The University of Sydney, 94 Mallett St, Camperdown NSW 2050 (Australia)
- Department of Neuroscience, Universidad de Chile, Independencia 1027, Independencia, Santiago (Chile)
| | - Sebastián Orellana
- Centro Interdisciplinario de Neurociencia de Valparaíso (CINV), Universidad de Valparaíso, Harrington 287, Playa Ancha, Valparaíso (Chile)
| | - Julio Rodiño
- Centro Interdisciplinario de Neurociencia de Valparaíso (CINV), Universidad de Valparaíso, Harrington 287, Playa Ancha, Valparaíso (Chile)
- Brain Dynamics Laboratory, Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad de Valparaíso, General Cruz 222, Valparaíso (Chile)
| | - Fernando Lehue
- Centro Interdisciplinario de Neurociencia de Valparaíso (CINV), Universidad de Valparaíso, Harrington 287, Playa Ancha, Valparaíso (Chile)
| | - Josephine Cruzat
- Latin American Brain Health Institute (BrainLat), Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, Diagonal Las Torres 2640, Penalolen, Santiago (Chile)
| | - Enzo Tagliazucchi
- Latin American Brain Health Institute (BrainLat), Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, Diagonal Las Torres 2640, Penalolen, Santiago (Chile)
- Buenos Aires Physics Institute and Physics Department, University of Buenos Aires, Intendente Güiraldes 2160 - Ciudad Universitaria, Buenos Aires (Argentina)
| | - Aneta Brzezicka
- Faculty of Psychology, SWPS University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Chodakowska 19/31, 03-815 Warsaw (Poland)
| | - Patricio Orio
- Centro Interdisciplinario de Neurociencia de Valparaíso (CINV), Universidad de Valparaíso, Harrington 287, Playa Ancha, Valparaíso (Chile)
- Instituto de Neurociencia, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Valparaíso, Gran Bretaña 1091, Playa Ancha, Valparaíso (Chile)
| | - Natalia Kowalczyk-Grębska
- Faculty of Psychology, SWPS University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Chodakowska 19/31, 03-815 Warsaw (Poland)
| | - Agustín Ibáñez
- Latin American Brain Health Institute (BrainLat), Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, Diagonal Las Torres 2640, Penalolen, Santiago (Chile)
- Global Brain Health Institute (GBHI), University of California San Francisco (UCSF), California US and Trinity College Dublin, Ireland
- Cognitive Neuroscience Center (CNC), Universidad de San Andrés & CONICET, Vito Dumas 284, Provincia de Buenos Aires (Argentina)
- Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin, Lloyd Building, Dublin 2 (Ireland)
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Peracchia S, D’Aurizio G, Curcio G. Videogaming Frequency and Executive Skills in Young Adults. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:12081. [PMID: 36231382 PMCID: PMC9566057 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph191912081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2022] [Revised: 09/21/2022] [Accepted: 09/22/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Many studies have shown that "action" videogames (VG) training can improve various cognitive aspects (such as attention, enumeration skill, problem solving, vigilance, inhibitory control and decision making). Unfortunately, independently by VG genre, little research has been conducted on the relevance of videogaming frequency to modulate cognitive performance. In the present study, we investigated the differences between two groups of young adults (Experienced Gamers and Casual Gamers, respectively, EGs and CGs) in some attentional and executive abilities. To this end, 19 EGs (age 23.21 ± 1.68 years; gaming frequency 46.42 ± 11.15 h/week) and 19 CGs (age 23.10 ± 2.28 years; gaming frequency 1.31 ± 1.76 h/week) were selected and asked to complete a computer-based and customized version of an executive battery (i.e., Attention Network Task, Game of Dice task, Go/NoGo task and Task Switching). The results showed better basic attentional abilities and alertness level (i.e., as indicated by faster reaction times (RTs) and greater accuracy) in EGs compared to CGs. Moreover, EGs showed a more efficient decision making than CGs, particularly evident in risky decisions. Taken together, such results show that an executive functioning improvement can be observed as a consequence of continuous and constant exposure to VG, independently by the specific genre played. These data can be a useful starting point to develop new and innovative executive training protocols, based and inspired to videogames to be applied in clinical populations suffering, for example, from dysexecutive impairment.
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