1
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Sakaguchi K, Tawata S. Giftedness and atypical sexual differentiation: enhanced perceptual functioning through estrogen deficiency instead of androgen excess. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2024; 15:1343759. [PMID: 38752176 PMCID: PMC11094242 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2024.1343759] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2023] [Accepted: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Syndromic autism spectrum conditions (ASC), such as Klinefelter syndrome, also manifest hypogonadism. Compared to the popular Extreme Male Brain theory, the Enhanced Perceptual Functioning model explains the connection between ASC, savant traits, and giftedness more seamlessly, and their co-emergence with atypical sexual differentiation. Overexcitability of primary sensory inputs generates a relative enhancement of local to global processing of stimuli, hindering the abstraction of communication signals, in contrast to the extraordinary local information processing skills in some individuals. Weaker inhibitory function through gamma-aminobutyric acid type A (GABAA) receptors and the atypicality of synapse formation lead to this difference, and the formation of unique neural circuits that process external information. Additionally, deficiency in monitoring inner sensory information leads to alexithymia (inability to distinguish one's own emotions), which can be caused by hypoactivity of estrogen and oxytocin in the interoceptive neural circuits, comprising the anterior insular and cingulate gyri. These areas are also part of the Salience Network, which switches between the Central Executive Network for external tasks and the Default Mode Network for self-referential mind wandering. Exploring the possibility that estrogen deficiency since early development interrupts GABA shift, causing sensory processing atypicality, it helps to evaluate the co-occurrence of ASC with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, dyslexia, and schizophrenia based on phenotypic and physiological bases. It also provides clues for understanding the common underpinnings of these neurodevelopmental disorders and gifted populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kikue Sakaguchi
- Research Department, National Institution for Academic Degrees and Quality Enhancement of Higher Education (NIAD-QE), Kodaira-shi, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Shintaro Tawata
- Graduate School of Human Sciences, Sophia University, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, Japan
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2
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Bonacchi R, Valsasina P, Pagani E, Meani A, Preziosa P, Rocca MA, Filippi M. Sex-related differences in upper limb motor function in healthy subjects and multiple sclerosis patients: a multiparametric MRI study. J Neurol 2023; 270:5235-5250. [PMID: 37639018 DOI: 10.1007/s00415-023-11948-z] [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: 06/05/2023] [Revised: 08/16/2023] [Accepted: 08/17/2023] [Indexed: 08/29/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND We investigated sex-related differences in upper limb motor performance tested with the 9-Hole Peg Test (9HPT) in healthy controls (HC) and multiple sclerosis (MS) patients and their MRI substrates. MATERIALS AND METHODS We enrolled 94 HC and 133 MS patients, who underwent neurological examination, 9HPT and brain 3T MRI, with sequences for regional grey matter volume (GMV), white matter (WM) fractional anisotropy (FA) and resting state (RS) functional connectivity (FC) analysis. Associations between MRI variables and 9HPT performance were analyzed with general linear models. RESULTS 9HPT performance was better in HC vs MS patients, and in female vs male HC. Regional GMV analysis showed: associations between better 9HPT performance and higher GMV in motor and cognitive cortical areas in HC, with stronger positive correlations in females vs males. In MS, worse 9HPT performance correlated with lower volume in motor and cognitive areas. Sex-related differences were minimal and mostly found in cerebellar areas. WM FA analysis disclosed neither associations with 9HPT performance in HC, nor sex-related differences in MS. RS FC analysis showed: in the sensorimotor network, stronger associations of RS FC with 9HPT performance in female vs male HC and no sex-related differences in MS; in the cerebellar network, no sex-related differences in HC but stronger negative correlation in left cerebellum in male vs female MS patients. CONCLUSIONS Sex influences 9HPT performance in HC, mainly through differences in volume and RS FC of motor and cognitive areas. Sex-related effects on motor performance become secondary but still present in MS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raffaello Bonacchi
- Neuroimaging Research Unit, Division of Neuroscience, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Via Olgettina, 60, 20132, Milan, Italy
- Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy
| | - Paola Valsasina
- Neuroimaging Research Unit, Division of Neuroscience, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Via Olgettina, 60, 20132, Milan, Italy
| | - Elisabetta Pagani
- Neuroimaging Research Unit, Division of Neuroscience, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Via Olgettina, 60, 20132, Milan, Italy
| | - Alessandro Meani
- Neuroimaging Research Unit, Division of Neuroscience, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Via Olgettina, 60, 20132, Milan, Italy
| | - Paolo Preziosa
- Neuroimaging Research Unit, Division of Neuroscience, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Via Olgettina, 60, 20132, Milan, Italy
- Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy
- Neurology Unit, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Maria A Rocca
- Neuroimaging Research Unit, Division of Neuroscience, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Via Olgettina, 60, 20132, Milan, Italy
- Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy
- Neurology Unit, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Massimo Filippi
- Neuroimaging Research Unit, Division of Neuroscience, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Via Olgettina, 60, 20132, Milan, Italy.
- Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy.
- Neurology Unit, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy.
- Neurorehabilitation Unit, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy.
- Neurophysiology Service, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy.
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3
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Brain Macro-Structural Alterations in Aging Rats: A Longitudinal Lifetime Approach. Cells 2023; 12:cells12030432. [PMID: 36766774 PMCID: PMC9914014 DOI: 10.3390/cells12030432] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2022] [Revised: 01/25/2023] [Accepted: 01/26/2023] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Aging is accompanied by macro-structural alterations in the brain that may relate to age-associated cognitive decline. Animal studies could allow us to study this relationship, but so far it remains unclear whether their structural aging patterns correspond to those in humans. Therefore, by applying magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and deformation-based morphometry (DBM), we longitudinally screened the brains of male RccHan:WIST rats for structural changes across their average lifespan. By combining dedicated region of interest (ROI) and voxel-wise approaches, we observed an increase in their global brain volume that was superimposed by divergent local morphologic alterations, with the largest aging effects in early and middle life. We detected a modality-dependent vulnerability to shrinkage across the visual, auditory, and somato-sensory cortical areas, whereas the piriform cortex showed partial resistance. Furthermore, shrinkage emerged in the amygdala, subiculum, and flocculus as well as in frontal, parietal, and motor cortical areas. Strikingly, we noticed the preservation of ectorhinal, entorhinal, retrosplenial, and cingulate cortical regions, which all represent higher-order brain areas and extraordinarily grew with increasing age. We think that the findings of this study will further advance aging research and may contribute to the establishment of interventional approaches to preserve cognitive health in advanced age.
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Suárez-Pellicioni M, Soylu F, Booth JR. Gray matter volume in left intraparietal sulcus predicts longitudinal gains in subtraction skill in elementary school. Neuroimage 2021; 235:118021. [PMID: 33836266 PMCID: PMC8268264 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2021.118021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2020] [Revised: 03/01/2021] [Accepted: 03/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Although behavioral studies show large improvements in arithmetic skills in elementary school, we do not know how brain structure supports math gains in typically developing children. While some correlational studies have investigated the concurrent association between math performance and brain structure, such as gray matter volume (GMV), longitudinal studies are needed to infer if there is a causal relation. Although discrepancies in the literature on the relation between GMV and math performance have been attributed to the different demands on quantity vs. retrieval mechanisms, no study has experimentally tested this assumption. We defined regions of interests (ROIs) associated with quantity representations in the bilateral intraparietal sulcus (IPS) and associated with the storage of arithmetic facts in long-term memory in the left middle and superior temporal gyri (MTG/STG), and studied associations between GMV in these ROIs and children's performance on operations having greater demands on quantity vs. retrieval mechanisms, namely subtraction vs. multiplication. The aims of this study were threefold: First, to study concurrent associations between GMV and math performance, second, to investigate the role of GMV at the first time-point (T1) in predicting longitudinal gains in math skill to the second time-point (T2), and third, to study whether changes in GMV over time were associated with gains in math skill. Results showed no concurrent association between GMV in IPS and math performance, but a concurrent association between GMV in left MTG/STG and multiplication skill at T1. This association showed that the higher the GMV in this ROI, the higher the children's multiplication skill. Results also revealed that GMV in left IPS and left MTG/STG predicted longitudinal gains in subtraction skill only for younger children (approximately 10 years old). Whereas higher levels of GMV in left IPS at T1 predicted larger subtraction gains, higher levels of GMV in left MTG/STG predicted smaller gains. GMV in left MTG/STG did not predict longitudinal gains in multiplication skill. No significant association was found between changes in GMV over time and longitudinal gains in math. Our findings support the early importance of brain structure in the IPS for mathematical skills that rely on quantity mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Macarena Suárez-Pellicioni
- Department of Educational Studies in Psychology, Research Methodology, and Counseling, University of Alabama, 270 Kilgore Ln, Tuscaloosa, AL 35401, USA.
| | - Firat Soylu
- Department of Educational Studies in Psychology, Research Methodology, and Counseling, University of Alabama, 270 Kilgore Ln, Tuscaloosa, AL 35401, USA
| | - James R Booth
- Department of Psychology and Human Development, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
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Zacharopoulos G, Sella F, Cohen Kadosh K, Hartwright C, Emir U, Cohen Kadosh R. Predicting learning and achievement using GABA and glutamate concentrations in human development. PLoS Biol 2021; 19:e3001325. [PMID: 34292934 PMCID: PMC8297926 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3001325] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2020] [Accepted: 06/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Previous research has highlighted the role of glutamate and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) in learning and plasticity. What is currently unknown is how this knowledge translates to real-life complex cognitive abilities that emerge slowly and how the link between these neurotransmitters and human learning and plasticity is shaped by development. While some have suggested a generic role of glutamate and GABA in learning and plasticity, others have hypothesized that their involvement shapes sensitive periods during development. Here we used a cross-sectional longitudinal design with 255 individuals (spanning primary school to university) to show that glutamate and GABA in the intraparietal sulcus explain unique variance both in current and future mathematical achievement (approximately 1.5 years). Furthermore, our findings reveal a dynamic and dissociable role of GABA and glutamate in predicting learning, which is reversed during development, and therefore provide novel implications for models of learning and plasticity during childhood and adulthood.
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Affiliation(s)
- George Zacharopoulos
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, United Kingdom
- Department of Psychology, Swansea University, United Kingdom
| | - Francesco Sella
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, United Kingdom
- Centre for Mathematical Cognition, Loughborough University, United Kingdom
| | - Kathrin Cohen Kadosh
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, United Kingdom
- School of Psychology, University of Surrey, Guildford, United Kingdom
| | - Charlotte Hartwright
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, United Kingdom
- School of Psychology, Aston University, United Kingdom
| | - Uzay Emir
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, United Kingdom
- School of Health Sciences, College of Health and Human Sciences, Purdue University, United States of America
| | - Roi Cohen Kadosh
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, United Kingdom
- School of Psychology, University of Surrey, Guildford, United Kingdom
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6
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Zacharopoulos G, Sella F, Cohen Kadosh R. The impact of a lack of mathematical education on brain development and future attainment. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:e2013155118. [PMID: 34099561 PMCID: PMC8214709 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2013155118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Formal education has a long-term impact on an individual's life. However, our knowledge of the effect of a specific lack of education, such as in mathematics, is currently poor but is highly relevant given the extant differences between countries in their educational curricula and the differences in opportunities to access education. Here we examined whether neurotransmitter concentrations in the adolescent brain could classify whether a student is lacking mathematical education. Decreased γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) concentration within the middle frontal gyrus (MFG) successfully classified whether an adolescent studies math and was negatively associated with frontoparietal connectivity. In a second experiment, we uncovered that our findings were not due to preexisting differences before a mathematical education ceased. Furthermore, we showed that MFG GABA not only classifies whether an adolescent is studying math or not, but it also predicts the changes in mathematical reasoning ∼19 mo later. The present results extend previous work in animals that has emphasized the role of GABA neurotransmission in synaptic and network plasticity and highlight the effect of a specific lack of education on MFG GABA concentration and learning-dependent plasticity. Our findings reveal the reciprocal effect between brain development and education and demonstrate the negative consequences of a specific lack of education during adolescence on brain plasticity and cognitive functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- George Zacharopoulos
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX2 6GG, United Kingdom;
| | - Francesco Sella
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX2 6GG, United Kingdom
- Centre for Mathematical Cognition, Loughborough University, Loughborough LE11 3TU, United Kingdom
| | - Roi Cohen Kadosh
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX2 6GG, United Kingdom;
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7
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Qiu C, Zhao C, Hu G, Zhang Y, Zhu Y, Wu X, Wang L. Brain structural plasticity in visual and sensorimotor areas of airline pilots: A voxel-based morphometric study. Behav Brain Res 2021; 411:113377. [PMID: 34023308 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2021.113377] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2020] [Revised: 05/10/2021] [Accepted: 05/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Airline pilot is a highly specialized profession that requires to response quickly and accurately in the presence of a wide variety of visual information. Although functional imaging studies have employed virtual simulation to identify brain areas that underlie various flying-related tasks, little is known about the specific patterns of structural plasticity in the airline pilot's brain. MATERIALS AND METHODS In this study, we examined differences of gray matter and white matter volumes between 42 airline pilots and 39 non-pilots by using voxel-based morphometry, and further assessed the association between magnitude of structural alterations and flight time in the pilots. RESULTS We found significantly increased white matter volume in the cuneus area in the pilot group compared to the non-pilot group (p < 0.05, FWE corrected). Using a relaxed threshold, it was also observed that the pilots had increased gray matter volume in the lingual gyrus, inferior frontal gyrus, supramarginal gyrus, cuneus, and postcentral gyrus, and increased white matter volume in the postcentral area (p < 0.001, uncorrected). Moreover, the pilots' flight time was positively correlated with gray matter volume in the postcentral gyrus and white matter volume in the cuneus area (p < 0.001, uncorrected). CONCLUSIONS The morphological changes in specific visual and sensorimotor areas may provide airline pilots with neural efficiency in the visuo-motor processing related to flight.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chuanya Qiu
- Department of Radiology, Beijing Chaoyang Hospital of the Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100020, China; Department of Radiology, Civil Aviation General Hospital, Beijing, 100123, China
| | - Chunyu Zhao
- Institute of Military Cognition and Brain Sciences, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100850, China
| | - Gang Hu
- Department of Radiology, Seventh Medical Center of the Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, 100700, China
| | - Yong Zhang
- Department of Radiology, Civil Aviation General Hospital, Beijing, 100123, China
| | - Yuyang Zhu
- Institute of Military Cognition and Brain Sciences, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100850, China
| | - Xinhuai Wu
- Department of Radiology, Seventh Medical Center of the Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, 100700, China.
| | - Lubin Wang
- Institute of Military Cognition and Brain Sciences, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100850, China.
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8
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Wu H, Yan H, Yang Y, Xu M, Shi Y, Zeng W, Li J, Zhang J, Chang C, Wang N. Occupational Neuroplasticity in the Human Brain: A Critical Review and Meta-Analysis of Neuroimaging Studies. Front Hum Neurosci 2020; 14:215. [PMID: 32760257 PMCID: PMC7373999 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2020.00215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2020] [Accepted: 05/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Many studies have revealed the structural or functional brain changes induced by occupational factors. However, it remains largely unknown how occupation-related connectivity shapes the brain. In this paper, we denote occupational neuroplasticity as the neuroplasticity that takes place to satisfy the occupational requirements by extensively professional training and to accommodate the long-term, professional work of daily life, and a critical review of occupational neuroplasticity related to the changes in brain structure and functional networks has been primarily presented. Furthermore, meta-analysis revealed a neurophysiological mechanism of occupational neuroplasticity caused by professional experience. This meta-analysis of functional neuroimaging studies showed that experts displayed stronger activation in the left precentral gyrus [Brodmann area (BA)6], left middle frontal gyrus (BA6), and right inferior frontal gyrus (BA9) than novices, while meta-analysis of structural studies suggested that experts had a greater gray matter volume in the bilateral superior temporal gyrus (BA22) and right putamen than novices. Together, these findings not only expand the current understanding of the common neurophysiological basis of occupational neuroplasticity across different occupations and highlight some possible targets for neural modulation of occupational neuroplasticity but also provide a new perspective for occupational science research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huijun Wu
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Health Science Center, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Hongjie Yan
- Department of Neurology, Affiliated Lianyungang Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Lianyungang, China
| | - Yang Yang
- Center for Brain Science and Learning Difficulties, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Min Xu
- Center for Brain Disorders and Cognitive Science, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yuhu Shi
- Lab of Digital Image and Intelligent Computation, Shanghai Maritime University, Shanghai, China
| | - Weiming Zeng
- Lab of Digital Image and Intelligent Computation, Shanghai Maritime University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jiewei Li
- Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong
| | - Jian Zhang
- School of Pharmacy, Health Science Center, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Chunqi Chang
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Health Science Center, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China.,Pengcheng Laboratory, Shenzhen, China
| | - Nizhuan Wang
- Artificial Intelligence & Neuro-Informatics Engineering (ARINE) Laboratory, School of Computer Engineering, Jiangsu Ocean University, Lianyungang, China
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9
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Heidekum AE, Vogel SE, Grabner RH. Associations Between Individual Differences in Mathematical Competencies and Surface Anatomy of the Adult Brain. Front Hum Neurosci 2020; 14:116. [PMID: 32292335 PMCID: PMC7118203 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2020.00116] [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: 10/15/2019] [Accepted: 03/13/2020] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Previously conducted structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies on the neuroanatomical correlates of mathematical abilities and competencies have several methodological limitations. Besides small sample sizes, the majority of these studies have employed voxel-based morphometry (VBM)-a method that, although it is easy to implement, has some major drawbacks. Taking this into account, the current study is the first to investigate in a large sample of typically developed adults the associations between mathematical abilities and variations in brain surface structure by using surface-based morphometry (SBM). SBM is a method that also allows the investigation of brain morphometry by avoiding the pitfalls of VBM. Eighty-nine young adults were tested with a large battery of psychometric tests to measure mathematical competencies in four different areas: (1) simple arithmetic; (2) complex arithmetic; (3) higher-order mathematics; and (4) numerical intelligence. Also, we asked participants for their mathematics grades for their final school exams. Inside the MRI scanner, we collected high-resolution T1-weighted anatomical images from each subject. SBM analyses were performed with the computational anatomy toolbox (CAT12) and indices for cortical thickness, for cortical surface complexity, for gyrification, and sulcal depth were calculated. Further analyses revealed associations between: (1) the cortical surface complexity of the right superior temporal gyrus and numerical intelligence; (2) the depth of the right central sulcus and adults' ability to solve complex arithmetic problems; and (3) the depth of the left parieto-occipital sulcus and adults' higher-order mathematics competence. Interestingly, no relationships with previously reported brain regions were observed, thus, suggesting the importance of similar research to confirm the role of the brain regions found in this study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander E Heidekum
- Educational Neuroscience, Institute of Psychology, University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Stephan E Vogel
- Educational Neuroscience, Institute of Psychology, University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Roland H Grabner
- Educational Neuroscience, Institute of Psychology, University of Graz, Graz, Austria
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10
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Meher RK, Aghoram R, Nair PP. Adrenoleukodystrophy presenting as glue sniffing. BMJ Case Rep 2020; 13:13/3/e233036. [PMID: 32169980 DOI: 10.1136/bcr-2019-233036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Adrenoleukodystrophy classically presents in childhood with bronze skin, spastic tetraparesis, dysphagia, behavioural abnormalities and adrenal insufficiency. However, atypical presentations are known. Here we report an adolescent with adrenoleukodystrophy who first sought medical attention for glue sniffing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rajesh Kumar Meher
- Neurology, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education & Research (JIPMER), Puducherry, India
| | - Rajeswari Aghoram
- Neurology, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education & Research (JIPMER), Puducherry, India
| | - Pradeep Pankajakshan Nair
- Neurology, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education & Research (JIPMER), Puducherry, India
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11
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Herbet G, Duffau H. Revisiting the Functional Anatomy of the Human Brain: Toward a Meta-Networking Theory of Cerebral Functions. Physiol Rev 2020; 100:1181-1228. [PMID: 32078778 DOI: 10.1152/physrev.00033.2019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 103] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
For more than one century, brain processing was mainly thought in a localizationist framework, in which one given function was underpinned by a discrete, isolated cortical area, and with a similar cerebral organization across individuals. However, advances in brain mapping techniques in humans have provided new insights into the organizational principles of anatomo-functional architecture. Here, we review recent findings gained from neuroimaging, electrophysiological, as well as lesion studies. Based on these recent data on brain connectome, we challenge the traditional, outdated localizationist view and propose an alternative meta-networking theory. This model holds that complex cognitions and behaviors arise from the spatiotemporal integration of distributed but relatively specialized networks underlying conation and cognition (e.g., language, spatial cognition). Dynamic interactions between such circuits result in a perpetual succession of new equilibrium states, opening the door to considerable interindividual behavioral variability and to neuroplastic phenomena. Indeed, a meta-networking organization underlies the uniquely human propensity to learn complex abilities, and also explains how postlesional reshaping can lead to some degrees of functional compensation in brain-damaged patients. We discuss the major implications of this approach in fundamental neurosciences as well as for clinical developments, especially in neurology, psychiatry, neurorehabilitation, and restorative neurosurgery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guillaume Herbet
- Department of Neurosurgery, Gui de Chauliac Hospital, Montpellier University Medical Center, Montpellier, France; Team "Plasticity of Central Nervous System, Stem Cells and Glial Tumors," INSERM U1191, Institute of Functional Genomics, Montpellier, France; and University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Hugues Duffau
- Department of Neurosurgery, Gui de Chauliac Hospital, Montpellier University Medical Center, Montpellier, France; Team "Plasticity of Central Nervous System, Stem Cells and Glial Tumors," INSERM U1191, Institute of Functional Genomics, Montpellier, France; and University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France
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12
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Eayrs JO, Lavie N. Individual differences in parietal and frontal cortex structure predict dissociable capacities for perception and cognitive control. Neuroimage 2019; 202:116148. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2019.116148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2019] [Revised: 08/28/2019] [Accepted: 08/29/2019] [Indexed: 10/26/2022] Open
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13
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Popescu T, Cohen Kadosh R. Drawing the boundaries of expertise: Who is a mathematician? Cortex 2019; 117:421-424. [PMID: 31160035 DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2019.04.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2019] [Revised: 04/18/2019] [Accepted: 04/25/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Tudor Popescu
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK; Wellcome Integrative Neuroscience Centre, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
| | - Roi Cohen Kadosh
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK; Wellcome Integrative Neuroscience Centre, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
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14
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Delazer M, Zamarian L. A commentary on Popescu et al.'s paper on the brain-structural correlates of mathematical expertise. Cortex 2019; 117:417-420. [PMID: 30799069 DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2019.01.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2018] [Accepted: 01/22/2019] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Margarete Delazer
- Medical University of Innsbruck, Department of Neurology, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Laura Zamarian
- Medical University of Innsbruck, Department of Neurology, Innsbruck, Austria.
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15
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Popescu T, Sader E, Schaer M, Thomas A, Terhune DB, Dowker A, Mars RB, Cohen Kadosh R. The brain-structural correlates of mathematical expertise. Cortex 2018; 114:140-150. [PMID: 30424836 PMCID: PMC6996130 DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2018.10.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2017] [Revised: 06/27/2018] [Accepted: 10/04/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Studies in several domains of expertise have established that experience-dependent plasticity brings about both functional and anatomical changes. However, little is known about how such changes come to shape the brain in the case of expertise acquired by professional mathematicians. Here, we aimed to identify cognitive and brain-structural (grey and white matter) characteristics of mathematicians as compared to non-mathematicians. Mathematicians and non-mathematician academics from the University of Oxford underwent structural and diffusion MRI scans, and were tested on a cognitive battery assessing working memory, attention, IQ, numerical and social skills. At the behavioural level, mathematical expertise was associated with better performance in domain-general and domain-specific dimensions. At the grey matter level, in a whole-brain analysis, behavioural performance correlated with grey matter density in left superior frontal gyrus – positively for mathematicians but negatively for non-mathematicians; in a region of interest analysis, we found in mathematicians higher grey matter density in the right superior parietal lobule, but lower grey matter density in the right intraparietal sulcus and in the left inferior frontal gyrus. In terms of white matter, there were no significant group differences in fractional anisotropy or mean diffusivity. These results reveal new insights into the relationship between mathematical expertise and grey matter metrics in brain regions previously implicated in numerical cognition, as well as in regions that have so far received less attention in this field. Further studies, based on longitudinal designs and cognitive training, could examine the conjecture that such cross-sectional findings arise from a bidirectional link between experience and structural brain changes that is itself subject to change across the lifespan.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tudor Popescu
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK; Wellcome Integrative Neuroscience Centre, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
| | - Elie Sader
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK; Wellcome Integrative Neuroscience Centre, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Marie Schaer
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA, USA
| | - Adam Thomas
- Wellcome Integrative Neuroscience Centre, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK; FMRIF, NIMH, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Devin B Terhune
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK; Department of Psychology, Goldsmiths, University of London, London, UK
| | - Ann Dowker
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Rogier B Mars
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK; Wellcome Integrative Neuroscience Centre, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK; Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Roi Cohen Kadosh
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK; Wellcome Integrative Neuroscience Centre, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
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Li H, Booth JR, Bélanger NN, Feng X, Tian M, Xie W, Zhang M, Gao Y, Ang C, Yang X, Liu L, Meng X, Ding G. Structural correlates of literacy difficulties in the second language: Evidence from Mandarin-speaking children learning English. Neuroimage 2018; 179:288-297. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2018.06.037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2018] [Revised: 06/07/2018] [Accepted: 06/11/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
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Rocca MA, Fumagalli S, Pagani E, Gatti R, Riccitelli GC, Preziosa P, Comi G, Falini A, Filippi M. Action observation training modifies brain gray matter structure in healthy adult individuals. Brain Imaging Behav 2018; 11:1343-1352. [PMID: 27730478 DOI: 10.1007/s11682-016-9625-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Action observation training (AOT) is thought to facilitate motor system function. We applied voxelwise methods to assess the regional modifications of brain gray matter (GM) volumes and white matter (WM) architecture in healthy subjects following AOT and their correlations with improvements at motor and cognitive functional scales. Forty-two righ-handed healthy subjects were randomized into an experimental (AOT-G, n = 20) and a control (C-G, n = 22) group. The training lasted 2 weeks and consisted of 10 sessions of 45 min each during which subjects watched videos of daily-life actions (AOT-G) or landscapes (C-G), alternated by the execution with the right hand of actions presented in the AOT-G videos. At baseline and follow up, motor and cognitive functional measures as well as brain structural MRI scans were obtained. Tensor-based morphometry and tract-based spatial statistics were used to map longitudinal modifications of GM and WM structures and their correlation with functional scales. After training, both groups improved at cognitive tests, whereas the AOT-G also improved hand motor performance. Following training, no modifications of WM diffusion tensor MRI indexes were detected. After training, compared to C-G, AOT-G had increased volume of the left superior frontal gyrus and decreased volume of the right lingual gyrus. Compared to AOT-G, C-G showed increased volume of the right middle frontal gyrus and left inferior temporal gyrus. In AOT-G, GM volume changes correlated with improvements at cognitive tests. Ten-day AOT in healthy individuals modifies GM structure, promoting structural brain plasticity and functional competence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria A Rocca
- Neuroimaging Research Unit, Institute of Experimental Neurology, Division of Neuroscience, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Via Olgettina, 60, 20132, Milan, Italy.,Department of Neurology, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Via Olgettina, 60, 20132, Milan, Italy
| | - Silvia Fumagalli
- Neuroimaging Research Unit, Institute of Experimental Neurology, Division of Neuroscience, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Via Olgettina, 60, 20132, Milan, Italy.,Laboratory of Movement Analysis, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Via Olgettina, 60, 20132, Milan, Italy
| | - Elisabetta Pagani
- Neuroimaging Research Unit, Institute of Experimental Neurology, Division of Neuroscience, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Via Olgettina, 60, 20132, Milan, Italy
| | - Roberto Gatti
- Laboratory of Movement Analysis, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Via Olgettina, 60, 20132, Milan, Italy
| | - Gianna C Riccitelli
- Neuroimaging Research Unit, Institute of Experimental Neurology, Division of Neuroscience, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Via Olgettina, 60, 20132, Milan, Italy
| | - Paolo Preziosa
- Neuroimaging Research Unit, Institute of Experimental Neurology, Division of Neuroscience, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Via Olgettina, 60, 20132, Milan, Italy.,Department of Neurology, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Via Olgettina, 60, 20132, Milan, Italy
| | - Giancarlo Comi
- Department of Neurology, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Via Olgettina, 60, 20132, Milan, Italy
| | - Andrea Falini
- Department of Neuroradiology, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy
| | - Massimo Filippi
- Neuroimaging Research Unit, Institute of Experimental Neurology, Division of Neuroscience, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Via Olgettina, 60, 20132, Milan, Italy. .,Department of Neurology, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Via Olgettina, 60, 20132, Milan, Italy.
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Le HB, Zhang HH, Wu QL, Zhang J, Yin JJ, Ma SH. Neural Activity During Mental Rotation in Deaf Signers: The Influence of Long-Term Sign Language Experience. Ear Hear 2018; 39:1015-1024. [PMID: 29298164 DOI: 10.1097/aud.0000000000000540] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Mental rotation is the brain's visuospatial understanding of what objects are and where they belong. Previous research indicated that deaf signers showed behavioral enhancement for nonlinguistic visual tasks, including mental rotation. In this study, we investigated the neural difference of mental rotation processing between deaf signers and hearing nonsigners using blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). DESIGN The participants performed a block-designed experiment, consisting of alternating blocks of comparison and rotation periods, separated by a baseline or fixation period. Mental rotation tasks were performed using three-dimensional figures. fMRI images were acquired during the entire experiment, and the fMRI data were analyzed with Analysis of Functional NeuroImages. A factorial design analysis of variance was designed for fMRI analyses. The differences of activation were analyzed for the main effects of group and task, as well as for the interaction of group by task. RESULTS The study showed differences in activated areas between deaf signers and hearing nonsigners on the mental rotation of three-dimensional figures. Subtracting activations of fixation from activations of rotation, both groups showed consistent activation in bilateral occipital lobe, bilateral parietal lobe, and bilateral posterior temporal lobe. There were different main effects of task (rotation versus comparison) with significant activation clusters in the bilateral precuneus, the right middle frontal gyrus, the bilateral medial frontal gyrus, the right interior frontal gyrus, the right superior frontal gyrus, the right anterior cingulate, and the bilateral posterior cingulate. There were significant interaction effects of group by task in the bilateral anterior cingulate, the right inferior frontal gyrus, the left superior frontal gyrus, the left posterior cingulate, the left middle temporal gyrus, and the right inferior parietal lobe. In simple effects of deaf and hearing groups with rotation minus comparison, deaf signers mainly showed activity in the right hemisphere, while hearing nonsigners showed bilateral activity. In the simple effects of rotation task, decreased activities were shown for deaf signers compared with hearing nonsigners throughout several regions, including the bilateral parahippocampal gyrus, the left posterior cingulate cortex, the right anterior cingulate cortex, and the right inferior parietal lobe. CONCLUSION Decreased activations in several brain regions of deaf signers when compared to hearing nonsigners reflected increased neural efficiency and a precise functional circuitry, which was generated through long-term experience with sign language processing. In addition, we inferred tentatively that there may be a lateralization pattern to the right hemisphere for deaf signers when performing mental rotation tasks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hong-Bo Le
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, China
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Imaging, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, China
| | - Hui-Hong Zhang
- Department of Radiology, Shenzhen Hospital of Southern Medical University, Shenzhen, China
- MR Division, Shantou Central Hospital, Shantou, China
| | - Qiu-Lin Wu
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Imaging, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, China
| | - Jiong Zhang
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, China
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Imaging, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, China
| | - Jing-Jing Yin
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, China
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Imaging, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, China
| | - Shu-Hua Ma
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, China
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Imaging, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, China
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Sörös P, Bachmann K, Lam AP, Kanat M, Hoxhaj E, Matthies S, Feige B, Müller HHO, Thiel C, Philipsen A. Inattention Predicts Increased Thickness of Left Occipital Cortex in Men with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. Front Psychiatry 2017; 8:170. [PMID: 28955255 PMCID: PMC5601484 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2017.00170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2017] [Accepted: 08/29/2017] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in adulthood is a serious and frequent psychiatric disorder with the core symptoms inattention, impulsivity, and hyperactivity. The principal aim of this study was to investigate associations between brain morphology, i.e., cortical thickness and volumes of subcortical gray matter, and individual symptom severity in adult ADHD. METHODS Surface-based brain morphometry was performed in 35 women and 29 men with ADHD using FreeSurfer. Linear regressions were calculated between cortical thickness and the volumes of subcortical gray matter and the inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity subscales of the Conners Adult ADHD Rating Scales (CAARS). Two separate analyses were performed. For the first analysis, age was included as additional regressor. For the second analysis, both age and severity of depression were included as additional regressors. Study participants were recruited between June 2012 and January 2014. RESULTS Linear regression identified an area in the left occipital cortex of men, covering parts of the middle occipital sulcus and gyrus, in which the score on the CAARS inattention subscale predicted increased mean cortical thickness [F(1,27) = 26.27, p < 0.001, adjusted R2 = 0.4744]. No significant associations were found between cortical thickness and the scores on CAARS subscales in women. No significant associations were found between the volumes of subcortical gray matter and the scores on CAARS subscales, neither in men nor in women. These results remained stable when severity of depression was included as additional regressor, together with age. CONCLUSION Increased cortical thickness in the left occipital cortex may represent a mechanism to compensate for dysfunctional attentional networks in male adult ADHD patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Sörös
- School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Karl-Jaspers-Klinik, University of Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany.,Research Center Neurosensory Science, University of Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Katharina Bachmann
- School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Karl-Jaspers-Klinik, University of Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Alexandra P Lam
- School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Karl-Jaspers-Klinik, University of Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany.,Department of Psychology, Biological Psychology Lab, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Manuela Kanat
- Department of Psychology, Laboratory for Biological Psychology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Eliza Hoxhaj
- Faculty of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Swantje Matthies
- Faculty of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Bernd Feige
- Faculty of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Helge H O Müller
- School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Karl-Jaspers-Klinik, University of Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Christiane Thiel
- Research Center Neurosensory Science, University of Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany.,Department of Psychology, Biological Psychology Lab, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Alexandra Philipsen
- School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Karl-Jaspers-Klinik, University of Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany.,Research Center Neurosensory Science, University of Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany.,Faculty of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
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20
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The etiopathogenesis of diffuse low-grade gliomas. Crit Rev Oncol Hematol 2016; 109:51-62. [PMID: 28010898 DOI: 10.1016/j.critrevonc.2016.11.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2016] [Revised: 11/18/2016] [Accepted: 11/22/2016] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The origins of diffuse low-grade gliomas (DLGG) are unknown. Beyond some limited data on their temporal and cellular origins, the mechanisms and risk factors involved are poorly known. First, based on strong relationships between DLGG development and the eloquence of brain regions frequently invaded by these tumors, we propose a "functional theory" to explain the origin of DLGG. Second, the biological pathways involved in DLGG genesis may differ according to tumor location (anatomo-molecular correlations). The cellular and molecular mechanisms of such "molecular theory" will be reviewed. Third, the geographical distribution of diffuse WHO grade II-III gliomas within populations is heterogeneous, suggesting possible environmental risk factors. We will discuss this "environmental theory". Finally, we will summarize the current knowledge on genetic susceptibility in gliomas ("genetic predisposition theory"). These crucial issues illustrate the close relationships between the pathophysiology of gliomagenesis, the anatomo-functional organization of the brain, and personalized management of DLGG patients.
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21
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Wu X, Jung RE, Zhang H. Neural underpinnings of divergent production of rules in numerical analogical reasoning. Biol Psychol 2016; 117:170-178. [DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2016.03.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2015] [Revised: 02/09/2016] [Accepted: 03/20/2016] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
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23
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Origins of the brain networks for advanced mathematics in expert mathematicians. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2016; 113:4909-17. [PMID: 27071124 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1603205113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 159] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The origins of human abilities for mathematics are debated: Some theories suggest that they are founded upon evolutionarily ancient brain circuits for number and space and others that they are grounded in language competence. To evaluate what brain systems underlie higher mathematics, we scanned professional mathematicians and mathematically naive subjects of equal academic standing as they evaluated the truth of advanced mathematical and nonmathematical statements. In professional mathematicians only, mathematical statements, whether in algebra, analysis, topology or geometry, activated a reproducible set of bilateral frontal, Intraparietal, and ventrolateral temporal regions. Crucially, these activations spared areas related to language and to general-knowledge semantics. Rather, mathematical judgments were related to an amplification of brain activity at sites that are activated by numbers and formulas in nonmathematicians, with a corresponding reduction in nearby face responses. The evidence suggests that high-level mathematical expertise and basic number sense share common roots in a nonlinguistic brain circuit.
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24
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Zhang L, Gan JQ, Wang H. Neurocognitive mechanisms of mathematical giftedness: A literature review. APPLIED NEUROPSYCHOLOGY-CHILD 2016; 6:79-94. [PMID: 27049546 DOI: 10.1080/21622965.2015.1119692] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
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25
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Wei W, Chen C, Zhou X. Spatial Ability Explains the Male Advantage in Approximate Arithmetic. Front Psychol 2016; 7:306. [PMID: 27014124 PMCID: PMC4779996 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2016.00306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2015] [Accepted: 02/17/2016] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Previous research has shown that females consistently outperform males in exact arithmetic, perhaps due to the former's advantage in language processing. Much less is known about gender difference in approximate arithmetic. Given that approximate arithmetic is closely associated with visuospatial processing, which shows a male advantage we hypothesized that males would perform better than females in approximate arithmetic. In two experiments (496 children in Experiment 1 and 554 college students in Experiment 2), we found that males showed better performance in approximate arithmetic, which was accounted for by gender differences in spatial ability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Wei
- Department of Psychology and Behavioral Sciences, Zhejiang UniversityHangzhou, China; State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Siegler Center for Innovative Learning, Beijing Normal UniversityBeijing, China
| | - Chuansheng Chen
- Department of Psychology and Social Behavior, University of California, Irvine CA, USA
| | - Xinlin Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Siegler Center for Innovative Learning, Beijing Normal University Beijing, China
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26
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Navas-Sánchez FJ, Carmona S, Alemán-Gómez Y, Sánchez-González J, Guzmán-de-Villoria J, Franco C, Robles O, Arango C, Desco M. Cortical morphometry in frontoparietal and default mode networks in math-gifted adolescents. Hum Brain Mapp 2016; 37:1893-902. [PMID: 26917433 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.23143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2015] [Revised: 01/12/2016] [Accepted: 02/08/2016] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Math-gifted subjects are characterized by above-age performance in intelligence tests, exceptional creativity, and high task commitment. Neuroimaging studies reveal enhanced functional brain organization and white matter microstructure in the frontoparietal executive network of math-gifted individuals. However, the cortical morphometry of these subjects remains largely unknown. The main goal of this study was to compare the cortical morphometry of math-gifted adolescents with that of an age- and IQ-matched control group. We used surface-based methods to perform a vertex-wise analysis of cortical thickness and surface area. Our results show that math-gifted adolescents present a thinner cortex and a larger surface area in key regions of the frontoparietal and default mode networks, which are involved in executive processing and creative thinking, respectively. The combination of reduced cortical thickness and larger surface area suggests above-age neural maturation of these networks in math-gifted individuals. Hum Brain Mapp 37:1893-1902, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francisco J Navas-Sánchez
- Departamento De Bioingeniería E Ingeniería Aeroespacial, Universidad Carlos III Madrid, Madrid, Spain.,Centro De Investigación Biomédica En Red De Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Madrid, Spain
| | - Susana Carmona
- Departamento De Bioingeniería E Ingeniería Aeroespacial, Universidad Carlos III Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Yasser Alemán-Gómez
- Departamento De Bioingeniería E Ingeniería Aeroespacial, Universidad Carlos III Madrid, Madrid, Spain.,Centro De Investigación Biomédica En Red De Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Juan Guzmán-de-Villoria
- Departamento De Radiología, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, Instituto De Investigación Biomédica Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, Spain
| | - Carolina Franco
- Departamento De Psiquiatría Infantil Y Adolescente, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, Instituto De Investigación Biomédica Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, Spain
| | - Olalla Robles
- Departamento De Psiquiatría Infantil Y Adolescente, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, Instituto De Investigación Biomédica Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, Spain.,Centro De Referencia Estatal De Atención Al Daño Cerebral (CEADAC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Celso Arango
- Centro De Investigación Biomédica En Red De Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Madrid, Spain.,Departamento De Psiquiatría Infantil Y Adolescente, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, Instituto De Investigación Biomédica Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, Spain.,Departamento De Psiquiatría, Facultad De Medicina, Universidad Complutense De Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Manuel Desco
- Departamento De Bioingeniería E Ingeniería Aeroespacial, Universidad Carlos III Madrid, Madrid, Spain.,Centro De Investigación Biomédica En Red De Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Madrid, Spain.,Unidad De Medicina Y Cirugía Experimental, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, Instituto De Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, Spain
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Killgore WD, Singh P, Kipman M, Pisner D, Fridman A, Weber M. Gray matter volume and executive functioning correlate with time since injury following mild traumatic brain injury. Neurosci Lett 2016; 612:238-244. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2015.12.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2015] [Revised: 12/14/2015] [Accepted: 12/15/2015] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
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28
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Takao H, Hayashi N, Ohtomo K. Brain morphology is individual-specific information. Magn Reson Imaging 2015; 33:816-21. [DOI: 10.1016/j.mri.2015.03.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2015] [Accepted: 03/30/2015] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
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Nakata H, Sakamoto K, Kakigi R. Meditation reduces pain-related neural activity in the anterior cingulate cortex, insula, secondary somatosensory cortex, and thalamus. Front Psychol 2014; 5:1489. [PMID: 25566158 PMCID: PMC4267182 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2014.01489] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2014] [Accepted: 12/03/2014] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent studies have shown that meditation inhibits or relieves pain perception. To clarify the underlying mechanisms for this phenomenon, neuroimaging methods, such as functional magnetic resonance imaging, and neurophysiological methods, such as magnetoencephalography and electroencephalography, have been used. However, it has been difficult to interpret the results, because there is some paradoxical evidence. For example, some studies reported increased neural responses to pain stimulation during meditation in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and insula, whereas others showed a decrease in these regions. There have been inconsistent findings to date. Moreover, in general, since the activities of the ACC and insula are correlated with pain perception, the increase in neural activities during meditation would be related to the enhancement of pain perception rather than its reduction. These contradictions might directly contribute to the ‘mystery of meditation.’ In this review, we presented previous findings for brain regions during meditation and the anatomical changes that occurred in the brain with long-term meditation training. We then discussed the findings of previous studies that examined pain-related neural activity during meditation. We also described the brain mechanisms responsible for pain relief during meditation, and possible reasons for paradoxical evidence among previous studies. By thoroughly overviewing previous findings, we hypothesized that meditation reduces pain-related neural activity in the ACC, insula, secondary somatosensory cortex, and thalamus. We suggest that the characteristics of the modulation of this activity may depend on the kind of meditation and/or number of years of experience of meditation, which were associated with paradoxical findings among previous studies that investigated pain-related neural activities during meditation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroki Nakata
- Department of Integrative Physiology, National Institute for Physiological Sciences Okazaki, Japan ; Department of Health Sciences, Faculty of Human Life and Environment, Nara Women's University Nara, Japan
| | - Kiwako Sakamoto
- Department of Integrative Physiology, National Institute for Physiological Sciences Okazaki, Japan
| | - Ryusuke Kakigi
- Department of Integrative Physiology, National Institute for Physiological Sciences Okazaki, Japan
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Abstract
Glia are starting to be accepted as the equal of neurons. Their impact on intelligence, environmental enrichment, and cerebral dominance forms the basis for understanding the role of glia in stress. Along with neurons, astrocytes, microglia, NG2 cells, and oligodendrocytes all contribute. Glia can even be protective against drug abuse. Glial effects on depression, mood disorders and schizophrenia are reviewed.
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Ahamed T, Kawanabe M, Ishii S, Callan DE. Structural Differences in Gray Matter between Glider Pilots and Non-Pilots. A Voxel-Based Morphometry Study. Front Neurol 2014; 5:248. [PMID: 25506339 PMCID: PMC4246923 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2014.00248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2014] [Accepted: 11/12/2014] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Glider flying is a unique skill that requires pilots to control an aircraft at high speeds in three dimensions and amidst frequent full-body rotations. In the present study, we investigated the neural correlates of flying a glider using voxel-based morphometry. The comparison between gray matter densities of 15 glider pilots and a control group of 15 non-pilots exhibited significant gray matter density increases in left ventral premotor cortex, anterior cingulate cortex, and the supplementary eye field. We posit that the identified regions might be associated with cognitive and motor processes related to flying, such as joystick control, visuo-vestibular interaction, and oculomotor control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tosif Ahamed
- Cognitive Mechanisms Laboratories, Advanced Telecommunications Research Institute International (ATR), Kyoto, Japan
- Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology, Okinawa, Japan
| | - Motoaki Kawanabe
- Cognitive Mechanisms Laboratories, Advanced Telecommunications Research Institute International (ATR), Kyoto, Japan
| | - Shin Ishii
- Cognitive Mechanisms Laboratories, Advanced Telecommunications Research Institute International (ATR), Kyoto, Japan
- Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Daniel E. Callan
- Center for Information and Neural Networks (CiNet), National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT), Osaka University, Osaka, Japan
- Multisensory Cognition and Computation Laboratory, Universal Communication Research Institute, National Institute of Information and Communications Technology, Kyoto, Japan
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Abutalebi J, Canini M, Della Rosa PA, Sheung LP, Green DW, Weekes BS. Bilingualism protects anterior temporal lobe integrity in aging. Neurobiol Aging 2014; 35:2126-33. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2014.03.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 110] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2013] [Revised: 03/04/2014] [Accepted: 03/11/2014] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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Li P, Legault J, Litcofsky KA. Neuroplasticity as a function of second language learning: anatomical changes in the human brain. Cortex 2014; 58:301-24. [PMID: 24996640 DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2014.05.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 222] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2014] [Revised: 04/22/2014] [Accepted: 05/01/2014] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The brain has an extraordinary ability to functionally and physically change or reconfigure its structure in response to environmental stimulus, cognitive demand, or behavioral experience. This property, known as neuroplasticity, has been examined extensively in many domains. But how does neuroplasticity occur in the brain as a function of an individual's experience with a second language? It is not until recently that we have gained some understanding of this question by examining the anatomical changes as well as functional neural patterns that are induced by the learning and use of multiple languages. In this article we review emerging evidence regarding how structural neuroplasticity occurs in the brain as a result of one's bilingual experience. Our review aims at identifying the processes and mechanisms that drive experience-dependent anatomical changes, and integrating structural imaging evidence with current knowledge of functional neural plasticity of language and other cognitive skills. The evidence reviewed so far portrays a picture that is highly consistent with structural neuroplasticity observed for other domains: second language experience-induced brain changes, including increased gray matter (GM) density and white matter (WM) integrity, can be found in children, young adults, and the elderly; can occur rapidly with short-term language learning or training; and are sensitive to age, age of acquisition, proficiency or performance level, language-specific characteristics, and individual differences. We conclude with a theoretical perspective on neuroplasticity in language and bilingualism, and point to future directions for research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ping Li
- Center for Brain, Behavior, and Cognition, Center for Language Science, Department of Psychology, Pennsylvania State University, United States.
| | - Jennifer Legault
- Center for Brain, Behavior, and Cognition, Center for Language Science, Department of Psychology, Pennsylvania State University, United States
| | - Kaitlyn A Litcofsky
- Center for Brain, Behavior, and Cognition, Center for Language Science, Department of Psychology, Pennsylvania State University, United States
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Gu J, Kanai R. What contributes to individual differences in brain structure? Front Hum Neurosci 2014; 8:262. [PMID: 24808848 PMCID: PMC4009419 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2014.00262] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2014] [Accepted: 04/09/2014] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Individual differences in adult human brain structure have been found to reveal a great deal of information about variability in behaviors, cognitive abilities and mental and physical health. Driven by such evidence, what contributes to individual variation in brain structure has gained accelerated attention as a research question. Findings thus far appear to support the notion that an individual’s brain architecture is determined largely by genetic and environmental influences. This review aims to evaluate the empirical literature on whether and how genes and the environment contribute to individual differences in brain structure. It first considers how genetic and environmental effects may separately contribute to brain morphology, by examining evidence from twin, genome-wide association, cross-sectional and longitudinal studies. Next, evidence for the influence of the complex interplay between genetic and environmental factors, characterized as gene-environment interactions and correlations, is reviewed. In evaluating the extant literature, this review will conclude that both genetic and environmental factors play critical roles in contributing to individual variability in brain structure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenny Gu
- School of Psychology, University of Sussex Brighton, UK
| | - Ryota Kanai
- School of Psychology, University of Sussex Brighton, UK ; Sackler Centre for Consciousness Science, University of Sussex Brighton, UK
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Takeuchi H, Taki Y, Sassa Y, Hashizume H, Sekiguchi A, Fukushima A, Kawashima R. Regional gray matter volume is associated with empathizing and systemizing in young adults. PLoS One 2014; 9:e84782. [PMID: 24409308 PMCID: PMC3883687 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0084782] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2013] [Accepted: 11/19/2013] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Empathizing is defined as the drive to identify the mental states of others for predicting their behavior and responding with an appropriate emotion. Systemizing is defined as the drive to analyze a system in terms of the rules that govern the system in order to predict its behavior. Using voxel-based morphometry and questionnaires in a large sample of normal, right-handed young adults, we investigated the regional gray matter volume (rGMV) correlates of empathizing and systemizing and additionally those of the D score, which is the difference between systemizing and empathizing, to reveal the comprehensive picture of those correlates. Negative rGMV correlates of empathizing and positive rGMV correlates of the D score (formed by the negative correlation between rGMV and empathizing), were found primarily in nodes in the default mode network, mirror neuron system, dorsal anterior cingulate cortex, and the lateral part of the prefrontal cortex together with other areas. Positive rGMV correlates of systemizing and of the D score (formed by the positive correlation between rGMV and systemizing) were found primarily in nodes in the external attention system, middle cingulate cortex, and other regions. Negative rGMV correlates of systemizing were found in an area close to the left posterior insula and putamen. These findings reconcile some previously inconsistent findings, provide other new findings and suggest that these areas contribute to empathizing-systemizing. Furthermore, the negative/positive rGMV correlates of empathizing and positive/negative rGMV correlates of systemizing overlapped substantially. This may be in line with the notion that empathizing and systemizing compete neurally in the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hikaru Takeuchi
- Smart Ageing International Research Center, Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
| | - Yasuyuki Taki
- Division of Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience, Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
| | - Yuko Sassa
- Division of Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience, Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Hashizume
- Division of Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience, Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
| | - Atsushi Sekiguchi
- Department of Functional Brain Imaging, Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
| | - Ai Fukushima
- Department of Functional Brain Imaging, Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
| | - Ryuta Kawashima
- Smart Ageing International Research Center, Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
- Division of Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience, Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
- Department of Functional Brain Imaging, Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
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Li Y, Hu Y, Wang Y, Weng J, Chen F. Individual structural differences in left inferior parietal area are associated with schoolchildrens' arithmetic scores. Front Hum Neurosci 2013; 7:844. [PMID: 24367320 PMCID: PMC3854708 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2013.00844] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2013] [Accepted: 11/19/2013] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Arithmetic skill is of critical importance for academic achievement, professional success and everyday life, and childhood is the key period to acquire this skill. Neuroimaging studies have identified that left parietal regions are a key neural substrate for representing arithmetic skill. Although the relationship between functional brain activity in left parietal regions and arithmetic skill has been studied in detail, it remains unclear about the relationship between arithmetic achievement and structural properties in left inferior parietal area in schoolchildren. The current study employed a combination of voxel-based morphometry (VBM) for high-resolution T1-weighted images and fiber tracking on diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) to examine the relationship between structural properties in the inferior parietal area and arithmetic achievement in 10-year-old schoolchildren. VBM of the T1-weighted images revealed that individual differences in arithmetic scores were significantly and positively correlated with the gray matter (GM) volume in the left intraparietal sulcus (IPS). Fiber tracking analysis revealed that the forceps major, left superior longitudinal fasciculus (SLF), bilateral inferior longitudinal fasciculus (ILF) and inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus (IFOF) were the primary pathways connecting the left IPS with other brain areas. Furthermore, the regression analysis of the probabilistic pathways revealed a significant and positive correlation between the fractional anisotropy (FA) values in the left SLF, ILF and bilateral IFOF and arithmetic scores. The brain structure-behavior correlation analyses indicated that the GM volumes in the left IPS and the FA values in the tract pathways connecting left IPS were both related to children's arithmetic achievement. The present findings provide evidence that individual structural differences in the left IPS are associated with arithmetic scores in schoolchildren.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongxin Li
- Bio-X Laboratory, Department of Physics, Zhejiang University Hangzhou, China
| | - Yuzheng Hu
- Bio-X Laboratory, Department of Physics, Zhejiang University Hangzhou, China
| | - Yunqi Wang
- School of International Studies, Zhejiang University Hangzhou, China
| | - Jian Weng
- Bio-X Laboratory, Department of Physics, Zhejiang University Hangzhou, China
| | - Feiyan Chen
- Bio-X Laboratory, Department of Physics, Zhejiang University Hangzhou, China
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Long-term intensive training induced brain structural changes in world class gymnasts. Brain Struct Funct 2013; 220:625-44. [DOI: 10.1007/s00429-013-0677-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2013] [Accepted: 11/11/2013] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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38
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Dynamic neural network reorganization associated with second language vocabulary acquisition: a multimodal imaging study. J Neurosci 2013; 33:13663-72. [PMID: 23966688 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0410-13.2013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 91] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
It remains unsettled whether human language relies exclusively on innately privileged brain structure in the left hemisphere or is more flexibly shaped through experiences, which induce neuroplastic changes in potentially relevant neural circuits. Here we show that learning of second language (L2) vocabulary and its cessation can induce bidirectional changes in the mirror-reverse of the traditional language areas. A cross-sectional study identified that gray matter volume in the inferior frontal gyrus pars opercularis (IFGop) and connectivity of the IFGop with the caudate nucleus and the superior temporal gyrus/supramarginal (STG/SMG), predominantly in the right hemisphere, were positively correlated with L2 vocabulary competence. We then implemented a cohort study involving 16 weeks of L2 training in university students. Brain structure before training did not predict the later gain in L2 ability. However, training intervention did increase IFGop volume and reorganization of white matter including the IFGop-caudate and IFGop-STG/SMG pathways in the right hemisphere. These "positive" plastic changes were correlated with the gain in L2 ability in the trained group but were not observed in the control group. We propose that the right hemispheric network can be reorganized into language-related areas through use-dependent plasticity in young adults, reflecting a repertoire of flexible reorganization of the neural substrates responding to linguistic experiences.
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Winkelman JW, Plante DT, Schoerning L, Benson K, Buxton OM, O'Connor SP, Jensen JE, Renshaw PF, Gonenc A. Increased Rostral Anterior Cingulate Cortex Volume in Chronic Primary Insomnia. Sleep 2013; 36:991-998. [PMID: 23814335 DOI: 10.5665/sleep.2794] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Recent studies document alterations in cortical and subcortical volumes in patients with chronic primary insomnia (PI) in comparison with normal sleepers. We sought to confirm this observation in two previously studied PI cohorts. METHODS Two separate and independent groups of unmedicated patients who met Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (DSM-IV) criteria for PI were compared with two separate, healthy control groups (Study 1: PI = 20, controls = 15; Study 2: PI = 21, controls = 20). Both studies included 2 weeks of sleep diaries supplemented by wrist actigraphy. The 3.0 T MRI-derived rostral anterior cingulate cortex (rACC) volumes were measured with FreeSurfer image analysis suite (version 5.0) and results normalized to total intracranial volume (ICV). Unpaired t-tests (two-tailed) were used to compare rACC volumes between groups. Post hoc correlations of rACC volumes to insomnia severity measures were performed (uncorrected for multiplicity). RESULTS Both studies demonstrated increases in normalized rACC volume in PI compared with control patients (Study 1: right side P = 0.05, left side P = 0.03; Study 2: right side P = 0.03, left side P = 0.02). In PI patients from Study 1, right rACC volume was correlated with sleep onset latency (SOL) by both diary (r = 0.51, P = 0.02) and actigraphy (r = 0.50, P = 0.03), and with sleep efficiency by actigraphy (r = -0.57, P = 0.01); left rACC volume was correlated with SOL by diary (r = 0.48, P = 0.04), and wake after sleep onset (WASO) (r = 0.49, P = 0.03) and sleep efficiency (r = -0.49, P = 0.03) by actigraphy. In Study 2, right rACC volume was correlated with SOL by diary (r = 0.44, P = 0.05) in PI patients. CONCLUSIONS Rostral ACC volumes are larger in patients with PI compared with control patients. Clinical severity measures in PI correlate with rACC volumes. These data may reflect a compensatory brain response to chronic insomnia and may represent a marker of resilience to depressive illness. CITATION Winkelman JW; Plante DT; Schoerning L; Benson K; Buxton OM; O'Connor SP; Jensen JE; Renshaw PF; Gonenc A. Increased rostral anterior cingulate cortex volume in chronic primary insomnia. SLEEP 2013;36(7):991-998.
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Affiliation(s)
- John W Winkelman
- Division of Sleep Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA ; Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
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Lubin A, Rossi S, Simon G, Lanoë C, Leroux G, Poirel N, Pineau A, Houdé O. Numerical Transcoding Proficiency in 10-Year-Old Schoolchildren is Associated with Gray Matter Inter-Individual Differences: A Voxel-Based Morphometry Study. Front Psychol 2013; 4:197. [PMID: 23630510 PMCID: PMC3635020 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2013.00197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2013] [Accepted: 04/01/2013] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Are individual differences in numerical performance sustained by variations in gray matter volume in schoolchildren? To our knowledge, this challenging question for neuroeducation has not yet been investigated in typical development. We used the Voxel-Based Morphometry method to search for possible structural brain differences between two groups of 10-year-old schoolchildren (N = 22) whose performance differed only in numerical transcoding between analog and symbolic systems. The results indicated that children with low numerical proficiency have less gray matter volume in the parietal (particularly in the left intraparietal sulcus and the bilateral angular gyri) and occipito-temporal areas. All the identified regions have previously been shown to be functionally involved in transcoding between analog and symbolic numerical systems. Our data contribute to a better understanding of the intertwined relationships between mathematics learning and brain structure in healthy schoolchildren.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amélie Lubin
- Laboratory for the Psychology of Child Development and Education, Sorbonne, CNRS, Unit 3521 Paris, France ; Sorbonne-Paris-Cité Alliance for Higher Education and Research, Paris Descartes University Paris, France
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Kang DH, Jo HJ, Jung WH, Kim SH, Jung YH, Choi CH, Lee US, An SC, Jang JH, Kwon JS. The effect of meditation on brain structure: cortical thickness mapping and diffusion tensor imaging. Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci 2013; 8:27-33. [PMID: 22569185 PMCID: PMC3541490 DOI: 10.1093/scan/nss056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 112] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2011] [Accepted: 04/30/2012] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
A convergent line of neuroscientific evidence suggests that meditation alters the functional and structural plasticity of distributed neural processes underlying attention and emotion. The purpose of this study was to examine the brain structural differences between a well-matched sample of long-term meditators and controls. We employed whole-brain cortical thickness analysis based on magnetic resonance imaging, and diffusion tensor imaging to quantify white matter integrity in the brains of 46 experienced meditators compared with 46 matched meditation-naïve volunteers. Meditators, compared with controls, showed significantly greater cortical thickness in the anterior regions of the brain, located in frontal and temporal areas, including the medial prefrontal cortex, superior frontal cortex, temporal pole and the middle and interior temporal cortices. Significantly thinner cortical thickness was found in the posterior regions of the brain, located in the parietal and occipital areas, including the postcentral cortex, inferior parietal cortex, middle occipital cortex and posterior cingulate cortex. Moreover, in the region adjacent to the medial prefrontal cortex, both higher fractional anisotropy values and greater cortical thickness were observed. Our findings suggest that long-term meditators have structural differences in both gray and white matter.
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Affiliation(s)
- Do-Hyung Kang
- Department of Psychiatry, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 110-744, Republic of Korea, Scientific and Statistical Computing Core, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA, Clinical Cognitive Neuroscience Center, Neuroscience Institute, SNU-MRC, Seoul 110-744, Republic of Korea, Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA, Department of Diagnostic Radiology, National Medical Center, Seoul 100-799, Republic of Korea, Korea Institute of Brain Science, Seoul 135-894, Republic of Korea and Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences - World Class University Program, College of Natural Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 151-742, Republic of Korea
| | - Hang Joon Jo
- Department of Psychiatry, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 110-744, Republic of Korea, Scientific and Statistical Computing Core, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA, Clinical Cognitive Neuroscience Center, Neuroscience Institute, SNU-MRC, Seoul 110-744, Republic of Korea, Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA, Department of Diagnostic Radiology, National Medical Center, Seoul 100-799, Republic of Korea, Korea Institute of Brain Science, Seoul 135-894, Republic of Korea and Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences - World Class University Program, College of Natural Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 151-742, Republic of Korea
| | - Wi Hoon Jung
- Department of Psychiatry, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 110-744, Republic of Korea, Scientific and Statistical Computing Core, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA, Clinical Cognitive Neuroscience Center, Neuroscience Institute, SNU-MRC, Seoul 110-744, Republic of Korea, Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA, Department of Diagnostic Radiology, National Medical Center, Seoul 100-799, Republic of Korea, Korea Institute of Brain Science, Seoul 135-894, Republic of Korea and Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences - World Class University Program, College of Natural Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 151-742, Republic of Korea
| | - Sun Hyung Kim
- Department of Psychiatry, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 110-744, Republic of Korea, Scientific and Statistical Computing Core, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA, Clinical Cognitive Neuroscience Center, Neuroscience Institute, SNU-MRC, Seoul 110-744, Republic of Korea, Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA, Department of Diagnostic Radiology, National Medical Center, Seoul 100-799, Republic of Korea, Korea Institute of Brain Science, Seoul 135-894, Republic of Korea and Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences - World Class University Program, College of Natural Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 151-742, Republic of Korea
| | - Ye-Ha Jung
- Department of Psychiatry, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 110-744, Republic of Korea, Scientific and Statistical Computing Core, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA, Clinical Cognitive Neuroscience Center, Neuroscience Institute, SNU-MRC, Seoul 110-744, Republic of Korea, Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA, Department of Diagnostic Radiology, National Medical Center, Seoul 100-799, Republic of Korea, Korea Institute of Brain Science, Seoul 135-894, Republic of Korea and Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences - World Class University Program, College of Natural Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 151-742, Republic of Korea
| | - Chi-Hoon Choi
- Department of Psychiatry, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 110-744, Republic of Korea, Scientific and Statistical Computing Core, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA, Clinical Cognitive Neuroscience Center, Neuroscience Institute, SNU-MRC, Seoul 110-744, Republic of Korea, Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA, Department of Diagnostic Radiology, National Medical Center, Seoul 100-799, Republic of Korea, Korea Institute of Brain Science, Seoul 135-894, Republic of Korea and Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences - World Class University Program, College of Natural Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 151-742, Republic of Korea
| | - Ul Soon Lee
- Department of Psychiatry, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 110-744, Republic of Korea, Scientific and Statistical Computing Core, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA, Clinical Cognitive Neuroscience Center, Neuroscience Institute, SNU-MRC, Seoul 110-744, Republic of Korea, Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA, Department of Diagnostic Radiology, National Medical Center, Seoul 100-799, Republic of Korea, Korea Institute of Brain Science, Seoul 135-894, Republic of Korea and Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences - World Class University Program, College of Natural Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 151-742, Republic of Korea
| | - Seung Chan An
- Department of Psychiatry, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 110-744, Republic of Korea, Scientific and Statistical Computing Core, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA, Clinical Cognitive Neuroscience Center, Neuroscience Institute, SNU-MRC, Seoul 110-744, Republic of Korea, Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA, Department of Diagnostic Radiology, National Medical Center, Seoul 100-799, Republic of Korea, Korea Institute of Brain Science, Seoul 135-894, Republic of Korea and Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences - World Class University Program, College of Natural Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 151-742, Republic of Korea
| | - Joon Hwan Jang
- Department of Psychiatry, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 110-744, Republic of Korea, Scientific and Statistical Computing Core, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA, Clinical Cognitive Neuroscience Center, Neuroscience Institute, SNU-MRC, Seoul 110-744, Republic of Korea, Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA, Department of Diagnostic Radiology, National Medical Center, Seoul 100-799, Republic of Korea, Korea Institute of Brain Science, Seoul 135-894, Republic of Korea and Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences - World Class University Program, College of Natural Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 151-742, Republic of Korea
| | - Jun Soo Kwon
- Department of Psychiatry, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 110-744, Republic of Korea, Scientific and Statistical Computing Core, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA, Clinical Cognitive Neuroscience Center, Neuroscience Institute, SNU-MRC, Seoul 110-744, Republic of Korea, Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA, Department of Diagnostic Radiology, National Medical Center, Seoul 100-799, Republic of Korea, Korea Institute of Brain Science, Seoul 135-894, Republic of Korea and Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences - World Class University Program, College of Natural Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 151-742, Republic of Korea
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Zou L, Ding G, Abutalebi J, Shu H, Peng D. Structural plasticity of the left caudate in bimodal bilinguals. Cortex 2012; 48:1197-206. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2011.05.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 119] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2011] [Revised: 05/04/2011] [Accepted: 05/23/2011] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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43
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Structural changes after videogame practice related to a brain network associated with intelligence. INTELLIGENCE 2012. [DOI: 10.1016/j.intell.2012.05.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
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Leung MK, Chan CCH, Yin J, Lee CF, So KF, Lee TMC. Increased gray matter volume in the right angular and posterior parahippocampal gyri in loving-kindness meditators. Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci 2012; 8:34-9. [PMID: 22814662 PMCID: PMC3541494 DOI: 10.1093/scan/nss076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 93] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Previous voxel-based morphometry (VBM) studies have revealed that meditation is associated with structural brain changes in regions underlying cognitive processes that are required for attention or mindfulness during meditation. This VBM study examined brain changes related to the practice of an emotion-oriented meditation: loving-kindness meditation (LKM). A 3 T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner captured images of the brain structures of 25 men, 10 of whom had practiced LKM in the Theravada tradition for at least 5 years. Compared with novices, more gray matter volume was detected in the right angular and posterior parahippocampal gyri in LKM experts. The right angular gyrus has not been previously reported to have structural differences associated with meditation, and its specific role in mind and cognitive empathy theory suggests the uniqueness of this finding for LKM practice. These regions are important for affective regulation associated with empathic response, anxiety and mood. At the same time, gray matter volume in the left temporal lobe in the LKM experts appeared to be greater, an observation that has also been reported in previous MRI meditation studies on meditation styles other than LKM. Overall, the findings of our study suggest that experience in LKM may influence brain structures associated with affective regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mei-Kei Leung
- Laboratory of Neuropsychology, The University of Hong Kong, 852 Hong Kong, China
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Martínez K, Solana AB, Burgaleta M, Hernández-Tamames JA, Alvarez-Linera J, Román FJ, Alfayate E, Privado J, Escorial S, Quiroga MA, Karama S, Bellec P, Colom R. Changes in resting-state functionally connected parietofrontal networks after videogame practice. Hum Brain Mapp 2012; 34:3143-57. [PMID: 22807280 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.22129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2012] [Revised: 04/23/2012] [Accepted: 04/25/2012] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Neuroimaging studies provide evidence for organized intrinsic activity under task-free conditions. This activity serves functionally relevant brain systems supporting cognition. Here, we analyze changes in resting-state functional connectivity after videogame practice applying a test-retest design. Twenty young females were selected from a group of 100 participants tested on four standardized cognitive ability tests. The practice and control groups were carefully matched on their ability scores. The practice group played during two sessions per week across 4 weeks (16 h total) under strict supervision in the laboratory, showing systematic performance improvements in the game. A group independent component analysis (GICA) applying multisession temporal concatenation on test-retest resting-state fMRI, jointly with a dual-regression approach, was computed. Supporting the main hypothesis, the key finding reveals an increased correlated activity during rest in certain predefined resting state networks (albeit using uncorrected statistics) attributable to practice with the cognitively demanding tasks of the videogame. Observed changes were mainly concentrated on parietofrontal networks involved in heterogeneous cognitive functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kenia Martínez
- Departamento de Psicología Biológica y Salud, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain; Área de Neuroimagen, Fundación CIEN-Fundación Reina Sofía, Madrid, Spain
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Jäncke L, Langer N, Hänggi J. Diminished whole-brain but enhanced peri-sylvian connectivity in absolute pitch musicians. J Cogn Neurosci 2012; 24:1447-61. [PMID: 22524277 DOI: 10.1162/jocn_a_00227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
Several anatomical studies have identified specific anatomical features within the peri-sylvian brain system of absolute pitch (AP) musicians. In this study we used graph theoretical analysis of cortical thickness covariations (as indirect indicator of connectivity) to examine whether AP musicians differ from relative pitch musicians and nonmusicians in small-world network characteristics. We measured "local connectedness" (local clustering = γ), "global efficiency of information transfer" (path length = λ), "small-worldness" (σ = γ/λ), and "degree" centrality as measures of connectivity. Although all groups demonstrated typical small-world features, AP musicians showed significant small-world alterations. "Degree" as a measure of interconnectedness was globally significantly decreased in AP musicians. These differences let us suggest that AP musicians demonstrate diminished neural integration (less connections) among distant brain regions. In addition, AP musicians demonstrated significantly increased local connectivity in peri-sylvian language areas of which the planum temporale, planum polare, Heschl's gyrus, lateral aspect of the superior temporal gyrus, STS, pars triangularis, and pars opercularis were hub regions. All of these brain areas are known to be involved in higher-order auditory processing, working or semantic memory processes. Taken together, whereas AP musicians demonstrate decreased global interconnectedness, the local connectedness in peri-sylvian brain areas is significantly higher than for relative pitch musicians and nonmusicians.
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Hoppe C, Fliessbach K, Stausberg S, Stojanovic J, Trautner P, Elger CE, Weber B. A key role for experimental task performance: Effects of math talent, gender and performance on the neural correlates of mental rotation. Brain Cogn 2012; 78:14-27. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bandc.2011.10.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2011] [Revised: 10/13/2011] [Accepted: 10/18/2011] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
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Abstract
Despite a recent upsurge of research, much remains unknown about the neurobiological mechanisms underlying synaesthesia. By integrating results obtained so far in Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) studies, this contribution sheds light on the role of particular brain regions in synaesthetic experiences. First, in accordance with its sensory nature, it seems that the sensory brain areas corresponding to the type of synaesthetic experience are activated. Synaesthetic colour experiences can activate colour regions in occipito-temporal cortex, but this is not necessarily restricted to V4. Furthermore, sensory and motor brain regions have been obtained that extend beyond the particular type of synaesthesia studied. Second, differences in experimental setup, number and type of synaesthetes tested, and method to delineate regions of interest may help explain inconsistent results obtained in the BOLD-MRI (Blood Oxygen Level Dependent functional MRI) studies. Third, an overview of obtained results shows that a network of brain areas rather than a single brain region underlies synaesthesia. Six brain regions of overlapping results emerge, these regions are in sensory and motor regions as well as 'higher level' regions in parietal and frontal lobe. We propose that these regions are related to three different cognitive processes inherently part of synaesthesia; the sensory processes, the (attentional) 'binding' processes, and cognitive control processes. Finally, we discuss how these functional and structural brain properties might relate to the development of synaesthesia. In particular, we believe this relationship is better understood by separating the question what underlies the presence of synaesthesia ('trait') from what determines particular synaesthetic associations ('type').
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Affiliation(s)
- Romke Rouw
- Department of Psychology, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
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Neuronal effects following working memory training. Dev Cogn Neurosci 2011; 2 Suppl 1:S167-79. [PMID: 22682905 DOI: 10.1016/j.dcn.2011.10.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 156] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2011] [Revised: 09/19/2011] [Accepted: 10/05/2011] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
There is accumulating evidence that training working memory (WM) leads to beneficial effects in tasks that were not trained, but the mechanisms underlying this transfer remain elusive. Brain imaging can be a valuable method to gain insights into such mechanisms. Here, we discuss the impact of cognitive training on neural correlates with an emphasis on studies that implemented a WM intervention. We focus on changes in activation patterns, changes in resting state connectivity, changes in brain structure, and changes in the dopaminergic system. Our analysis of the existing literature reveals that there is currently no clear pattern of results that would single out a specific neural mechanism underlying training and transfer. We conclude that although brain imaging has provided us with information about the mechanisms of WM training, more research is needed to understand its neural impact.
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Spoormaker VI, Czisch M, Maquet P, Jäncke L. Large-scale functional brain networks in human non-rapid eye movement sleep: insights from combined electroencephalographic/functional magnetic resonance imaging studies. PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. SERIES A, MATHEMATICAL, PHYSICAL, AND ENGINEERING SCIENCES 2011; 369:3708-3729. [PMID: 21893524 DOI: 10.1098/rsta.2011.0078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
This paper reviews the existing body of knowledge on the neural correlates of spontaneous oscillations, functional connectivity and brain plasticity in human non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep. The first section reviews the evidence that specific sleep events as slow waves and spindles are associated with transient increases in regional brain activity. The second section describes the changes in functional connectivity during NREM sleep, with a particular focus on changes within a low-frequency, large-scale functional brain network. The third section will discuss the possibility that spontaneous oscillations and differential functional connectivity are related to brain plasticity and systems consolidation, with a particular focus on motor skill acquisition. Implications for the mode of information processing per sleep stage and future experimental studies are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victor I Spoormaker
- RG Neuroimaging, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Kraepelinstrasse 2-10, 80804 Munich, Germany.
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