1
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Uddin LQ, Betzel RF, Cohen JR, Damoiseaux JS, De Brigard F, Eickhoff SB, Fornito A, Gratton C, Gordon EM, Laird AR, Larson-Prior L, McIntosh AR, Nickerson LD, Pessoa L, Pinho AL, Poldrack RA, Razi A, Sadaghiani S, Shine JM, Yendiki A, Yeo BTT, Spreng RN. Controversies and progress on standardization of large-scale brain network nomenclature. Netw Neurosci 2023; 7:864-905. [PMID: 37781138 PMCID: PMC10473266 DOI: 10.1162/netn_a_00323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2022] [Accepted: 05/10/2023] [Indexed: 10/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Progress in scientific disciplines is accompanied by standardization of terminology. Network neuroscience, at the level of macroscale organization of the brain, is beginning to confront the challenges associated with developing a taxonomy of its fundamental explanatory constructs. The Workgroup for HArmonized Taxonomy of NETworks (WHATNET) was formed in 2020 as an Organization for Human Brain Mapping (OHBM)-endorsed best practices committee to provide recommendations on points of consensus, identify open questions, and highlight areas of ongoing debate in the service of moving the field toward standardized reporting of network neuroscience results. The committee conducted a survey to catalog current practices in large-scale brain network nomenclature. A few well-known network names (e.g., default mode network) dominated responses to the survey, and a number of illuminating points of disagreement emerged. We summarize survey results and provide initial considerations and recommendations from the workgroup. This perspective piece includes a selective review of challenges to this enterprise, including (1) network scale, resolution, and hierarchies; (2) interindividual variability of networks; (3) dynamics and nonstationarity of networks; (4) consideration of network affiliations of subcortical structures; and (5) consideration of multimodal information. We close with minimal reporting guidelines for the cognitive and network neuroscience communities to adopt.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucina Q. Uddin
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences and Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Richard F. Betzel
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA
| | - Jessica R. Cohen
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Jessica S. Damoiseaux
- Institute of Gerontology and Department of Psychology, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA
| | | | - Simon B. Eickhoff
- Institute of Systems Neuroscience, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Alex Fornito
- Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Caterina Gratton
- Department of Psychology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
| | - Evan M. Gordon
- Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology, Washington University, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Angela R. Laird
- Department of Physics, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Linda Larson-Prior
- Deptartment of Psychiatry and Department of Neurobiology and Developmental Sciences, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA
| | - A. Randal McIntosh
- Institute for Neuroscience and Neurotechnology, Simon Fraser University, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | | | - Luiz Pessoa
- Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
| | - Ana Luísa Pinho
- Brain and Mind Institute, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
| | | | - Adeel Razi
- Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Sepideh Sadaghiani
- Department of Psychology, University of Illinois, Urbana Champaign, IL, USA
| | - James M. Shine
- Brain and Mind Center, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Anastasia Yendiki
- Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - B. T. Thomas Yeo
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - R. Nathan Spreng
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
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2
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Kirk PA, Holmes AJ, Robinson OJ. Anxiety Shapes Amygdala-Prefrontal Dynamics During Movie Watching. BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY GLOBAL OPEN SCIENCE 2023; 3:409-417. [PMID: 37519469 PMCID: PMC10382705 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpsgos.2022.03.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2021] [Revised: 03/11/2022] [Accepted: 03/16/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Background A well-characterized amygdala-dorsomedial prefrontal circuit is thought to be crucial for threat vigilance during anxiety. However, engagement of this circuitry within relatively naturalistic paradigms remains unresolved. Methods Using an open functional magnetic resonance imaging dataset (Cambridge Centre for Ageing Neuroscience; n = 630), we sought to investigate whether anxiety correlates with dynamic connectivity between the amygdala and dorsomedial prefrontal cortex during movie watching. Results Using an intersubject representational similarity approach, we saw no effect of anxiety when comparing pairwise similarities of dynamic connectivity across the entire movie. However, preregistered analyses demonstrated a relationship between anxiety, amygdala-prefrontal dynamics, and anxiogenic features of the movie (canonical suspense ratings). Our results indicated that amygdala-prefrontal circuitry was modulated by suspense in low-anxiety individuals but was less sensitive to suspense in high-anxiety individuals. We suggest that this could also be related to slowed habituation or amplified anticipation. Moreover, a measure of threat-relevant attentional bias (accuracy/reaction time to fearful faces) demonstrated an association with connectivity and suspense. Conclusions Overall, this study demonstrated the presence of anxiety-relevant differences in connectivity during movie watching, varying with anxiogenic features of the movie. Mechanistically, exactly how and when these differences arise remains an opportunity for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter A. Kirk
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, University College London, London, United Kingdom
- Experimental Psychology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
- Departments of Psychology and Psychiatry, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Avram J. Holmes
- Departments of Psychology and Psychiatry, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut
- Wu Tsai Institute, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Oliver J. Robinson
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, University College London, London, United Kingdom
- Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
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3
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Vazquez-Trejo V, Nardos B, Schlaggar BL, Fair DA, Miranda-Dominguez O. Use of connectotyping on task functional MRI data reveals dynamic network level cross talking during task performance. Front Neurosci 2022; 16:951907. [DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.951907] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2022] [Accepted: 09/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Task-based functional MRI (fMRI) has greatly improved understanding of brain functioning, enabling the identification of brain areas associated with specific cognitive operations. Traditional analyses are limited to associating activation patterns in particular regions with specific cognitive operation, largely ignoring regional cross-talk or dynamic connectivity, which we propose is crucial for characterization of brain function in the context of task fMRI. We use connectotyping, which efficiently models functional brain connectivity to reveal the progression of temporal brain connectivity patterns in task fMRI. Connectotyping was employed on data from twenty-four participants (12 male, mean age 24.8 years, 2.57 std. dev) who performed a widely spaced event-related fMRI word vs. pseudoword decision task, where stimuli were presented every 20 s. After filtering for movement, we ended up with 15 participants that completed each trial and had enough usable data for our analyses. Connectivity matrices were calculated per participant across time for each stimuli type. A Repeated Measures ANOVA applied on the connectotypes was used to characterize differences across time for words and pseudowords. Our group level analyses found significantly different dynamic connectivity patterns during word vs. pseudoword processing between the Fronto-Parietal and Cingulo-Parietal Systems, areas involved in cognitive task control, memory retrieval, and semantic processing. Our findings support the presence of dynamic changes in functional connectivity during task execution and that such changes can be characterized using connectotyping but not with traditional Pearson’s correlations.
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4
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Lee KM, Ferreira-Santos F, Satpute AB. Predictive processing models and affective neuroscience. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2021; 131:211-228. [PMID: 34517035 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.09.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2019] [Revised: 02/10/2021] [Accepted: 09/07/2021] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
The neural bases of affective experience remain elusive. Early neuroscience models of affect searched for specific brain regions that uniquely carried out the computations that underlie dimensions of valence and arousal. However, a growing body of work has failed to identify these circuits. Research turned to multivariate analyses, but these strategies, too, have made limited progress. Predictive processing models offer exciting new directions to address this problem. Here, we use predictive processing models as a lens to critique prevailing functional neuroimaging research practices in affective neuroscience. Our review highlights how much work relies on rigid assumptions that are inconsistent with a predictive processing approach. We outline the central aspects of a predictive processing model and draw out their implications for research in affective and cognitive neuroscience. Predictive models motivate a reformulation of "reverse inference" in cognitive neuroscience, and placing a greater emphasis on external validity in experimental design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kent M Lee
- Northeastern University, 360 Huntington Ave, 125 NI, Boston, MA 02118, USA.
| | - Fernando Ferreira-Santos
- Laboratory of Neuropsychophysiology, Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences, University of Porto, Portugal
| | - Ajay B Satpute
- Northeastern University, 360 Huntington Ave, 125 NI, Boston, MA 02118, USA
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5
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Berry SC, Wise RG, Lawrence AD, Lancaster TM. Extended-amygdala intrinsic functional connectivity networks: A population study. Hum Brain Mapp 2021; 42:1594-1616. [PMID: 33314443 PMCID: PMC7978137 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.25314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2020] [Revised: 11/12/2020] [Accepted: 11/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Pre-clinical and human neuroimaging research implicates the extended-amygdala (ExtA) (including the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis [BST] and central nucleus of the amygdala [CeA]) in networks mediating negative emotional states associated with stress and substance-use behaviours. The extent to which individual ExtA structures form a functionally integrated unit is controversial. We utilised a large sample (n > 1,000 healthy young adult humans) to compare the intrinsic functional connectivity networks (ICNs) of the BST and CeA using task-free functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data from the Human Connectome Project. We assessed whether inter-individual differences within these ICNs were related to two principal components representing negative disposition and alcohol use. Building on recent primate evidence, we tested whether within BST-CeA intrinsic functional connectivity (iFC) was heritable and further examined co-heritability with our principal components. We demonstrate the BST and CeA to have discrete, but largely overlapping ICNs similar to previous findings. We found no evidence that within BST-CeA iFC was heritable; however, post hoc analyses found significant BST iFC heritability with the broader superficial and centromedial amygdala regions. There were no significant correlations or co-heritability associations with our principal components either across the ICNs or for specific BST-Amygdala iFC. Possible differences in phenotype associations across task-free, task-based, and clinical fMRI are discussed, along with suggestions for more causal investigative paradigms that make use of the now well-established ExtA ICNs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel C. Berry
- Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre (CUBRIC), School of PsychologyCardiff UniversityCardiffUK
| | - Richard G. Wise
- Institute for Advanced Biomedical Technologies, Department of Neuroscience, Imaging and Clinical Sciences"G. D'Annunzio University" of Chieti‐PescaraChietiItaly
| | - Andrew D. Lawrence
- Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre (CUBRIC), School of PsychologyCardiff UniversityCardiffUK
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6
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Limbachia C, Morrow K, Khibovska A, Meyer C, Padmala S, Pessoa L. Controllability over stressor decreases responses in key threat-related brain areas. Commun Biol 2021; 4:42. [PMID: 33402686 PMCID: PMC7785729 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-020-01537-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2020] [Accepted: 11/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Controllability over stressors has major impacts on brain and behavior. In humans, however, the effect of controllability on responses to stressors is poorly understood. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), we investigated how controllability altered responses to a shock-plus-sound stressor with a between-group yoked design, where participants in controllable and uncontrollable groups experienced matched stressor exposure. Employing Bayesian multilevel analysis at the level of regions of interest and voxels in the insula, and standard voxelwise analysis, we found that controllability decreased stressor-related responses across threat-related regions, notably in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis and anterior insula. Posterior cingulate cortex, posterior insula, and possibly medial frontal gyrus showed increased responses during control over stressor. Our findings support the idea that the aversiveness of stressors is reduced when controllable, leading to decreased responses across key regions involved in anxiety-related processing, even at the level of the extended amygdala.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chirag Limbachia
- Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
| | - Kelly Morrow
- Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
- Neuroscience and Cognitive Sciences program, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
| | - Anastasiia Khibovska
- Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
- Department of Psychology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
| | - Christian Meyer
- Department of Human Development and Quantitative Methodology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
| | | | - Luiz Pessoa
- Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA.
- Neuroscience and Cognitive Sciences program, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA.
- Maryland Neuroimaging Center, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA.
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA.
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7
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Hamilton KR, Smith JF, Gonçalves SF, Nketia JA, Tasheuras ON, Yoon M, Rubia K, Chirles TJ, Lejuez CW, Shackman AJ. Striatal bases of temporal discounting in early adolescents. Neuropsychologia 2020; 144:107492. [PMID: 32437762 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2020.107492] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2019] [Revised: 02/29/2020] [Accepted: 05/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Steeper rates of temporal discounting-the degree to which smaller-sooner (SS) rewards are preferred over larger-later (LL) ones-have been associated with impulsive and ill-advised behaviors in adolescence. Yet, the underlying neural systems remain poorly understood. Here we used a well-established temporal discounting paradigm and functional MRI (fMRI) to examine engagement of the striatum-including the caudate, putamen, and ventral striatum (VS)-in early adolescence (13-15 years; N = 27). Analyses provided evidence of enhanced activity in the caudate and VS during impulsive choice. Exploratory analyses revealed that trait impulsivity was associated with heightened putamen activity during impulsive choices. A more nuanced pattern was evident in the cortex, with the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex mirroring the putamen and posterior parietal cortex showing the reverse association. Taken together, these observations provide an important first glimpse at the distributed neural systems underlying economic choice and trait-like individual differences in impulsivity in the early years of adolescence, setting the stage for prospective-longitudinal and intervention research.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Mark Yoon
- University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
| | | | | | - Carl W Lejuez
- Cofrin Logan Center for Addiction Research and Treatment, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, USA
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8
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Roman E, Weininger J, Lim B, Roman M, Barry D, Tierney P, O'Hanlon E, Levins K, O'Keane V, Roddy D. Untangling the dorsal diencephalic conduction system: a review of structure and function of the stria medullaris, habenula and fasciculus retroflexus. Brain Struct Funct 2020; 225:1437-1458. [PMID: 32367265 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-020-02069-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2019] [Accepted: 04/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
The often-overlooked dorsal diencephalic conduction system (DDCS) is a highly conserved pathway linking the basal forebrain and the monoaminergic brainstem. It consists of three key structures; the stria medullaris, the habenula and the fasciculus retroflexus. The first component of the DDCS, the stria medullaris, is a discrete bilateral tract composed of fibers from the basal forebrain that terminate in the triangular eminence of the stalk of the pineal gland, known as the habenula. The habenula acts as a relay hub where incoming signals from the stria medullaris are processed and subsequently relayed to the midbrain and hindbrain monoaminergic nuclei through the fasciculus retroflexus. As a result of its wide-ranging connections, the DDCS has recently been implicated in a wide range of behaviors related to reward processing, aversion and motivation. As such, an understanding of the structure and connections of the DDCS may help illuminate the pathophysiology of neuropsychiatric disorders such as depression, addiction and pain. This is the first review of all three components of the DDCS, the stria medullaris, the habenula and the fasciculus retroflexus, with particular focus on their anatomy, function and development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Roman
- Department of Psychiatry, Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland.,Department of Psychiatry, Education and Research Centre , Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Beaumont Hospital, Dublin 9, Ireland
| | - Joshua Weininger
- Department of Psychiatry, Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - Basil Lim
- Department of Psychiatry, Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland.,Department of Game Design, Technological University Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - Marin Roman
- Department of Psychiatry, Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - Denis Barry
- Anatomy Department, Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - Paul Tierney
- Anatomy Department, Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - Erik O'Hanlon
- Department of Psychiatry, Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland.,Department of Psychiatry, Education and Research Centre , Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Beaumont Hospital, Dublin 9, Ireland
| | - Kirk Levins
- Department of Anaesthetics, Intensive Care and Pain Medicine, St. Vincent's University Hospital, Dublin 4, Ireland
| | - Veronica O'Keane
- Department of Psychiatry, Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - Darren Roddy
- Department of Psychiatry, Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland.
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9
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Provenzano J, Verduyn P, Daniels N, Fossati P, Kuppens P. Mood congruency effects are mediated by shifts in salience and central executive network efficiency. Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci 2020; 14:987-995. [PMID: 31506691 PMCID: PMC6917025 DOI: 10.1093/scan/nsz065] [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: 04/29/2019] [Revised: 08/06/2019] [Accepted: 08/19/2019] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Emotions are not confined to short momentary states but carry on over time, facilitating the perception and interpretation of the environment in mood-congruent ways. Yet, the (neural) mechanism linking affective stimulation at a certain time-point to such altered, mood-congruent processing of stimuli presented at a subsequent time-point remains unknown. Recent research suggests that such a link could be explained by transient effects of affective stimulation on the organization of intrinsic macro-scale neural networks. It remains, however, unclear whether these changes in network organization are influencing subsequent perception in a mood-congruent way. Addressing this gap the current study investigated whether changes in network organization, measured in terms of network efficiency, mediate the relation between mood induction and mood-congruent processing as measured by reaction times during an emotional Stroop task. The results demonstrated that negative mood induction increased the efficiency of the salience network and decreased the efficiency of the central executive network. This modulation of network efficiency fully mediated the effects of mood induction on reaction times to negative words. These findings indicate that transient shifts in the organization of macro-scale neural networks are an essential part of the emotional response and can help to explain how affect shapes our interaction with the environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julian Provenzano
- Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Philippe Verduyn
- Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, 75013 Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Nicky Daniels
- Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Philippe Fossati
- Institut du Cerveau et de la Moelle Epinière, ICM, Inserm U 1127, CNRS, UMR 7225, Sorbonne Université, F-75013, Paris France.,AP-HP, Hôpital de la Pitié Salpêtrière, Service de Psychiatrie d'Adultes, F-75013 Paris, France
| | - Peter Kuppens
- Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
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10
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Pessoa L. Neural dynamics of emotion and cognition: From trajectories to underlying neural geometry. Neural Netw 2019; 120:158-166. [PMID: 31522827 PMCID: PMC6899176 DOI: 10.1016/j.neunet.2019.08.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2019] [Revised: 07/15/2019] [Accepted: 08/09/2019] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
How can we study, characterize, and understand the neural underpinnings of cognitive-emotional behaviors as inherently dynamic processes? In the past 50 years, Stephen Grossberg has developed a research program that embraces the themes of dynamics, decentralized computation, emergence, selection and competition, and autonomy. The present paper discusses how these principles can be heeded by experimental scientists to advance the understanding of the brain basis of behavior. It is suggested that a profitable way forward is to focus on investigating the dynamic multivariate structure of brain data. Accordingly, central research problems involve characterizing "neural trajectories" and the associated geometry of the underlying "neural space." Finally, it is argued that, at a time when the development of neurotechniques has reached a fever pitch, neuroscience needs to redirect its focus and invest comparable energy in the conceptual and theoretical dimensions of its research endeavor. Otherwise we run the risk of being able to measure "every atom" in the brain in a theoretical vacuum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luiz Pessoa
- Department of Psychology, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Maryland Neuroimaging Center, University of Maryland, College Park, USA.
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11
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Abstract
During real-life situations, multiple factors interact dynamically to determine threat level. In the current fMRI study involving healthy adult human volunteers, we investigated interactions between proximity, direction (approach vs. retreat), and speed during a dynamic threat-of-shock paradigm. As a measure of threat-evoked physiological arousal, skin conductance responses were recorded during fMRI scanning. Some brain regions tracked individual threat-related factors, and others were also sensitive to combinations of these variables. In particular, signals in the anterior insula tracked the interaction between proximity and direction where approach versus retreat responses were stronger when threat was closer compared with farther. A parallel proximity-by-direction interaction was also observed in physiological skin conductance responses. In the right amygdala, we observed a proximity by direction interaction, but intriguingly in the opposite direction as the anterior insula; retreat versus approach responses were stronger when threat was closer compared with farther. In the right bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, we observed an effect of threat proximity, whereas in the right periaqueductal gray/midbrain we observed an effect of threat direction and a proximity by direction by speed interaction (the latter was detected in exploratory analyses but not in a voxelwise fashion). Together, our study refines our understanding of the brain mechanisms involved during aversive anticipation in the human brain. Importantly, it emphasizes that threat processing should be understood in a manner that is both context-sensitive and dynamic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Meyer
- Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
| | - Srikanth Padmala
- Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
- Neuroscience and Cognitive Sciences program, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
| | - Luiz Pessoa
- Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
- Neuroscience and Cognitive Sciences program, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
- Maryland Neuroimaging Center, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
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12
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Venkatesh M, Jaja J, Pessoa L. Brain dynamics and temporal trajectories during task and naturalistic processing. Neuroimage 2019; 186:410-423. [PMID: 30453032 PMCID: PMC6545598 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2018.11.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2018] [Revised: 11/09/2018] [Accepted: 11/12/2018] [Indexed: 10/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Human functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) data are acquired while participants engage in diverse perceptual, motor, cognitive, and emotional tasks. Although data are acquired temporally, they are most often treated in a quasi-static manner. Yet, a fuller understanding of the mechanisms that support mental functions necessitates the characterization of dynamic properties. Here, we describe an approach employing a class of recurrent neural networks called reservoir computing, and show the feasibility and potential of using it for the analysis of temporal properties of brain data. We show that reservoirs can be used effectively both for condition classification and for characterizing lower-dimensional "trajectories" of temporal data. Classification accuracy was approximately 90% for short clips of "social interactions" and around 70% for clips extracted from movie segments. Data representations with 12 or fewer dimensions (from an original space with over 300) attained classification accuracy within 5% of the full data. We hypothesize that such low-dimensional trajectories may provide "signatures" that can be associated with tasks and/or mental states. The approach was applied across participants (that is, training in one set of participants, and testing in a separate group), showing that representations generalized well to unseen participants. Taken together, we believe the present approach provides a promising framework to characterize dynamic fMRI information during both tasks and naturalistic conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manasij Venkatesh
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA.
| | - Joseph Jaja
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
| | - Luiz Pessoa
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA; Department of Psychology and Maryland Neuroimaging Center, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
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13
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Periaqueductal gray and emotions: the complexity of the problem and the light at the end of the tunnel, the magnetic resonance imaging. Endocr Regul 2018; 52:222-238. [DOI: 10.2478/enr-2018-0027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
The periaqueductal gray (PAG) is less referred in relationship with emotions than other parts of the brain (e.g. cortex, thalamus, amygdala), most probably because of the difficulty to reach and manipulate this small and deeply lying structure. After defining how to evaluate emotions, we have reviewed the literature and summarized data of the PAG contribution to the feeling of emotions focusing on the behavioral and neurochemical considerations. In humans, emotions can be characterized by three main domains: the physiological changes, the communicative expressions, and the subjective experiences. In animals, the physiological changes can mainly be studied. Indeed, early studies have considered the PAG as an important center of the emotions-related autonomic and motoric processes. However, in vivo imaging have changed our view by highlighting the PAG as a significant player in emotions-related cognitive processes. The PAG lies on the crossroad of networks important in the regulation of emotions and therefore it should not be neglected. In vivo imaging represents a good tool for studying this structure in living organism and may reveal new information about its role beyond its importance in the neurovegetative regulation.
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Tillman RM, Stockbridge MD, Nacewicz BM, Torrisi S, Fox AS, Smith JF, Shackman AJ. Intrinsic functional connectivity of the central extended amygdala. Hum Brain Mapp 2018; 39:1291-1312. [PMID: 29235190 PMCID: PMC5807241 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.23917] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2017] [Revised: 12/03/2017] [Accepted: 12/04/2017] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The central extended amygdala (EAc)-including the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BST) and central nucleus of the amygdala (Ce)-plays a critical role in triggering fear and anxiety and is implicated in the development of a range of debilitating neuropsychiatric disorders. Although it is widely believed that these disorders reflect the coordinated activity of distributed neural circuits, the functional architecture of the EAc network and the degree to which the BST and the Ce show distinct patterns of functional connectivity is unclear. Here, we used a novel combination of imaging approaches to trace the connectivity of the BST and the Ce in 130 healthy, racially diverse, community-dwelling adults. Multiband imaging, high-precision registration techniques, and spatially unsmoothed data maximized anatomical specificity. Using newly developed seed regions, whole-brain regression analyses revealed robust functional connectivity between the BST and Ce via the sublenticular extended amygdala, the ribbon of subcortical gray matter encompassing the ventral amygdalofugal pathway. Both regions displayed coupling with the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC), midcingulate cortex (MCC), insula, and anterior hippocampus. The BST showed stronger connectivity with the thalamus, striatum, periaqueductal gray, and several prefrontal territories. The only regions showing stronger functional connectivity with the Ce were neighboring regions of the dorsal amygdala, amygdalohippocampal area, and anterior hippocampus. These observations provide a baseline against which to compare a range of special populations, inform our understanding of the role of the EAc in normal and pathological fear and anxiety, and showcase image registration techniques that are likely to be useful for researchers working with "deidentified" neuroimaging data.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Melissa D. Stockbridge
- Department of Hearing and Speech SciencesUniversity of MarylandCollege ParkMaryland20742
| | - Brendon M. Nacewicz
- Department of PsychiatryUniversity of Wisconsin—Madison, 6001 Research Park BoulevardMadisonWisconsin53719
| | - Salvatore Torrisi
- Section on the Neurobiology of Fear and AnxietyNational Institute of Mental HealthBethesdaMaryland20892
| | - Andrew S. Fox
- Department of PsychologyUniversity of CaliforniaDavisCalifornia95616
- California National Primate Research CenterUniversity of CaliforniaDavisCalifornia95616
| | - Jason F. Smith
- Department of PsychologyUniversity of MarylandCollege ParkMaryland20742
| | - Alexander J. Shackman
- Department of PsychologyUniversity of MarylandCollege ParkMaryland20742
- Neuroscience and Cognitive Science ProgramUniversity of MarylandCollege ParkMaryland20742
- Maryland Neuroimaging CenterUniversity of MarylandCollege ParkMaryland20742
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Ho TC, Dennis EL, Thompson PM, Gotlib IH. Network-based approaches to examining stress in the adolescent brain. Neurobiol Stress 2018; 8:147-157. [PMID: 29888310 PMCID: PMC5991327 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2018.05.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2017] [Revised: 04/06/2018] [Accepted: 05/04/2018] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Exposure to stress, particularly in periods of rapid brain maturation such as adolescence, can profoundly influence developmental processes that undergird the organization of structural and functional brain networks and that may mediate the association between stressful experiences and maladaptive outcomes. While studies in translational developmental neuroscience often focus on how specific brain regions or targeted connections are altered by stress and psychiatric disease, the emerging field of network science may be especially valuable for elucidating the impact of stress on the intricate connectomics of the adolescent brain. Here we review recent studies that use graph theory and other network science approaches to understand normative adolescent brain development, effects of childhood maltreatment on the brain, and disorders characterized by pathological responses to stress in adolescents. Overall, these studies demonstrate that graph theory can be useful in identifying and quantifying developmental processes related to segregation, integration, and localized hub influence that are affected by stress exposure and that may lead to psychopathology. Finally, we discuss limitations in the current application of graph theory in this area and suggest what we believe are important directions for future work.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Emily L. Dennis
- Imaging Genetics Center, Mary and Mark Stevens Institute for Neuroimaging and Informatics, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, USA
| | - Paul M. Thompson
- Imaging Genetics Center, Mary and Mark Stevens Institute for Neuroimaging and Informatics, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, USA
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