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Román FJ, Iturria-Medina Y, Martínez K, Karama S, Burgaleta M, Evans AC, Jaeggi SM, Colom R. Enhanced structural connectivity within a brain sub-network supporting working memory and engagement processes after cognitive training. Neurobiol Learn Mem 2017; 141:33-43. [PMID: 28323202 DOI: 10.1016/j.nlm.2017.03.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2016] [Revised: 03/06/2017] [Accepted: 03/15/2017] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
The structural connectome provides relevant information about experience and training-related changes in the brain. Here, we used network-based statistics (NBS) and graph theoretical analyses to study structural changes in the brain as a function of cognitive training. Fifty-six young women were divided in two groups (experimental and control). We assessed their cognitive function before and after completing a working memory intervention using a comprehensive battery that included fluid and crystallized abilities, working memory and attention control, and we also obtained structural MRI images. We acquired and analyzed diffusion-weighted images to reconstruct the anatomical connectome and we computed standardized changes in connectivity as well as group differences across time using NBS. We also compared group differences relying on a variety of graph-theory indices (clustering, characteristic path length, global and local efficiency and strength) for the whole network as well as for the sub-network derived from NBS analyses. Finally, we calculated correlations between these graph indices and training performance as well as the behavioral changes in cognitive function. Our results revealed enhanced connectivity for the training group within one specific network comprised of nodes/regions supporting cognitive processes required by the training (working memory, interference resolution, inhibition, and task engagement). Significant group differences were also observed for strength and global efficiency indices in the sub-network detected by NBS. Therefore, the connectome approach is a valuable method for tracking the effects of cognitive training interventions across specific sub-networks. Moreover, this approach allowsfor the computation of graph theoretical network metricstoquantifythetopological architecture of the brain networkdetected. The observed structural brain changes support the behavioral results reported earlier (see Colom, Román, et al., 2013).
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Affiliation(s)
- Francisco J Román
- Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain; Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, USA.
| | | | - Kenia Martínez
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón (IISGM), Madrid, Spain; Ciber del área de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Madrid, Spain
| | - Sherif Karama
- Montreal Neurological Institute (MNI), McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | | | - Alan C Evans
- Montreal Neurological Institute (MNI), McGill University, Montreal, Canada
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Binder JC, Bezzola L, Haueter AIS, Klein C, Kühnis J, Baetschmann H, Jäncke L. Expertise-related functional brain network efficiency in healthy older adults. BMC Neurosci 2017; 18:2. [PMID: 28049445 PMCID: PMC5209906 DOI: 10.1186/s12868-016-0324-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2016] [Accepted: 12/14/2016] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Background In view of age-related brain changes, identifying factors that are associated with healthy aging are of great interest. In the present study, we compared the functional brain network characteristics of three groups of healthy older participants aged 61–75 years who had a different cognitive and motor training history (multi-domain group: participants who had participated in a multi-domain training; visuomotor group: participants who had participated in a visuomotor training; control group: participants with no specific training history). The study’s basic idea was to examine whether these different training histories are associated with differences in behavioral performance as well as with task-related functional brain network characteristics. Based on a high-density electroencephalographic measurement one year after training, we calculated graph-theoretical measures representing the efficiency of functional brain networks. Results Behaviorally, the multi-domain group performed significantly better than the visuomotor and the control groups on a multi-domain task including an inhibition domain, a visuomotor domain, and a spatial navigation domain. In terms of the functional brain network features, the multi-domain group showed significantly higher functional connectivity in a network encompassing visual, motor, executive, and memory-associated brain areas in the theta frequency band compared to the visuomotor group. These brain areas corresponded to the multi-domain task demands. Furthermore, mean connectivity of this network correlated positively with performance across both the multi-domain and the visuomotor group. In addition, the multi-domain group showed significantly enhanced processing efficiency reflected by a higher mean weighted node degree (strength) of the network as compared to the visuomotor group. Conclusions Taken together, our study shows expertise-dependent differences in task-related functional brain networks. These network differences were evident even a year after the acquisition of the different expertise levels. Hence, the current findings can foster understanding of how expertise is positively associated with brain functioning during aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia C Binder
- Division of Gerontopsychology and Gerontology, Department of Psychology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland. .,International Normal Aging and Plasticity Imaging Center (INAPIC), University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland. .,University Research Priority Program (URPP) "Dynamics of Healthy Aging", University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland. .,Center for Lifespan Psychology, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Berlin, Germany.
| | - Ladina Bezzola
- International Normal Aging and Plasticity Imaging Center (INAPIC), University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.,University Research Priority Program (URPP) "Dynamics of Healthy Aging", University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Aurea I S Haueter
- Division of Gerontopsychology and Gerontology, Department of Psychology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Carina Klein
- Division of Neuropsychology, Department of Psychology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Jürg Kühnis
- Division of Neuropsychology, Department of Psychology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Hansruedi Baetschmann
- Division of Neuropsychology, Department of Psychology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Lutz Jäncke
- International Normal Aging and Plasticity Imaging Center (INAPIC), University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.,University Research Priority Program (URPP) "Dynamics of Healthy Aging", University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.,Division of Neuropsychology, Department of Psychology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.,Center for Integrative Human Physiology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
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