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Abstract
OBJECTIVE Cognitive tasks are used to probe neuronal activity during functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to detect signs of aberrant cognitive functioning in patients diagnosed with schizophrenia (SZ). However, nonlinear (inverted-U-shaped) associations between neuronal activity and task difficulty can lead to misinterpretation of group differences between patients and healthy comparison subjects (HCs). In this paper, we evaluated a novel method for correcting these misinterpretations based on conditional performance analysis. METHOD Participants included 25 HCs and 27 SZs who performed a working memory (WM) task (N-back) with 5 load conditions while undergoing fMRI. Neuronal activity was regressed onto: 1) task load (i.e., parametric task levels), 2) marginal task performance (i.e., performance averaged over all load conditions), or 3) conditional task performance (i.e., performance within each load condition). RESULTS In most regions of interest, conditional performance analysis uniquely revealed inverted-U-shaped neuronal activity in both SZs and HCs. After accounting for conditional performance differences between groups, we observed few difference in both the pattern and level of neuronal activity between SZs and HCs within regions that are classically associated with WM functioning (e.g., posterior dorsolateral prefrontal and parietal association cortices). However, SZs did show aberrant activity within the anterior dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. CONCLUSIONS Interpretations of differences in neuronal activity between groups, and of associations between neuronal activity and performance, should be considered within the context of task performance. Whether conditional performance-based differences reflect compensation, dedifferentiation, or other processes is not a question that is easily resolved by examining activation and performance data alone.
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52
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Stock AK, Yu S, Ghin F, Beste C. How low working memory demands and reduced anticipatory attentional gating contribute to impaired inhibition during acute alcohol intoxication. Sci Rep 2022; 12:2892. [PMID: 35190563 PMCID: PMC8861183 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-06517-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2021] [Accepted: 01/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
High-dose alcohol intoxication is commonly associated with impaired inhibition, but the boundary conditions, as well as associated neurocognitive/neuroanatomical changes have remained rather unclear. This study was motivated by the counterintuitive finding that high-dose alcohol intoxication compromises response inhibition performance when working memory demands were low, but not when they were high. To investigate whether this is more likely to be caused by deficits in cognitive control processes or in attentional processes, we examined event-related (de)synchronization processes in theta and alpha-band activity and performed beamforming analyses on the EEG data of previously published behavioral findings. This yielded two possible explanations: There may be a selective decrease of working memory engagement in case of relatively low demand, which boosts response automatization, ultimately putting more strain on the remaining inhibitory resources. Alternatively, there may be a decrease in proactive preparatory and anticipatory attentional gating processes in case of relatively low demand, hindering attentional sampling of upcoming stimuli. Crucially, both of these interrelated mechanisms reflect differential alcohol effects after the actual motor inhibition process and therefore tend to be processes that serve to anticipate future response inhibition affordances. This provides new insights into how high-dose alcohol intoxication can impair inhibitory control.
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53
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Yu S, Mückschel M, Beste C. Superior frontal regions reflect the dynamics of task engagement and theta band-related control processes in time-on task effects. Sci Rep 2022; 12:846. [PMID: 35039615 PMCID: PMC8763946 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-04972-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2021] [Accepted: 11/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Impairment of cognitive performance is often observed in time-on tasks. Theoretical considerations suggest that especially prefrontal cortex cognitive control functions is affected by time-on-task effects, but the role of effort/task engagement is not understood. We examine time-on-task effects in cognitive control on a neurophysiological level using a working-memory modulated response inhibition task and inter-relate prefrontal neuroanatomical region-specific theta-band activity with pupil diameter data using EEG-beamforming approaches. We show that task performance declines with time-on tasks, which was paralleled by a concomitant decreases of task-evoked superior frontal gyrus theta-band activity and a reduction in phasic pupil diameter modulations. A strong relation between cognitive control-related superior frontal theta-band activity and effort/task engagement indexed by phasic pupil diameter modulations was observed in the beginning of the experiment, especially for tasks requiring inhibitory controls and demanding high working memory. This strong relation vanished at the end of the experiment, suggesting a decoupling of cognitive control resources useable for a task and effort invested that characterizes time-on-task effects in prefrontal cortical structures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shijing Yu
- Cognitive Neurophysiology, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, Schubertstrasse 42, 01309, Dresden, Germany.,University Neuropsychology Centre, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Moritz Mückschel
- Cognitive Neurophysiology, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, Schubertstrasse 42, 01309, Dresden, Germany.,University Neuropsychology Centre, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Christian Beste
- Cognitive Neurophysiology, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, Schubertstrasse 42, 01309, Dresden, Germany. .,University Neuropsychology Centre, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
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54
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Saldarini F, Gottlieb N, Stokes PRA. Neural correlates of working memory function in euthymic people with bipolar disorder compared to healthy controls: A systematic review and meta-analysis. J Affect Disord 2022; 297:610-622. [PMID: 34715175 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2021.10.084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2021] [Revised: 10/15/2021] [Accepted: 10/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Bipolar disorders (BD) are serious mental health disorders that impacts on cognitive and social functioning. We aimed to systematically review and conduct a meta-analysis of fMRI correlates of working memory in euthymic people with BD compared to healthy participants. METHOD Web of Science, Embase and PubMed databases were systematically searched to identify studies which examined the fMRI correlates of working memory function in euthymic people with BD and healthy participants. Relevant demographic, behavioral and functional MRI (fMRI) data was qualitatively and quantitatively assessed, and the quality of the included studies evaluated. Comparable studies which used the same working memory task were included in a meta-analysis using Seed-Based D Mapping software (SDM). RESULTS Twenty-four studies were included in this systematic review. Consistent brain fMRI activity differences were found in key brain areas of the working memory network in euthymic people with BD compared to healthy participants including the ventromedial and dorsolateral prefrontal cortices. Cognitive performance was not significantly different between the two groups. Six studies were suitable to be included in the meta-analysis. There was no significant overlap in areas of brain activation after family-wise correction for multiple comparisons. LIMITATIONS Heterogeneity of task paradigms, small sample sizes and inherent difficulty in the interpretation of functional brain activity due to variations between studies were all limitations. CONCLUSION The differences in working memory related fMRI activity identified by this study between people with BD and healthy participants are consistent with existing literature reporting impaired working memory performance in BD. This was not accompanied by significant differences in cognitive performance in the reviewed studies, likely due to small sample sizes. Further studies are needed to investigate the relationship between differential brain activity and working memory performance in people with BD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Saldarini
- Centre for Affective Disorders, Department of Psychological Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, 16 De Crespigny Park; London, Camberwell SE5 8AB, United Kingdom
| | - Natalie Gottlieb
- Centre for Affective Disorders, Department of Psychological Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, 16 De Crespigny Park; London, Camberwell SE5 8AB, United Kingdom.
| | - Paul R A Stokes
- Centre for Affective Disorders, Department of Psychological Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, 16 De Crespigny Park; London, Camberwell SE5 8AB, United Kingdom
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55
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Pokorny L, Besting L, Roebruck F, Jarczok TA, Bender S. Fearful facial expressions reduce inhibition levels in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex in subjects with specific phobia. Depress Anxiety 2022; 39:26-36. [PMID: 34617644 DOI: 10.1002/da.23217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2021] [Revised: 09/01/2021] [Accepted: 09/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Specific phobias have the highest prevalence among anxiety disorders. Cognitive control involving the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) is crucial for coping abilities in anxiety disorders. However, there is little research on the DLPFC in specific phobia. METHODS Using transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), we investigated the TMS-evoked potential component N100 in the DLPFC at rest and while watching emotional expressions. The TMS-evoked N100 provides a parameter for gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-B-mediated cortical inhibition. Twenty-two drug-free subjects with specific phobia (21 females and 1 male) were compared with 26 control subjects (23 females and 3 males) regarding N100 in the DLPFC at rest and during an emotional 1-back task with fearful, angry, and neutral facial expressions. RESULTS At rest, we found reduced N100 amplitudes in the specific phobia compared with the control group. Furthermore, the specific phobia group showed a further reduction in N100 amplitude when memorizing fearful compared with neutral facial expressions. CONCLUSION There appears to be a decrease in GABA-B-mediated inhibition in the DLPFC in subjects with a specific phobia at rest. This decrease was more pronounced under emotional activation by exposure to fearful facial expressions, pointing towards additional state effects of emotional processing on inhibitory function in the DLPFC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lena Pokorny
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics, and Psychotherapy, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Lisa Besting
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics, and Psychotherapy, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Friederike Roebruck
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics, and Psychotherapy, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Tomasz Antoni Jarczok
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics, and Psychotherapy, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.,Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics, and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Stephan Bender
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics, and Psychotherapy, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
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56
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Jia W, von Wegner F, Zhao M, Zeng Y. Network oscillations imply the highest cognitive workload and lowest cognitive control during idea generation in open-ended creation tasks. Sci Rep 2021; 11:24277. [PMID: 34930950 PMCID: PMC8688505 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-03577-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2021] [Accepted: 12/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Design is a ubiquitous, complex, and open-ended creation behaviour that triggers creativity. The brain dynamics underlying design is unclear, since a design process consists of many basic cognitive behaviours, such as problem understanding, idea generation, idea analysis, idea evaluation, and idea evolution. In this present study, we simulated the design process in a loosely controlled setting, aiming to quantify the design-related cognitive workload and control, identify EEG-defined large-scale brain networks, and uncover their temporal dynamics. The effectiveness of this loosely controlled setting was tested through comparing the results with validated findings available in the literature. Task-related power (TRP) analysis of delta, theta, alpha and beta frequency bands revealed that idea generation was associated with the highest cognitive workload and lowest cognitive control, compared to other design activities in the experiment, including problem understanding, idea evaluation, and self-rating. EEG microstate analysis supported this finding as microstate class C, being negatively associated with the cognitive control network, was the most prevalent in idea generation. Furthermore, EEG microstate sequence analysis demonstrated that idea generation was consistently associated with the shortest temporal correlation times concerning finite entropy rate, autoinformation function, and Hurst exponent. This finding suggests that during idea generation the interplay of functional brain networks is less restricted and the brain has more degrees of freedom in choosing the next network configuration than during other design activities. Taken together, the TRP and EEG microstate results lead to the conclusion that idea generation is associated with the highest cognitive workload and lowest cognitive control during open-ended creation task.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenjun Jia
- Concordia Institute for Information Systems Engineering, Gina Cody School of Engineering and Computer Science, Concordia University, Montreal, QC, H3G 2W1, Canada
| | - Frederic von Wegner
- School of Medical Sciences, University of New South Wales, Wallace Wurth Building, Kensington, NSW, 2052, Australia
| | - Mengting Zhao
- Concordia Institute for Information Systems Engineering, Gina Cody School of Engineering and Computer Science, Concordia University, Montreal, QC, H3G 2W1, Canada
| | - Yong Zeng
- Concordia Institute for Information Systems Engineering, Gina Cody School of Engineering and Computer Science, Concordia University, Montreal, QC, H3G 2W1, Canada.
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57
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Sihvonen AJ, Pitkäniemi A, Leo V, Soinila S, Särkämö T. Resting-state language network neuroplasticity in post-stroke music listening: A randomized controlled trial. Eur J Neurosci 2021; 54:7886-7898. [PMID: 34763370 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.15524] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2021] [Revised: 10/13/2021] [Accepted: 11/08/2021] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Recent evidence suggests that post-stroke vocal music listening can aid language recovery, but the network-level functional neuroplasticity mechanisms of this effect are unknown. Here, we sought to determine if improved language recovery observed after post-stroke listening to vocal music is driven by changes in longitudinal resting-state functional connectivity within the language network. Using data from a single-blind randomized controlled trial on stroke patients (N = 38), we compared the effects of daily listening to self-selected vocal music, instrumental music and audio books on changes of the resting-state functional connectivity within the language network and their correlation to improved language skills and verbal memory during the first 3 months post-stroke. From acute to 3-month stage, the vocal music and instrumental music groups increased functional connectivity between a cluster comprising the left inferior parietal areas and the language network more than the audio book group. However, the functional connectivity increase correlated with improved verbal memory only in the vocal music group cluster. This study shows that listening to vocal music post-stroke promotes recovery of verbal memory by inducing changes in longitudinal functional connectivity in the language network. Our results conform to the variable neurodisplacement theory underpinning aphasia recovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aleksi J Sihvonen
- Cognitive Brain Research Unit, Department of Psychology and Logopedics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.,Centre for Clinical Research, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Anni Pitkäniemi
- Cognitive Brain Research Unit, Department of Psychology and Logopedics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Vera Leo
- Cognitive Brain Research Unit, Department of Psychology and Logopedics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Seppo Soinila
- Neurocenter, Turku University Hospital and Division of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Teppo Särkämö
- Cognitive Brain Research Unit, Department of Psychology and Logopedics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
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58
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Jung M, Ryu S, Kang M, Javadi AH, Loprinzi PD. Evaluation of the transient hypofrontality theory in the context of exercise: A systematic review with meta-analysis. Q J Exp Psychol (Hove) 2021; 75:1193-1214. [PMID: 34523365 DOI: 10.1177/17470218211048807] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Accumulating research suggests that, as a result of reduced neural activity in the prefrontal cortex (PFC), higher-order cognitive function may be compromised while engaging in high-intensity acute exercise, with this phenomenon referred to as the transient hypofrontality effect. However, findings in this field remain unclear and lack a thorough synthesis of the evidence. Therefore, the purpose of this meta-analysis was to evaluate the effects of in-task acute exercise on cognitive function, and further, to examine whether this effect is moderated by the specific type of cognition (i.e., PFC-dependent vs. non-PFC-dependent). Studies were identified by electronic databases in accordance with the PRISMA guidelines. In total, 22 studies met our inclusion criteria and intercept only meta-regression models with robust variance estimation were used to calculate the weighted average effect sizes across studies. Acute exercise at all intensities did not influence cognitive function (β = -0.16, 95% CI = [-0.58, 0.27], p = .45) when exercise occurred during the cognitive task, and no significant moderation effects emerged. However, there was evidence that cognitive task type (PFC-dependent vs. non-PFC-dependent) moderated the effect of high-intensity acute exercise on a concomitant cognitive performance (β = -0.81, 95% CI = [-1.60, -0.02], p = .04). Specifically, our findings suggest that PFC-dependent cognition is impaired while engaging in an acute bout of high-intensity exercise, providing support for the transient hypofrontality theory. We discuss these findings in the context of reticular-activating and cognitive-energetic perspectives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Myungjin Jung
- Health and Sport Analytics Laboratory, Department of Health, Exercise Science and Recreation Management, The University of Mississippi, University, MS, USA.,Exercise & Memory Laboratory, Department of Health, Exercise Science and Recreation Management, The University of Mississippi, University, MS, USA
| | - Seungho Ryu
- Health and Sport Analytics Laboratory, Department of Health, Exercise Science and Recreation Management, The University of Mississippi, University, MS, USA
| | - Minsoo Kang
- Health and Sport Analytics Laboratory, Department of Health, Exercise Science and Recreation Management, The University of Mississippi, University, MS, USA
| | - Amir-Homayoun Javadi
- School of Psychology, University of Kent, Canterbury, UK.,Department of Experimental Psychology, Institute of Neuroscience, University College London, London, UK.,School of Rehabilitation, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Paul D Loprinzi
- Exercise & Memory Laboratory, Department of Health, Exercise Science and Recreation Management, The University of Mississippi, University, MS, USA
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Yaqub MA, Hong KS, Zafar A, Kim CS. Control of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation Duration by Assessing Functional Connectivity of Near-Infrared Spectroscopy Signals. Int J Neural Syst 2021; 32:2150050. [PMID: 34609264 DOI: 10.1142/s0129065721500507] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has been shown to create neuroplasticity in healthy and diseased populations. The control of stimulation duration by providing real-time brain state feedback using neuroimaging is a topic of great interest. This study presents the feasibility of a closed-loop modulation for the targeted functional network in the prefrontal cortex. We hypothesize that we cannot improve the brain state further after reaching a specific state during a stimulation therapy session. A high-definition tDCS of 1[Formula: see text]mA arranged in a ring configuration was applied at the targeted right prefrontal cortex of 15 healthy male subjects for 10[Formula: see text]min. Functional near-infrared spectroscopy was used to monitor hemoglobin chromophores during the stimulation period continuously. The correlation matrices obtained from filtered oxyhemoglobin were binarized to form subnetworks of short- and long-range connections. The connectivity in all subnetworks was analyzed individually using a new quantification measure of connectivity percentage based on the correlation matrix. The short-range network in the stimulated hemisphere showed increased connectivity in the initial stimulation phase. However, the increase in connection density reduced significantly after 6[Formula: see text]min of stimulation. The short-range network of the left hemisphere and the long-range network gradually increased throughout the stimulation period. The connectivity percentage measure showed a similar response with network theory parameters. The connectivity percentage and network theory metrics represent the brain state during the stimulation therapy. The results from the network theory metrics, including degree centrality, efficiency, and connection density, support our hypothesis and provide a guideline for feedback on the brain state. The proposed neuro-feedback scheme is feasible to control the stimulation duration to avoid overdosage.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Atif Yaqub
- ICFO-Institut de Ciències Fotòniques, The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, 08860 Castelldefels (Barcelona), Spain
| | - Keum-Shik Hong
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Pusan National University, 2 Busandaehak-ro, Geumjeong-gu, Busan 46241, Korea
| | - Amad Zafar
- Department of Electrical Engineering, University of Lahore, Sihala Zone V, Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Chang-Seok Kim
- Department of Cogno-Mechatronics Engineering, Pusan National University, 2 Busandaehak-ro, Geumjeong-gu, Busan 46241, Korea
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60
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Zhang Y, Du W, Yin Y, Li H, Liu Z, Yang Y, Han Y, Gao JH. Impaired cerebral vascular and metabolic responses to parametric N-back tasks in subjective cognitive decline. J Cereb Blood Flow Metab 2021; 41:2743-2755. [PMID: 33951945 PMCID: PMC8504959 DOI: 10.1177/0271678x211012153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Previous studies reported abnormally increased and/or decreased blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) activations during functional tasks in subjective cognitive decline (SCD). The neurophysiological basis underlying these functional aberrations remains debated. This study aims to investigate vascular and metabolic responses and their dependence on cognitive processing loads during functional tasks in SCD. Twenty-one SCD and 18 control subjects performed parametric N-back working-memory tasks during MRI scans. Task-evoked percentage changes (denoted as δ) in cerebral blood volume (δCBV), cerebral blood flow (δCBF), BOLD signal (δBOLD) and cerebral metabolic rate of oxygen (δCMRO2) were evaluated. In the frontal lobe, trends of decreased δCBV, δCBF and δCMRO2 and increased δBOLD were observed in SCD compared with control subjects under lower loads, and these trends increased to significant differences under the 3-back load. δCBF was significantly correlated with δCMRO2 in controls, but not in SCD subjects. As N-back loads increased, the differences between SCD and control subjects in δCBF and δCMRO2 tended to enlarge. In the parietal lobe, no significant between-group difference was observed. Our findings suggested that impaired vascular and metabolic responses to functional tasks occurred in the frontal lobe of SCD, which contributed to unusual BOLD hyperactivation and was modulated by cognitive processing loads.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaoyu Zhang
- Institute for Medical Imaging Technology, School of Biomedical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China.,Center for MRI Research, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Wenying Du
- Department of Neurology, Xuanwu Hospital of Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Yayan Yin
- Department of Radiology, Xuanwu Hospital of Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Huanjie Li
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, China
| | - Zhaowei Liu
- Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology (Institute of Neuroscience), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Yang Yang
- Center for MRI Research, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Ying Han
- Department of Neurology, Xuanwu Hospital of Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.,Biomedical Engineering Institute, Hainan University, Haikou, China.,Center of Alzheimer's Disease, Beijing Institute for Brain Disorders, Beijing, China.,National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Beijing, China
| | - Jia-Hong Gao
- Center for MRI Research, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Peking University, Beijing, China.,Beijing City Key Lab for Medical Physics and Engineering, Institute of Heavy Ion Physics, School of Physics, Peking University, Beijing, China.,McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Peking University, Beijing, China
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61
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Kawashima S, Shimizu Y, Ueki Y, Matsukawa N. Impairment of the visuospatial working memory in the patients with Parkinson's Disease: an fMRI study. BMC Neurol 2021; 21:335. [PMID: 34479502 PMCID: PMC8414685 DOI: 10.1186/s12883-021-02366-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2020] [Accepted: 08/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is a common symptom in the patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). The characteristics of cognitive impairment in PD are executive function (including working memory) and visuo-perceptual processing. The visuospatial n-back test has the merit of minimizing the influence of educational biases involved in the verbal n-back test. Furthermore, it can assess both visuospatial recognition and working memory in a single test. METHODS We aimed to clarify the advantage of the visuospatial n-back test as a tool for detecting impairments of working memory in PD. We enrolled 28 right-handed patients with PD (18 males, 10 females) and 12 age-matched healthy controls (HC; 7 males, 5 females). Thirteen patients were classified as MCI (PD-MCI), and 15 as cognitively normal PD (PD-CN). Using functional MRI (fMRI), we explored the specific brain regions associated with the performance of the n-back test in the PD-MCI, PD-CN, and HC groups. The 0-back test assesses visuospatial recognition, while the 1-back and 2-back tests assess visuospatial working memory. Group comparisons were performed for three loads of this test. RESULTS Patients with PD performed significantly worse in terms of the correct answer rates of all n-back tests compared with HC. fMRI analyses performed during the 2-back test revealed reduced activation in the bilateral dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, middle frontal gyrus (MFG), and parietal lobule in the PD group compared with the HC group. In contrast, the fMRI result during the 0-back test showed only a marginal difference in the frontal lobe. On comparisons of task performance between the PD-MCI and PD-CN groups, we found that the correct answer rate in the 2-back test was lower in the PD-MCI group than in the PD-CN group. However, scores of the 0-back and 1-back tests were not significantly different between the two groups. The fMRI findings revealed that activations within the middle frontal gyrus (MFG) and inferior parietal lobule (IPL) during the 2-back test were reduced in the patients with PD-MCI when compared to those with PD-CN. CONCLUSIONS This study reports reduced activation of the MFG and IPL in patients with PD-MCI. These regions may be associated with the pathophysiology of working memory impairment in patients with PD, which involves fronto-striatal network dysfunction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shoji Kawashima
- Department of Neurology and Neuroscience, Graduate School of Medical Science, Nagoya City University, 1 Kawasumi, Mizuho-ku, 467-8601, Nagoya, Japan.
| | - Yoko Shimizu
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Graduate School of Medical Science, Nagoya City University, 1 Kawasumi, Mizuho-ku, 467-8601, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Yoshino Ueki
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Graduate School of Medical Science, Nagoya City University, 1 Kawasumi, Mizuho-ku, 467-8601, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Noriyuki Matsukawa
- Department of Neurology and Neuroscience, Graduate School of Medical Science, Nagoya City University, 1 Kawasumi, Mizuho-ku, 467-8601, Nagoya, Japan
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Zhang C, Sun L, Cong F, Ristaniemi T. Spatiotemporal Dynamical Analysis of Brain Activity During Mental Fatigue Process. IEEE Trans Cogn Dev Syst 2021. [DOI: 10.1109/tcds.2020.2976610] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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63
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Evangelisti S, La Morgia C, Testa C, Manners DN, Brizi L, Bianchini C, Carbonelli M, Barboni P, Sadun AA, Tonon C, Carelli V, Vandewalle G, Lodi R. Brain functional MRI responses to blue light stimulation in Leber’s hereditary optic neuropathy. Biochem Pharmacol 2021; 191:114488. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2021.114488] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2020] [Revised: 02/18/2021] [Accepted: 02/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
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64
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Working Overtime: Altered Functional Connectivity in Working Memory Following Regular Cannabis Use in Young Adults. Int J Ment Health Addict 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s11469-020-00226-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022] Open
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Working Memory Performance under a Negative Affect Is More Susceptible to Higher Cognitive Workloads with Different Neural Haemodynamic Correlates. Brain Sci 2021; 11:brainsci11070935. [PMID: 34356169 PMCID: PMC8308038 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci11070935] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2021] [Revised: 06/02/2021] [Accepted: 06/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The effect of stress on task performance is complex, too much or too little stress negatively affects performance and there exists an optimal level of stress to drive optimal performance. Task difficulty and external affective factors are distinct stressors that impact cognitive performance. Neuroimaging studies showed that mood affects working memory performance and the correlates are changes in haemodynamic activity in the prefrontal cortex (PFC). We investigate the interactive effects of affective states and working memory load (WML) on working memory task performance and haemodynamic activity using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) neuroimaging on the PFC of healthy participants. We seek to understand if haemodynamic responses could tell apart workload-related stress from situational stress arising from external affective distraction. We found that the haemodynamic changes towards affective stressor- and workload-related stress were more dominant in the medial and lateral PFC, respectively. Our study reveals distinct affective state-dependent modulations of haemodynamic activity with increasing WML in n-back tasks, which correlate with decreasing performance. The influence of a negative effect on performance is greater at higher WML, and haemodynamic activity showed evident changes in temporal, and both spatial and strength of activation differently with WML.
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66
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Hartwigsen G, Bengio Y, Bzdok D. How does hemispheric specialization contribute to human-defining cognition? Neuron 2021; 109:2075-2090. [PMID: 34004139 PMCID: PMC8273110 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2021.04.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2021] [Revised: 03/22/2021] [Accepted: 04/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Uniquely human cognitive faculties arise from flexible interplay between specific local neural modules, with hemispheric asymmetries in functional specialization. Here, we discuss how these computational design principles provide a scaffold that enables some of the most advanced cognitive operations, such as semantic understanding of world structure, logical reasoning, and communication via language. We draw parallels to dual-processing theories of cognition by placing a focus on Kahneman's System 1 and System 2. We propose integration of these ideas with the global workspace theory to explain dynamic relay of information products between both systems. Deepening the current understanding of how neurocognitive asymmetry makes humans special can ignite the next wave of neuroscience-inspired artificial intelligence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gesa Hartwigsen
- Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Lise Meitner Research Group Cognition and Plasticity, Leipzig, Germany.
| | - Yoshua Bengio
- Mila, Montreal, QC, Canada; University of Montreal, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Danilo Bzdok
- Mila, Montreal, QC, Canada; Montreal Neurological Institute, McConnell Brain Imaging Centre, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Medicine, and School of Computer Science, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.
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67
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Gao Y, Li M, Huang AS, Anderson AW, Ding Z, Heckers SH, Woodward ND, Gore JC. Lower functional connectivity of white matter during rest and working memory tasks is associated with cognitive impairments in schizophrenia. Schizophr Res 2021; 233:101-110. [PMID: 34215467 PMCID: PMC8442250 DOI: 10.1016/j.schres.2021.06.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2020] [Revised: 06/17/2021] [Accepted: 06/18/2021] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Schizophrenia can be understood as a disturbance of functional connections within brain networks. However, functional alterations that involve white matter (WM) specifically, or their cognitive correlates, have seldomly been investigated, especially during tasks. METHODS Resting state and task fMRI images were acquired on 84 patients and 67 controls. Functional connectivities (FC) between 46 WM bundles and 82 cortical regions were compared between the groups under two conditions (i.e., resting state and during working memory retention period). The FC density of each WM bundle was then compared between groups. Associations of FC with cognitive scores were evaluated. RESULTS FC measures were lower in schizophrenia relative to controls for external capsule, cingulum (cingulate and hippocampus), uncinate fasciculus, as well as corpus callosum (genu and body) under the rest or the task condition, and were higher in the posterior corona radiata and posterior thalamic radiation during the task condition. FC for specific WM bundles was correlated with cognitive performance assessed by working memory and processing speed metrics. CONCLUSIONS The findings suggest that the functional abnormalities in patients' WM are heterogeneous, possibly reflecting several underlying mechanisms such as structural damage, functional compensation and excessive effort on task, and that WM FC disruption may contribute to the impairments of working memory and processing speed. This is the first report on WM FC abnormalities in schizophrenia relative to controls and their cognitive associates during both rest and task and highlights the need to consider WM functions as components of brain functional networks in schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yurui Gao
- Institute of Imaging Science, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA; Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Muwei Li
- Institute of Imaging Science, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA; Radiology and Radiological Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Anna S Huang
- Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Adam W Anderson
- Institute of Imaging Science, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA; Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA; Radiology and Radiological Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Zhaohua Ding
- Institute of Imaging Science, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA; Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA; Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Stephan H Heckers
- Radiology and Radiological Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA; Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Neil D Woodward
- Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA.
| | - John C Gore
- Institute of Imaging Science, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA; Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA; Radiology and Radiological Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA.
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68
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Zeng M, He Y, Zhang C, Wan Q. Neuromorphic Devices for Bionic Sensing and Perception. Front Neurosci 2021; 15:690950. [PMID: 34267624 PMCID: PMC8275992 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.690950] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2021] [Accepted: 06/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Neuromorphic devices that can emulate the bionic sensory and perceptual functions of neural systems have great applications in personal healthcare monitoring, neuro-prosthetics, and human-machine interfaces. In order to realize bionic sensing and perception, it's crucial to prepare neuromorphic devices with the function of perceiving environment in real-time. Up to now, lots of efforts have been made in the incorporation of the bio-inspired sensing and neuromorphic engineering in the booming artificial intelligence industry. In this review, we first introduce neuromorphic devices based on diverse materials and mechanisms. Then we summarize the progress made in the emulation of biological sensing and perception systems. Finally, the challenges and opportunities in these fields are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Qing Wan
- School of Electronic Science & Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
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69
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Abstract
While cognitive control enables the selection of goal-relevant responses, metacontrol enables the selection of context-appropriate control operations. In task switching, metacontrol modulates task-switching efficiency by retrieving the associations between a contextual cue and a particular cognitive control demand. While the automatic retrieval of cognitive control is appealing due to its time and energy efficiency, the effects of different contextual cues have been shown in separate studies and appear to have different characteristics. Here, we devised a single task-switching paradigm to test whether we can observe both list-wide and item-specific metacontrol within subjects. In two experiments, we demonstrated reduced switch costs in lists associated with a high probability of switching as compared with lists with a low probability of switching (i.e., a list-wide switch probability [LWSP] effect). Similarly, we observed an analogous item-specific switch probability (ISSP) effect such that items associated with a high probability of switching incurred smaller switch costs as compared with items associated with a low probability of switching. We also confirmed that both list-wide and item-specific switch probability effects were not dependent on lower-level stimulus-response associations. However, the LWSP and the ISSP effects were uncorrelated, suggesting a lack of dependence. Together, these findings suggest that there are two distinct modes of metacontrol that are deployed in a context-sensitive manner in order to adapt to specific cognitive demands.
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70
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A memory neural system built based on spiking neural network. Neurocomputing 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neucom.2021.02.044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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71
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Mottarella M, Yamasaki BL, Prat CS. Relating Individual Differences in Reading Skill to Neural Indices of Proactive Control and Online Filtering During a Working Memory Task. DISCOURSE PROCESSES 2021. [DOI: 10.1080/0163853x.2021.1926407] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Chantel S. Prat
- Department of Psychology, University of Washington
- Institute for Learning and Brain Sciences, University of Washington
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72
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Shin JH, Dennis S, Mohammed H. Mental Health Outcome Measures in Environmental Design Research: A Critical Review. HERD-HEALTH ENVIRONMENTS RESEARCH & DESIGN JOURNAL 2021; 14:331-357. [PMID: 33942674 DOI: 10.1177/1937586721999787] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
AIM During the last several decades, researchers have produced abundant evidence of the environmental impacts on stress, attention, and physical activity. More recently, scholars have turned their focus to the influence environments have on mental wellness. Therefore, a critical review of this more recent research is both timely and crucial for setting the future research agenda. METHODS In this article, we examined 65 papers published between 2008 and 2019 that examined the environmental correlates of a wide variety of mental health outcomes. We coded each study by type of environment, research design, mental health measurement scale used, and p-value. RESULTS We categorized the research studies into six groups based on mental health outcomes: emotions, moods, vitality, executive function, stress, and general well-being. Our review revealed several trends among the studies, including a heavy focus on nature and outdoor environments with little attention to workplace or residential environments; a lack of consensus on how to operationalize the environment; a heavy reliance on self-reported ratings using a wide variety of scales, many focused on the same outcome; and a disproportionate focus on short-term health effects. CONCLUSIONS There is a need for greater consensus on research constructs and health outcome measurements, focused on a wider variety of environmental settings and scales, in order to better inform evidence-based environmental design practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jung-Hye Shin
- Department of Design Studies, 5228University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Samuel Dennis
- Department of Planning and Landscape Architecture, 5228University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Hassnaa Mohammed
- Department of Design Studies, 5228University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
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73
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Bray NW, Pieruccini-Faria F, Bartha R, Doherty TJ, Nagamatsu LS, Montero-Odasso M. The effect of physical exercise on functional brain network connectivity in older adults with and without cognitive impairment. A systematic review. Mech Ageing Dev 2021; 196:111493. [PMID: 33887281 DOI: 10.1016/j.mad.2021.111493] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2021] [Revised: 04/09/2021] [Accepted: 04/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Neurodegeneration is a biproduct of aging that results in concomitant cognitive decline. Physical exercise is an emerging intervention to improve brain health. The underlying neural mechanisms linking exercise to neurodegeneration, however, are unclear. Functional brain network connectivity (FBNC) refers to neural regions that are anatomically separate but temporally synched in functional signalling. FBNC can be measured using functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) and is affected by neurodegeneration. METHODS We conducted a systematic review using PubMed and EMBASE to assess the effect of physical exercise on FBNC in older adults with and without cognitive impairment. RESULTS Our search yielded 1474 articles; after exclusion, 13 were included in the final review, 8 of which focused on cognitively healthy older adults. 10 studies demonstrated an increase in FBNC post-exercise intervention, while 11 studies showed improvements in secondary outcomes (cognitive and/or physical performance). One study showed significant correlations between FBNC and cognitive performance measures that significantly improved post-intervention. DISCUSSION We found evidence that physical exercise increases FBNC. When assessing the association between FBNC with physical and cognitive functioning, careful consideration must be given to variability in exercise parameters, neural regions of interest and networks examined, and heterogeneity in methodological approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nick W Bray
- Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Kinesiology, Western University, London, ON, Canada; Gait and Brain Lab, Lawson Health Research Institute, Parkwood Institute, London, ON, Canada.
| | - Frederico Pieruccini-Faria
- Gait and Brain Lab, Lawson Health Research Institute, Parkwood Institute, London, ON, Canada; Department of Medicine and Division of Geriatric Medicine, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, ON, Canada.
| | - Robert Bartha
- Department of Medical Biophysics, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, ON, Canada; Robarts Research Institute, Western University, London, ON, Canada.
| | - Timothy J Doherty
- Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Kinesiology, Western University, London, ON, Canada; Neuromuscular Function Lab, Lawson Health Research Institute, Parkwood Institute, London, ON, Canada; Department of Clinical Neurological Sciences, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, ON, Canada.
| | - Lindsay S Nagamatsu
- Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Kinesiology, Western University, London, ON, Canada; Exercise, Mobility and Brain Health Lab, Western University, London, ON, Canada; Brain and Mind Institute, Western University, London, ON, Canada.
| | - Manuel Montero-Odasso
- Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Kinesiology, Western University, London, ON, Canada; Gait and Brain Lab, Lawson Health Research Institute, Parkwood Institute, London, ON, Canada; Department of Medicine and Division of Geriatric Medicine, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, ON, Canada; Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, ON, Canada.
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74
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Whybird M, Coats R, Vuister T, Harrison S, Booth S, Burke M. The role of the posterior parietal cortex on cognition: An exploratory study. Brain Res 2021; 1764:147452. [PMID: 33838128 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2021.147452] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2020] [Revised: 03/03/2021] [Accepted: 03/23/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Theta burst stimulation (TBS) is a form of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) that can be used to increase (intermittent TBS) or reduce (continuous TBS) cortical excitability. The current study provides a preliminary report of the effects of iTBS and cTBS in healthy young adults, to investigate the causal role of the posterior parietal cortex (PPC) during the performance of four cognitive functions: attention, inhibition, sequence learning and working memory. A 2 × 2 repeated measures design was incorporated using hemisphere (left/right) and TBS type (iTBS/cTBS) as the independent variables. 20 participants performed the cognitive tasks both before and after TBS stimulation in 4 counterbalanced experimental sessions (left cTBS, right cTBS, left iTBS and right iTBS) spaced 1 week apart. No change in performance was identified for the attentional cueing task after TBS stimulation, however TBS applied to the left PPC decreased reaction time when inhibiting a reflexive response. The sequence learning task revealed differential effects for encoding of the sequence versus the learnt items. cTBS on the right hemisphere resulted in faster responses to learnt sequences, and iTBS on the right hemisphere reduced reaction times during the initial encoding of the sequence. The reaction times in the 2-back working memory task were increased when TBS stimulation was applied to the right hemisphere. Results reveal clear differential effects for tasks explored, and more specifically where TBS stimulation on right PPC could provide a potential for further investigation into improving oculomotor learning by inducing plasticity-like mechanisms in the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marlee Whybird
- School of Psychology, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Rachel Coats
- School of Psychology, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Tessa Vuister
- School of Psychology, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Sophie Harrison
- School of Psychology, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Samantha Booth
- School of Psychology, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Melanie Burke
- School of Psychology, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK.
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75
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Rosero Pahi M, Cavalli J, Nees F, Flor H, Andoh J. Disruption of the Prefrontal Cortex Improves Implicit Contextual Memory-Guided Attention: Combined Behavioral and Electrophysiological Evidence. Cereb Cortex 2021; 30:20-30. [PMID: 31062857 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhz067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2018] [Revised: 02/06/2019] [Accepted: 03/08/2019] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Many studies have shown that the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) plays an important role in top-down cognitive control over intentional and deliberate behavior. However, recent studies have reported that DLPFC-mediated top-down control interferes with implicit forms of learning. Here we used continuous theta-burst stimulation (cTBS) combined with electroencephalography to investigate the causal role of DLPFC in implicit contextual memory-guided attention. We aimed to test whether transient disruption of the DLPFC would interfere with implicit learning performance and related electrical brain activity. We applied neuronavigation-guided cTBS to the DLPFC or to the vertex as a control region prior to the performance of an implicit contextual learning task. We found that cTBS applied over the DLPFC significantly improved performance during implicit contextual learning. We also noted that beta-band (13-19 Hz) oscillatory power was reduced at fronto-central channels about 140 to 370 ms after visual stimulus onset in cTBS DLPFC compared with cTBS vertex. Taken together, our results provide evidence that DLPFC-mediated top-down control interferes with contextual memory-guided attention and beta-band oscillatory activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mario Rosero Pahi
- Department of Cognitive and Clinical Neuroscience, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Square J5, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Juliana Cavalli
- Department of Cognitive and Clinical Neuroscience, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Square J5, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Frauke Nees
- Department of Cognitive and Clinical Neuroscience, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Square J5, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Herta Flor
- Department of Cognitive and Clinical Neuroscience, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Square J5, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Jamila Andoh
- Department of Cognitive and Clinical Neuroscience, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Square J5, Mannheim, Germany
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76
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Xie Y, Li Y, Duan H, Xu X, Zhang W, Fang P. Theta Oscillations and Source Connectivity During Complex Audiovisual Object Encoding in Working Memory. Front Hum Neurosci 2021; 15:614950. [PMID: 33762914 PMCID: PMC7982740 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2021.614950] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2020] [Accepted: 01/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Working memory is a limited capacity memory system that involves the short-term storage and processing of information. Neuroscientific studies of working memory have mostly focused on the essential roles of neural oscillations during item encoding from single sensory modalities (e.g., visual and auditory). However, the characteristics of neural oscillations during multisensory encoding in working memory are rarely studied. Our study investigated the oscillation characteristics of neural signals in scalp electrodes and mapped functional brain connectivity while participants encoded complex audiovisual objects in a working memory task. Experimental results showed that theta oscillations (4–8 Hz) were prominent and topographically distributed across multiple cortical regions, including prefrontal (e.g., superior frontal gyrus), parietal (e.g., precuneus), temporal (e.g., inferior temporal gyrus), and occipital (e.g., cuneus) cortices. Furthermore, neural connectivity at the theta oscillation frequency was significant in these cortical regions during audiovisual object encoding compared with single modality object encoding. These results suggest that local oscillations and interregional connectivity via theta activity play an important role during audiovisual object encoding and may contribute to the formation of working memory traces from multisensory items.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuanjun Xie
- School of Education, Xin Yang College, Xinyang, China.,Department of Radiology, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Yanyan Li
- School of Education, Xin Yang College, Xinyang, China
| | - Haidan Duan
- School of Education, Xin Yang College, Xinyang, China
| | - Xiliang Xu
- School of Education, Xin Yang College, Xinyang, China
| | - Wenmo Zhang
- Department of Fundamental, Army Logistical University, Chongqing, China.,Department of Social Medicine and Health and Management, College of Military Preventive Medicine, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Peng Fang
- Department of Military Medical Psychology, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
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77
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Schouwenaars IT, de Dreu MJ, Rutten GJM, Ramsey NF, Jansma JM. A functional MRI study of presurgical cognitive deficits in glioma patients. Neurooncol Pract 2021; 8:81-90. [PMID: 33659067 PMCID: PMC7906265 DOI: 10.1093/nop/npaa059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The main goal of this functional MRI (fMRI) study was to examine whether cognitive deficits in glioma patients prior to treatment are associated with abnormal brain activity in either the central executive network (CEN) or default mode network (DMN). Methods Forty-six glioma patients, and 23 group-matched healthy controls (HCs) participated in this fMRI experiment, performing an N-back task. Additionally, cognitive profiles of patients were evaluated outside the scanner. A region of interest–based analysis was used to compare brain activity in CEN and DMN between groups. Post hoc analyses were performed to evaluate differences between low-grade glioma (LGG) and high-grade glioma (HGG) patients. Results In-scanner performance was lower in glioma patients compared to HCs. Neuropsychological testing indicated cognitive impairment in LGG as well as HGG patients. fMRI results revealed normal CEN activation in glioma patients, whereas patients showed reduced DMN deactivation compared to HCs. Brain activity levels did not differ between LGG and HGG patients. Conclusions Our study suggests that cognitive deficits in glioma patients prior to treatment are associated with reduced responsiveness of the DMN, but not with abnormal CEN activation. These results suggest that cognitive deficits in glioma patients reflect a reduced capacity to achieve a brain state necessary for normal cognitive performance, rather than abnormal functioning of executive brain regions. Solely focusing on increases in brain activity may well be insufficient if we want to understand the underlying brain mechanism of cognitive impairments in patients, as our results indicate the importance of assessing deactivation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irena T Schouwenaars
- Department of Neurosurgery, Elisabeth-TweeSteden Hospital, Tilburg, the Netherlands.,Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, UMC Utrecht Brain Center, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Miek J de Dreu
- Department of Neurosurgery, Elisabeth-TweeSteden Hospital, Tilburg, the Netherlands.,Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, UMC Utrecht Brain Center, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Geert-Jan M Rutten
- Department of Neurosurgery, Elisabeth-TweeSteden Hospital, Tilburg, the Netherlands
| | - Nick F Ramsey
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, UMC Utrecht Brain Center, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Johan M Jansma
- Department of Neurosurgery, Elisabeth-TweeSteden Hospital, Tilburg, the Netherlands.,Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, UMC Utrecht Brain Center, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
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78
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Melara RD, Varela T, Baidya T. Neural and behavioral effects of perceptual load on auditory selective attention. Behav Brain Res 2021; 405:113213. [PMID: 33657438 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2021.113213] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2020] [Revised: 02/01/2021] [Accepted: 02/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Healthy adults performed an auditory version of the flanker task under low versus high perceptual load while behavioral and electrophysiological measures were recorded. Participants experienced less attentional interference under low load than high load, whether analyses were performed between tasks (Garner interference; found in accuracy and RT), between stimuli (flanker congruity; found in accuracy), or between sequences (Gratton effect; found in accuracy). Analysis of event-related potentials to the distractor (flanker), which was physically identical across load conditions, revealed load modulation of tasks effects in the P1 component (peak amplitude and latency), an early perceptual component peaking approximately 75 ms after distractor onset. As in behavioral performance, ERP analyses showed that auditory attentional disruption in P1 was significantly smaller under low perceptual load. Dipole source analysis suggested activation of prefrontal inhibitory control during low load and default mode network during high load. The results are in keeping with the predictions of tectonic theory (Melara & Algom, 2003), but inconsistent with expectations derived from perceptual load theory (Lavie, 1995).
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79
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Volz S, Ward A, Mann T. Eating up cognitive resources: Does attentional consumption lead to food consumption? Appetite 2021; 162:105165. [PMID: 33609586 DOI: 10.1016/j.appet.2021.105165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2020] [Revised: 12/30/2020] [Accepted: 02/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
What is the role played by attentional load in eating? Does attending to an unrelated task generally lead to overeating, perhaps by preventing individuals from focusing on a goal to limit consumption? Or does such attentional diversion typically lead to reductions in eating, perhaps by preventing people from noticing tempting features of relevant food cues? Past research has supported each of these two propositions, but comparisons between existing studies have been hampered to the extent that various experimental manipulations differ in the degree to which they occupy attention, as well as differing in the particular type of attentional resources they exploit. To resolve existing discrepancies in the literature, in a series of studies, we made use of a working memory manipulation, the n-back task (Kirchner, 1958), that can be systematically modified to induce varying levels of cognitive load, allowing for rigorous comparisons of the effects of different levels of attentional load on eating. These studies revealed a complex pattern of results. Analysis of findings from three studies employing within-subjects designs documented a linear relationship, in that participants consumed less food when completing a higher cognitive-load task than when completing a lower cognitive-load task. Three studies employing between-subjects designs highlighted a less consistent pattern of results, but when combined in a mini-meta-analysis, suggested the opposite linear relationship, with participants assigned to higher cognitive-load conditions generally consuming more food than participants assigned to lower cognitive-load conditions. We conducted two additional studies to reconcile these conflicting patterns of data. Neither finding received unequivocal support, although both studies found that participants ate less when engaged in higher cognitive-load tasks than lower cognitive-load tasks. The precise nature of the relationship between attentional load and eating remains elusive.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Volz
- Department of Psychology, University of Minnesota, 75 East River Parkway, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA
| | - Andrew Ward
- Department of Psychology, Swarthmore College, 500 College Avenue, Swarthmore, PA, 19081, USA
| | - Traci Mann
- Department of Psychology, University of Minnesota, 75 East River Parkway, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA.
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80
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Yue Q, Martin RC. Maintaining verbal short-term memory representations in non-perceptual parietal regions. Cortex 2021; 138:72-89. [PMID: 33677329 DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2021.01.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2020] [Revised: 11/09/2020] [Accepted: 01/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Buffer accounts of verbal short-term memory (STM) assume dedicated buffers for maintaining different types of information (e.g., phonological, visual) whereas embedded processes accounts argue against the existence of buffers and claim that STM consists of the activated portion of long-term memory (LTM). We addressed this debate by determining whether STM recruits the same neural substrate as LTM, or whether additional regions are involved in short-term storage. Using fMRI with representational similarity analysis (RSA), we examined the representational correspondence of multi-voxel neural activation patterns with the theoretical predictions for the maintenance of both phonological and semantic codes in STM. We found that during the delay period of a phonological STM task, phonological representations could be decoded in the left supramarginal gyrus (SMG) but not the superior temporal gyrus (STG), a speech processing region, for word stimuli. Whereas the pattern in the SMG was specific to phonology, a different region in the left angular gyrus showed RSA decoding evidence for the retention of either phonological or semantic codes, depending on the task context. Taken together, the results provide clear support for a dedicated buffer account of phonological STM, although evidence for a semantic buffer is equivocal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiuhai Yue
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, USA; Department of Psychology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37240, USA.
| | - Randi C Martin
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, USA.
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81
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Curtis AF, Dzierzewski JM, Buman MP, Giacobbi PR, Roberts BL, Aiken-Morgan AT, Marsiske M, McCrae CS. Preliminary investigation of interactive associations of sleep and pain with cognition in sedentary middle-aged and older adults. J Clin Sleep Med 2021; 17:233-242. [PMID: 33006311 PMCID: PMC7853205 DOI: 10.5664/jcsm.8856] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2019] [Revised: 09/27/2020] [Accepted: 09/28/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
STUDY OBJECTIVES The objective of this study was to examine independent and interactive associations between self-reported sleep (sleep efficiency and total sleep time [TST]) and pain with cognition in sedentary middle-aged and older adults. METHODS Seventy-five sedentary adults at least 50 years of age (Mage = 63.24, standard deviation = 8.87) completed 14 daily diaries measuring sleep and pain. Weekly average sleep efficiency, TST, and pain were computed. Participants also completed computerized cognitive tasks: Letter Series (reasoning), N-back (working memory), Symbol Digit Modalities Test (processing speed, attention), and Number Copy (processing speed). Multiple regression analyses were conducted to determine independent and interactive (with pain) associations of sleep efficiency and TST with cognition, controlling for age, education, and sex. RESULTS Sleep efficiency and pain interacted in their associations with Letter Series performance and N-back difference scores (2-back minus 1-back). Specifically, higher sleep efficiency was associated with better reasoning and working memory in those with highest pain but not average or lowest pain. TST and pain also interacted in their associations with Letter Series performance. Specifically, longer TST associated with worse reasoning in those with lowest (not average or highest) pain. CONCLUSIONS Preliminary results show that in sedentary middle-aged and older adults, pain and sleep interact in their associations with executive function tasks. Higher sleep efficiency may be associated with better reasoning and working memory in those with highest pain. Lower TST may be associated with better reasoning in those with lowest pain. Studies evaluating temporal associations between sleep, pain, and cognition are needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashley F. Curtis
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri
- Department of Psychological Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri
| | | | - Matthew P. Buman
- College of Health Solutions, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona
| | - Peter R. Giacobbi
- College of Physical Activity and Sport Sciences, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia
| | | | - Adrienne T. Aiken-Morgan
- Department of Psychology, North Carolina A&T State University, Greensboro, North Carolina
- Center on Health and Society, Social Science Research Institute, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina
| | - Michael Marsiske
- Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida
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82
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Ho SS, Nakamura Y, Swain JE. Compassion As an Intervention to Attune to Universal Suffering of Self and Others in Conflicts: A Translational Framework. Front Psychol 2021; 11:603385. [PMID: 33505336 PMCID: PMC7829669 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.603385] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2020] [Accepted: 12/09/2020] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
As interpersonal, racial, social, and international conflicts intensify in the world, it is important to safeguard the mental health of individuals affected by them. According to a Buddhist notion "if you want others to be happy, practice compassion; if you want to be happy, practice compassion," compassion practice is an intervention to cultivate conflict-proof well-being. Here, compassion practice refers to a form of concentrated meditation wherein a practitioner attunes to friend, enemy, and someone in between, thinking, "I'm going to help them (equally)." The compassion meditation is based on Buddhist philosophy that mental suffering is rooted in conceptual thoughts that give rise to generic mental images of self and others and subsequent biases to preserve one's egoism, blocking the ultimate nature of mind. To contextualize compassion meditation scientifically, we adopted a Bayesian active inference framework to incorporate relevant Buddhist concepts, including mind (buddhi), compassion (karuna), aggregates (skandhas), suffering (duhkha), reification (samaropa), conceptual thoughts (vikalpa), and superimposition (prapañca). In this framework, a person is considered a Bayesian Engine that actively constructs phenomena based on the aggregates of forms, sensations, discriminations, actions, and consciousness. When the person embodies rigid beliefs about self and others' identities (identity-grasping beliefs) and the resulting ego-preserving bias, the person's Bayesian Engine malfunctions, failing to use prediction errors to update prior beliefs. To counter this problem, after recognizing the causes of sufferings, a practitioner of the compassion meditation aims to attune to all others equally, friends and enemies alike, suspend identity-based conceptual thoughts, and eventually let go of any identity-grasping belief and ego-preserving bias that obscure reality. We present a brain model for the Bayesian Engine of three components: (a) Relation-Modeling, (b) Reality-Checking, and (c) Conflict-Alarming, which are subserved by (a) the Default-Mode Network (DMN), (b) Frontoparietal Network (FPN) and Ventral Attention Network (VAN), and (c) Salience Network (SN), respectively. Upon perceiving conflicts, the strengthening or weakening of ego-preserving bias will critically depend on whether the SN up-regulates the DMN or FPN/VAN, respectively. We propose that compassion meditation can strengthen brain regions that are conducive for suspending prior beliefs and enhancing the attunements to the counterparts in conflicts.
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Affiliation(s)
- S. Shaun Ho
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, United States
| | - Yoshio Nakamura
- Department of Anesthesiology, Division of Pain Medicine, Pain Research Center, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT, United States
| | - James E. Swain
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, United States
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83
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Rovetti J, Goy H, Nurgitz R, Russo FA. Comparing verbal working memory load in auditory and visual modalities using functional near-infrared spectroscopy. Behav Brain Res 2021; 402:113102. [PMID: 33422594 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2020.113102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2020] [Revised: 11/29/2020] [Accepted: 12/27/2020] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
The verbal identity n-back task is commonly used to assess verbal working memory (VWM) capacity. Only three studies have compared brain activation during the n-back when using auditory and visual stimuli. The earliest study, a positron emission tomography study of the 3-back, found no differences in VWM-related brain activation between n-back modalities. In contrast, two subsequent functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies of the 2-back found that auditory VWM was associated with greater left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DL-PFC) activation than visual VWM, perhaps suggesting that auditory VWM requires more cognitive effort than its visual counterpart. The current study aimed to assess whether DL-PFC activation (i.e., cognitive effort) differs by VWM modality. To do this, 16 younger adults completed an auditory and visual n-back, both at four levels of VWM load. Concurrently, activation of the PFC was measured using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), a silent neuroimaging method. We found that DL-PFC activation increased with VWM load, but it was not affected by VWM modality or the interaction between load and modality. This supports the view that both VWM modalities require similar cognitive effort, and perhaps that previous fMRI results were an artefact of scanner noise. We also found that, across conditions, DL-PFC activation was positively correlated with reaction time. This may further support DL-PFC activation as an index of cognitive effort, and fNIRS as a method to measure it.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph Rovetti
- Department of Psychology, Ryerson University, 350 Victoria St, Toronto, ON M5B 2K3, Canada.
| | - Huiwen Goy
- Department of Psychology, Ryerson University, 350 Victoria St, Toronto, ON M5B 2K3, Canada.
| | - Rebecca Nurgitz
- Department of Psychology, Ryerson University, 350 Victoria St, Toronto, ON M5B 2K3, Canada.
| | - Frank A Russo
- Department of Psychology, Ryerson University, 350 Victoria St, Toronto, ON M5B 2K3, Canada.
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84
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Brüchle W, Schwarzer C, Berns C, Scho S, Schneefeld J, Koester D, Schack T, Schneider U, Rosenkranz K. Physical Activity Reduces Clinical Symptoms and Restores Neuroplasticity in Major Depression. Front Psychiatry 2021; 12:660642. [PMID: 34177647 PMCID: PMC8219854 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2021.660642] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2021] [Accepted: 05/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Major depressive disorder (MDD) is the most common mental disorder and deficits in neuroplasticity are discussed as one pathophysiological mechanism. Physical activity (PA) enhances neuroplasticity in healthy subjects and improves clinical symptoms of MDD. However, it is unclear whether this clinical effect of PA is due to restoring deficient neuroplasticity in MDD. We investigated the effect of a 3-week PA program applied on clinical symptoms, motor excitability and plasticity, and on cognition in patients with MDD (N = 23), in comparison to a control intervention (CI; N = 18). Before and after the interventions, the clinical symptom severity was tested using self- (BDI-II) and investigator- (HAMD-17) rated scales, transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) protocols were used to test motor excitability and paired-associative stimulation (PAS) to test long-term-potentiation (LTP)-like plasticity. Additionally, cognitive functions such as attention, working memory and executive functions were tested. After the interventions, the BDI-II and HAMD-17 decreased significantly in both groups, but the decrease in HAMD-17 was significantly stronger in the PA group. Cognition did not change notably in either group. Motor excitability did not differ between the groups and remained unchanged by either intervention. Baseline levels of LTP-like plasticity in the motor cortex were low in both groups (PA: 113.40 ± 2.55%; CI: 116.83 ± 3.70%) and increased significantly after PA (155.06 ± 10.48%) but not after CI (122.01 ± 4.1%). Higher baseline BDI-II scores were correlated with lower levels of neuroplasticity. Importantly, the more the BDI-II score decreased during the interventions, the stronger did neuroplasticity increase. The latter effect was particularly strong after PA (r = -0.835; p < 0.001). The level of neuroplasticity related specifically to the psychological/affective items, which are tested predominantly in the BDI-II. However, the significant clinical difference in the intervention effects was shown in the HAMD-17 which focuses more on somatic/neurovegetative items known to improve earlier in the course of MDD. In summary, PA improved symptoms of MDD and restored the deficient neuroplasticity. Importantly, both changes were strongly related on the individual patients' level, highlighting the key role of neuroplasticity in the pathophysiology and the clinical relevance of neuroplasticity-enhancing interventions for the treatment of MDD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wanja Brüchle
- Faculty of Medicine, University Clinic of Psychiatry and Psychotherapie Luebbecke, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Caroline Schwarzer
- Neurocognition and Action Group, Faculty of Psychology and Sports Sciences, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Christina Berns
- Faculty of Medicine, University Clinic of Psychiatry and Psychotherapie Luebbecke, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Sebastian Scho
- Faculty of Medicine, University Clinic of Psychiatry and Psychotherapie Luebbecke, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Jessica Schneefeld
- Faculty of Medicine, University Clinic of Psychiatry and Psychotherapie Luebbecke, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Dirk Koester
- Neurocognition and Action Group, Faculty of Psychology and Sports Sciences, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, Germany.,Department of Business Psychology, Faculty Business and Management, BSP Business School Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Thomas Schack
- Neurocognition and Action Group, Faculty of Psychology and Sports Sciences, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Udo Schneider
- Faculty of Medicine, University Clinic of Psychiatry and Psychotherapie Luebbecke, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Karin Rosenkranz
- Faculty of Medicine, University Clinic of Psychiatry and Psychotherapie Luebbecke, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
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85
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Abushalbaq OM, Khdour HY, Abo Hamza EG, Moustafa AA, Herzallah MM. Investigating Principal Working Memory Features in Generalized, Panic, and Social Anxiety Spectrum Disorders. Front Psychiatry 2021; 12:701412. [PMID: 34421683 PMCID: PMC8377732 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2021.701412] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2021] [Accepted: 06/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Anxiety spectrum disorders are characterized by excessive and uncontrollable worrying about potential negative events in the short- and long-term future. Various reports linked anxiety spectrum disorders with working memory (WM) deficits despite conflicting results stemming from different study approaches. It remains unclear, however, how different anxiety spectrum disorders such as generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), social anxiety disorder (SAD), and panic disorder (PD), differ in WM function. In this study, we utilized verbal, numerical, and sequential evaluations of WM to cover most possible facets of the WM data space. We used principal component analysis to extract the uncorrelated/whitened components of WM based on these measures. We evaluated medication-free patients with GAD, SAD, and PD patients as well as matched healthy individuals using a battery that measures WM duration and load. We found that patients with GAD and SAD, but not PD, exhibited poor performance only in the WM principal component that represents maintenance. There were no other significant differences between the four groups. Further, different WM components significantly predicted the severity of anxiety symptoms in the groups. We explored the clinical utility of WM components for differentiating patients with anxiety spectrum disorders from healthy individuals. By only using the WM components that represent maintenance and encoding, we managed to differentiate patients from controls in 84% of cases. For the first time, we present multiple novel approaches to examine cognitive function and design cognitive screening, and potentially diagnostics, for psychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oday M Abushalbaq
- Palestinian Neuroscience Initiative, Al-Quds University, Jerusalem, Palestine.,Department of Biological Sciences, Rutgers University, Newark, NJ, United States
| | - Hussain Y Khdour
- Palestinian Neuroscience Initiative, Al-Quds University, Jerusalem, Palestine.,Center for Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience, Rutgers University, Newark, NJ, United States
| | - Eid G Abo Hamza
- College of Humanities and Sciences, Ajman University, Ajman, United Arab Emirates.,Faculty of Education, Tanta University, Tanta, Egypt
| | - Ahmed A Moustafa
- Palestinian Neuroscience Initiative, Al-Quds University, Jerusalem, Palestine.,Marcs Institute for Brain and Behavior and School of Social Sciences and Psychology, Western Sydney University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Mohammad M Herzallah
- Palestinian Neuroscience Initiative, Al-Quds University, Jerusalem, Palestine.,Center for Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience, Rutgers University, Newark, NJ, United States
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86
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Kaposzta Z, Stylianou O, Mukli P, Eke A, Racz FS. Decreased connection density and modularity of functional brain networks during n-back working memory paradigm. Brain Behav 2021; 11:e01932. [PMID: 33185986 PMCID: PMC7821619 DOI: 10.1002/brb3.1932] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2020] [Revised: 10/05/2020] [Accepted: 10/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Investigating how the brain adapts to increased mental workload through large-scale functional reorganization appears as an important research question. Functional connectivity (FC) aims at capturing how disparate regions of the brain dynamically interact, while graph theory provides tools for the topological characterization of the reconstructed functional networks. Although numerous studies investigated how FC is altered in response to increased working memory (WM) demand, current results are still contradictory as few studies confirmed the robustness of these findings in a low-density setting. METHODS In this study, we utilized the n-back WM paradigm, in which subjects were presented stimuli (single digits) sequentially, and their task was to decide for each given stimulus if it matched the one presented n-times earlier. Electroencephalography recordings were performed under a control (0-back) and two task conditions of varying difficulty (2- and 3-back). We captured the characteristic connectivity patterns for each difficulty level by performing FC analysis and described the reconstructed functional networks with various graph theoretical measures. RESULTS We found a substantial decrease in FC when transitioning from the 0- to the 2- or 3-back conditions, however, no differences relating to task difficulty were identified. The observed changes in brain network topology could be attributed to the dissociation of two (frontal and occipitotemporal) functional modules that were only present during the control condition. Furthermore, behavioral and performance measures showed both positive and negative correlations to connectivity indices, although only in the higher frequency bands. CONCLUSION The marked decrease in FC may be due to temporarily abandoned connections that are redundant or irrelevant in solving the specific task. Our results indicate that FC analysis is a robust tool for investigating the response of the brain to increased cognitive workload.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zalan Kaposzta
- Department of Physiology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | | | - Peter Mukli
- Department of Physiology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Andras Eke
- Department of Physiology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
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87
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Eghbaria-Ghanamah H, Ghanamah R, Shalhoub-Awwad Y, Karni A. Recitation as a structured intervention to enhance the long-term verbatim retention and gist recall of complex texts in kindergarteners. J Exp Child Psychol 2020; 203:105054. [PMID: 33302131 DOI: 10.1016/j.jecp.2020.105054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2019] [Revised: 09/09/2020] [Accepted: 11/02/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Recitation is an effective way for children to become familiar with basic blocks of knowledge. It is not clear, however, whether repeated structured exposure to complex texts via listening or active reciting benefits the ability of kindergarteners to retain verbal material in long-term memory verbatim and as content. Here, we tested the effectiveness of teaching longer texts to kindergarteners by repeated exposure in terms of long-term retention (6 months). A set of 28 rhyming sentences (224 words) were introduced, 3 in each session, and the increasingly longer text was practiced by either voiced recitation or listening. The rhymes were in a literary language, and word meaning in each new rhyme was elaborated when first introduced. Both groups (recitation and listening) showed good long-term retention, but the recitation group outperformed the listening group when assessed at 24 h, 1 month, and 6 months postintervention in terms of the recall rate, error rate, number of prompts required, and sequence fidelity. In the later assessments, the reciting group was the more fluent group in producing the rhymes. Moreover, at 6 months postintervention, the gist (content) of the rhymes and the meaning of vocabulary items from the texts were robustly retained, with an advantage for the recitation group. Thus, practice in affording multiple repetitions, specifically active recitation, resulted in fluent, effortless, and accurate recall of statements and their content. We propose that these results support the notion that repetition-based practice may promote the mastery of complex verbal material by enabling better engagement of procedural memory, that is, by promoting "proceduralization" processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hazar Eghbaria-Ghanamah
- Department of Learning Disabilities and Edmond J. Safra Brain Research Center for the Study of Learning Disabilities, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel.
| | - Rafat Ghanamah
- Department of Learning Disabilities and Edmond J. Safra Brain Research Center for the Study of Learning Disabilities, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
| | - Yasmin Shalhoub-Awwad
- Department of Learning Disabilities and Edmond J. Safra Brain Research Center for the Study of Learning Disabilities, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
| | - Avi Karni
- Department of Learning Disabilities and Edmond J. Safra Brain Research Center for the Study of Learning Disabilities, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel; Sagol Department of Neurobiology, Brain-Behavior Research Center, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel; FMRI Unit, Diagnostic Imaging Division, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Israel
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88
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Decoding verbal working memory representations of Chinese characters from Broca's area. Neuroimage 2020; 226:117595. [PMID: 33248261 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2020.117595] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2020] [Revised: 10/14/2020] [Accepted: 11/18/2020] [Indexed: 10/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Representations of sensory working memory can be found across the entire neocortex. But how are verbal working memory (VWM) contents retained in the human brain? Here we used fMRI and multi-voxel pattern analyses to study Chinese native speakers (15 males, 13 females) memorizing Chinese characters. Chinese characters are uniquely suitable to study VWM because verbal encoding is encouraged by their complex visual appearance and monosyllabic pronunciation. We found that activity patterns in Broca's area and left premotor cortex carried information about the memorized characters. These language-related areas carried (1) significantly more information about cued characters than those not cued for memorization, (2) significantly more information on the left than the right hemisphere and (3) significantly more information about Chinese symbols than complex visual patterns which are hard to verbalize. In contrast, early visual cortex carries a comparable amount of information about cued and uncued stimuli and is thus unlikely to be involved in memory retention. This study provides evidence for verbal working memory maintenance in a distributed network of language-related brain regions, consistent with distributed accounts of WM. The results also suggest that Broca's area and left premotor cortex form the articulatory network which serves articulatory rehearsal in the retention of verbal working memory contents.
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89
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Cowley BR, Snyder AC, Acar K, Williamson RC, Yu BM, Smith MA. Slow Drift of Neural Activity as a Signature of Impulsivity in Macaque Visual and Prefrontal Cortex. Neuron 2020; 108:551-567.e8. [PMID: 32810433 PMCID: PMC7822647 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2020.07.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2020] [Revised: 06/15/2020] [Accepted: 07/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
An animal's decision depends not only on incoming sensory evidence but also on its fluctuating internal state. This state embodies multiple cognitive factors, such as arousal and fatigue, but it is unclear how these factors influence the neural processes that encode sensory stimuli and form a decision. We discovered that, unprompted by task conditions, animals slowly shifted their likelihood of detecting stimulus changes over the timescale of tens of minutes. Neural population activity from visual area V4, as well as from prefrontal cortex, slowly drifted together with these behavioral fluctuations. We found that this slow drift, rather than altering the encoding of the sensory stimulus, acted as an impulsivity signal, overriding sensory evidence to dictate the final decision. Overall, this work uncovers an internal state embedded in population activity across multiple brain areas and sheds further light on how internal states contribute to the decision-making process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin R Cowley
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA; Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA; Department of Machine Learning, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Adam C Snyder
- Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA; Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA; Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14642, USA; Department of Neuroscience, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14642, USA; Center for Visual Science, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14642, USA
| | - Katerina Acar
- Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA; Neuroscience Institute, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA; Center for Neuroscience, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Ryan C Williamson
- Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA; Department of Machine Learning, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA; University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Byron M Yu
- Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA; Neuroscience Institute, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA; Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Matthew A Smith
- Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA; Neuroscience Institute, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA; Department of Ophthalmology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA.
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90
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Kluen LM, Dandolo LC, Jocham G, Schwabe L. Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex Enables Updating of Established Memories. Cereb Cortex 2020; 29:4154-4168. [PMID: 30535262 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhy298] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2018] [Revised: 11/06/2018] [Accepted: 11/06/2018] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Updating established memories in light of new information is fundamental for memory to guide future behavior. However, little is known about the brain mechanisms by which existing memories can be updated. Here, we combined functional magnetic resonance imaging and multivariate representational similarity analysis to elucidate the neural mechanisms underlying the updating of consolidated memories. To this end, participants first learned face-city name pairs. Twenty-four hours later, while lying in the MRI scanner, participants were required to update some of these associations, but not others, and to encode entirely new pairs. Updating success was tested again 24 h later. Our results showed increased activity of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) specifically during the updating of existing associations that was significantly stronger than when simple retrieval or new encoding was required. The updating-related activity of the dlPFC and its functional connectivity with the hippocampus were directly linked to updating success. Furthermore, neural similarity for updated items was markedly higher in the dlPFC and this increase in dlPFC neural similarity distinguished individuals with high updating performance from those with low updating performance. Together, these findings suggest a key role of the dlPFC, presumably in interaction with the hippocampus, in the updating of established memories.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa Marieke Kluen
- Department of Cognitive Psychology, Institute of Psychology, University of Hamburg, 20146 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Lisa Catherine Dandolo
- Department of Cognitive Psychology, Institute of Psychology, University of Hamburg, 20146 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Gerhard Jocham
- Institute of Experimental Psychology, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Germany.,Center for Behavioral Brain Sciences, Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Lars Schwabe
- Department of Cognitive Psychology, Institute of Psychology, University of Hamburg, 20146 Hamburg, Germany
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91
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Adam KCS, Vogel EK, Awh E. Multivariate analysis reveals a generalizable human electrophysiological signature of working memory load. Psychophysiology 2020; 57:e13691. [PMID: 33040349 DOI: 10.1111/psyp.13691] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2020] [Revised: 08/30/2020] [Accepted: 09/01/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Working memory (WM) is an online memory system that is critical for holding information in a rapidly accessible state during ongoing cognitive processing. Thus, there is strong value in methods that provide a temporally resolved index of WM load. While univariate EEG signals have been identified that vary with WM load, recent advances in multivariate analytic approaches suggest that there may be rich sources of information that do not generate reliable univariate signatures. Here, using data from four published studies (n = 286 and >250,000 trials), we demonstrate that multivariate analysis of EEG voltage topography provides a sensitive index of the number of items stored in WM that generalizes to novel human observers. Moreover, multivariate load detection ("mvLoad") can provide robust information at the single-trial level, exceeding the sensitivity of extant univariate approaches. We show that this method tracks WM load in a manner that is (1) independent of the spatial position of the memoranda, (2) precise enough to differentiate item-by-item increments in the number of stored items, (3) generalizable across distinct tasks and stimulus displays, and (4) correlated with individual differences in WM behavior. Thus, this approach provides a powerful complement to univariate analytic approaches, enabling temporally resolved tracking of online memory storage in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kirsten C S Adam
- Department of Psychology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.,Institute for Neural Computation, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Edward K Vogel
- Grossman Institute for Neuroscience, Quantitative Biology, and Human Behavior, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.,Department of Psychology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.,Institute for Mind and Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Edward Awh
- Grossman Institute for Neuroscience, Quantitative Biology, and Human Behavior, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.,Department of Psychology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.,Institute for Mind and Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
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92
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Stefansdottir R, Gundersen H, Rognvaldsdottir V, Lundervold AS, Gestsdottir S, Gudmundsdottir SL, Chen KY, Brychta RJ, Johannsson E. Association between free-living sleep and memory and attention in healthy adolescents. Sci Rep 2020; 10:16877. [PMID: 33037281 PMCID: PMC7547704 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-73774-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2020] [Accepted: 09/15/2020] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
In laboratory studies, imposed sleep restriction consistently reduces cognitive performance. However, the association between objectively measured, free-living sleep and cognitive function has not been studied in older adolescents. To address this gap, we measured one week of sleep with a wrist-worn GT3X+ actigraph in 160 adolescents (96 girls, 17.7 ± 0.3 years) followed by assessment of working memory with an n-back task and visual attention with a Posner cue-target task. Over the week, participants spent 7.1 ± 0.8 h/night in bed and slept 6.2 ± 0.8 h/night with 88.5 ± 4.8% efficiency and considerable intra-participant night-to-night variation, with a standard deviation in sleep duration of 1.2 ± 0.7 h. Sleep measures the night before cognitive testing were similar to weekly averages. Time in bed the night before cognitive testing was negatively associated with response times during the most challenging memory task (3-back; p = 0.005). However, sleep measures the night before did not correlate with performance on the attention task and weekly sleep parameters were not associated with either cognitive task. Our data suggests shorter acute free-living sleep may negatively impact difficult memory tasks, however the relationship between free-living sleep and cognitive task performance in healthy adolescents is less clear than that of laboratory findings, perhaps due to high night-to-night sleep variation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Runa Stefansdottir
- Centre for Sports and Health Sciences, University of Iceland, Stakkahlid, 105, Reykjavík, Iceland
| | - Hilde Gundersen
- Department of Sport, Food and Natural Sciences, Western Norway University of Applied Sciences, Bergen, Norway
| | - Vaka Rognvaldsdottir
- Centre for Sports and Health Sciences, University of Iceland, Stakkahlid, 105, Reykjavík, Iceland
| | - Alexander S Lundervold
- Department of Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, and Mathematical Sciences, Western Norway University of Applied Sciences, Bergen, Norway.,Mohn Medical Imaging and Visualization Centre, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway
| | - Sunna Gestsdottir
- Centre for Sports and Health Sciences, University of Iceland, Stakkahlid, 105, Reykjavík, Iceland
| | | | - Kong Y Chen
- Diabetes, Endocrinology, and Obesity Branch, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Robert J Brychta
- Diabetes, Endocrinology, and Obesity Branch, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Erlingur Johannsson
- Centre for Sports and Health Sciences, University of Iceland, Stakkahlid, 105, Reykjavík, Iceland. .,Department of Sport, Food and Natural Sciences, Western Norway University of Applied Sciences, Bergen, Norway.
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93
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Inubushi T, Ito M, Mori Y, Futatsubashi M, Sato K, Ito S, Yokokura M, Shinke T, Kameno Y, Kakimoto A, Kanno T, Okada H, Ouchi Y, Yoshikawa E. Neural correlates of head restraint: Unsolicited neuronal activation and dopamine release. Neuroimage 2020; 224:117434. [PMID: 33039616 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2020.117434] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2020] [Revised: 09/01/2020] [Accepted: 10/03/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
To minimize motion-related distortion of reconstructed images, conventional positron emission tomography (PET) measurements of the brain inevitably require a firm and tight head restraint. While such a restraint is now a routine procedure in brain imaging, the physiological and psychological consequences resulting from the restraint have not been elucidated. To address this problem, we developed a restraint-free brain PET system and conducted PET scans under both restrained and non-restrained conditions. We examined whether head restraint during PET scans could alter brain activities such as regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) and dopamine release along with psychological stress related to head restraint. Under both conditions, 20 healthy male participants underwent [15O]H2O and [11C]Raclopride PET scans during working memory tasks with the same PET system. Before, during, and after each PET scan, we measured physiological and psychological stress responses, including the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) scores. Analysis of the [15O]H2O-PET data revealed higher rCBF in regions such as the parahippocampus in the restrained condition. We found the binding potential (BPND) of [11C]Raclopride in the putamen was significantly reduced in the restrained condition, which reflects an increase in dopamine release. Moreover, the restraint-induced change in BPND was correlated with a shift in the state anxiety score of the STAI, indicating that less anxiety accompanied smaller dopamine release. These results suggest that the stress from head restraint could cause unsolicited responses in brain physiology and emotional states. The restraint-free imaging system may thus be a key enabling technology for the natural depiction of the mind.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomoo Inubushi
- Central Research Laboratory, Hamamatsu Photonics KK, Shizuoka 434-8601, Japan
| | - Masanori Ito
- Global Strategic Challenge Center, Hamamatsu Photonics KK, Shizuoka 434-8601, Japan
| | - Yutaro Mori
- Department of Biofunctional Imaging, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, 1-20-1, Handayama, Higashi-Ku, Hamamatsu, Shizuoka 431-3192, Japan
| | - Masami Futatsubashi
- Global Strategic Challenge Center, Hamamatsu Photonics KK, Shizuoka 434-8601, Japan
| | - Kengo Sato
- Central Research Laboratory, Hamamatsu Photonics KK, Shizuoka 434-8601, Japan
| | - Shigeru Ito
- Global Strategic Challenge Center, Hamamatsu Photonics KK, Shizuoka 434-8601, Japan
| | - Masamichi Yokokura
- Department of Psychiatry, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Shizuoka 431-3192, Japan
| | - Tomomi Shinke
- Global Strategic Challenge Center, Hamamatsu Photonics KK, Shizuoka 434-8601, Japan
| | - Yosuke Kameno
- Department of Psychiatry, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Shizuoka 431-3192, Japan
| | - Akihiro Kakimoto
- Department of Biofunctional Imaging, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, 1-20-1, Handayama, Higashi-Ku, Hamamatsu, Shizuoka 431-3192, Japan; Hamamatsu Medical Imaging Center, Hamamatsu Medical Photonics Foundation, Shizuoka 434-0041, Japan
| | - Toshihiko Kanno
- Department of Radiological Sciences, Morinomiya University of Medical Sciences, Osaka 559-8611, Japan
| | - Hiroyuki Okada
- Global Strategic Challenge Center, Hamamatsu Photonics KK, Shizuoka 434-8601, Japan; Department of Radiological Sciences, Morinomiya University of Medical Sciences, Osaka 559-8611, Japan
| | - Yasuomi Ouchi
- Department of Biofunctional Imaging, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, 1-20-1, Handayama, Higashi-Ku, Hamamatsu, Shizuoka 431-3192, Japan; Hamamatsu Medical Imaging Center, Hamamatsu Medical Photonics Foundation, Shizuoka 434-0041, Japan.
| | - Etsuji Yoshikawa
- Central Research Laboratory, Hamamatsu Photonics KK, Shizuoka 434-8601, Japan; Department of Biofunctional Imaging, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, 1-20-1, Handayama, Higashi-Ku, Hamamatsu, Shizuoka 431-3192, Japan
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94
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Kasai W, Goto T, Aoyama Y, Sato K. Association between cognitive quotient test score and hippocampal volume: a novel, rapid application-based screening tool. Sci Rep 2020; 10:16728. [PMID: 33028930 PMCID: PMC7542449 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-74019-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2020] [Accepted: 07/30/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
We aimed to develop a brief, preclinical test to screen the reduced hippocampal volume that is a marker of early dementia [Cognitive Quotient (CQ) test]. We performed an observational study of adult subjects who underwent brain MRI in seven institutions from February 2018 to May 2019. The CQ test consists of five components: (1) digits forward, (2) digits backward, (3) Stroop test, (4) simple calculation, and (5) mental rotation. The primary outcome measure was hippocampal volume. We separated the data into derivation (n = 322) and validation cohorts (n = 96). In the derivation cohort, we built two scoring systems using the results of CQ test (model 1 and 2). In the validation cohort, we validated the correlation of the scoring systems with hippocampal volume. In the derivation cohort, there was a moderate correlation between the scoring systems and hippocampal volume [e.g., correlation coefficient = 0.62 in model 1 (95% CI 0.44–0.75)]. Likewise, in the validation cohort, there was a moderate correlation between the scoring systems and hippocampal volume [e.g., correlation coefficient = 0.54 in model 2 (95% CI 0.38–0.67)]. In this analysis of 418 participants, the score of newly developed CQ test was correlated with hippocampal volume.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Tadahiro Goto
- Graduate School of Medical Sciences, University of Fukui, Fukui, Japan.
| | | | - Kenji Sato
- Department of Surgery, Sado General Hospital, Niigata, Japan
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95
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Yan H, Wang J. Non-equilibrium landscape and flux reveal the stability-flexibility-energy tradeoff in working memory. PLoS Comput Biol 2020; 16:e1008209. [PMID: 33006962 PMCID: PMC7531819 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1008209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2019] [Accepted: 07/30/2020] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Uncovering the underlying biophysical principles of emergent collective computational abilities, such as working memory, in neural circuits is one of the most essential concerns in modern neuroscience. Working memory system is often desired to be robust against noises. Such systems can be highly flexible for adapting environmental demands. How neural circuits reconfigure themselves according to the cognitive task requirement remains unclear. Previous studies explored the robustness and the flexibility in working memory by tracing individual dynamical trajectories in a limited time scale, where the accuracy of the results depends on the volume of the collected statistical data. Inspired by thermodynamics and statistical mechanics in physical systems, we developed a non-equilibrium landscape and flux framework for studying the neural network dynamics. Applying this approach to a biophysically based working memory model, we investigated how changes in the recurrent excitation mediated by slow NMDA receptors within a selective population and mutual inhibition mediated by GABAergic interneurons between populations affect the robustness against noises. This is realized through quantifying the underlying non-equilibrium potential landscape topography and the kinetics of state switching. We found that an optimal compromise for a working memory circuit between the robustness and the flexibility can be achieved through the emergence of an intermediate state between the working memory states. An optimal combination of both increased self-excitation and inhibition can enhance the flexibility to external signals without significantly reducing the robustness to the random fluctuations. Furthermore, we found that the enhanced performance in working memory is supported by larger energy consumption. Our approach can facilitate the design of new network structure for cognitive functions with the optimal balance between performance and cost. Our work also provides a new paradigm for exploring the underlying mechanisms of many cognitive functions based on non-equilibrium physics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Han Yan
- State Key Laboratory of Electroanalytical Chemistry, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun, Jilin, P.R. China
| | - Jin Wang
- Department of Chemistry and Physics, State University of New York at Stony Brook, Stony Brook, NY, USA
- * E-mail:
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96
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Waechter S, Wilson WJ, Brännström JK. The impact of tinnitus on working memory capacity. Int J Audiol 2020; 60:274-281. [PMID: 33000654 DOI: 10.1080/14992027.2020.1822550] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To determine if tinnitus was related to working memory (WM) in adults and if tinnitus handicap was related to WM in adults with tinnitus. DESIGN Two groups, cross-sectional design. STUDY SAMPLES 76 adults forming a tinnitus group (n = 38) and a control group (n = 38). Each group included 19 adults with normal hearing and 19 adults with hearing loss matched for age, sex and educational backgrounds. All participants completed the visual n-back test; pure tone audiometry (0.125-16 kHz); and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Tinnitus sufferers also completed the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI). RESULTS For all participants, tinnitus was not related to WM scores when corrected for hearing thresholds, anxiety, and depression. The corrections for best ear high-frequency pure-tone average hearing threshold (BEHFPTA: 10, 12.5, 14 and 16 kHz) were significant. For tinnitus sufferers, THI was related to WM scores in the easiest n-back condition, and BEHFPTA was related to WM scores in the easiest and the hardest n-back condition. CONCLUSION Tinnitus was not related to WM scores. Tinnitus handicap was related to some WM scores in tinnitus sufferers. Further investigation of the possible relationship between high-frequency hearing and WM is warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian Waechter
- Department of Logopedics, Phoniatrics and Audiology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Wayne J Wilson
- Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Jonas K Brännström
- Department of Logopedics, Phoniatrics and Audiology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
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97
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Yildirim M, Hu M, Le NM, Sugihara H, So PTC, Sur M. Quantitative third-harmonic generation imaging of mouse visual cortex areas reveals correlations between functional maps and structural substrates. BIOMEDICAL OPTICS EXPRESS 2020; 11:5650-5673. [PMID: 33149977 PMCID: PMC7587247 DOI: 10.1364/boe.396962] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2020] [Revised: 08/26/2020] [Accepted: 09/08/2020] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
The structure of brain regions is assumed to correlate with their function, but there are very few instances in which the relationship has been demonstrated in the live brain. This is due to the difficulty of simultaneously measuring functional and structural properties of brain areas, particularly at cellular resolution. Here, we performed label-free, third-harmonic generation (THG) microscopy to obtain a key structural signature of cortical areas, their effective attenuation lengths (EAL), in the vertical columns of functionally defined primary visual cortex and five adjacent visual areas in awake mice. EALs measured by THG microscopy in the cortex and white matter showed remarkable correspondence with the functional retinotopic sign map of each area. Structural features such as cytoarchitecture, myeloarchitecture and blood vessel architecture were correlated with areal EAL values, suggesting that EAL is a function of these structural features as an optical property of these areas. These results demonstrate for the first time a strong relationship between structural substrates of visual cortical areas and their functional representation maps in vivo. This study may also help in understanding the coupling between structure and function in other animal models as well as in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Murat Yildirim
- Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Ming Hu
- Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Nhat M Le
- Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Hiroki Sugihara
- Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Peter T C So
- Departments of Mechanical and Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Mriganka Sur
- Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
- Simons Center for the Social Brain, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
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98
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Retirement or no Retirement? The Decision's Effects on Cognitive Functioning, Well-Being, and Quality of Life. Behav Sci (Basel) 2020; 10:bs10100151. [PMID: 33019746 PMCID: PMC7601241 DOI: 10.3390/bs10100151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2020] [Revised: 09/16/2020] [Accepted: 09/28/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
This study addressed the psychological effects on personal well-being and reported quality of life of staying professionally active in late adulthood, and to what extent years of professional inactivity modulates cognitive abilities. Design and Methods: We collected data on 262 elderly adults, 129 of whom were professionally active elderly adults (who voluntarily maintained their professional activity after the age of retirement) and 133 of whom were retired adults, in a set of experimental tasks to measure basic cognitive resources. The study took place during the first quarter of 2020. Results: Active elderly people performed better on cognitive tasks that assessed attention, memory, and solving abilities and also reported more satisfaction with life and their current work. Multiple linear regressions analyses revealed that years of inactivity were associated with lower cognitive performance. Mentally demanding jobs were significantly associated with memory performance, but not with attention and planning. Conclusions: An involuntary separation from professional activity in the beginning of late adulthood may cause a deeper decline of cognitive functions, poorer adaptive adjustment to the aging process, and higher dissatisfaction with the period of life the individual is going through.
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99
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Shin M, Linke A, Kemps E. Moderate amounts of media multitasking are associated with optimal task performance and minimal mind wandering. COMPUTERS IN HUMAN BEHAVIOR 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.chb.2020.106422] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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100
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Siddiquee MR, Atri R, Marquez JS, Hasan SMS, Ramon R, Bai O. Sensor Location Optimization of Wireless Wearable fNIRS System for Cognitive Workload Monitoring Using a Data-Driven Approach for Improved Wearability. SENSORS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2020; 20:E5082. [PMID: 32906737 PMCID: PMC7570614 DOI: 10.3390/s20185082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2020] [Revised: 08/31/2020] [Accepted: 08/31/2020] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS) is a hemodynamic modality in human cognitive workload assessment receiving popularity due to its easier implementation, non-invasiveness, low cost and other benefits from the signal-processing point of view. Wearable wireless fNIRS systems used in research have promisingly shown that fNIRS could be used in cognitive workload assessment in out-of-the-lab scenarios, such as in operators' cognitive workload monitoring. In such a scenario, the wearability of the system is a significant factor affecting user comfort. In this respect, the wearability of the system can be improved if it is possible to minimize an fNIRS system without much compromise of the cognitive workload detection accuracy. In this study, cognitive workload-related hemodynamic changes were acquired using an fNIRS system covering the whole forehead, which is the region of interest in most cognitive workload-monitoring studies. A machine learning approach was applied to explore how the mean accuracy of the cognitive workload classification accuracy varied across various sensing locations on the forehead such as the Left, Mid, Right, Left-Mid, Right-Mid and Whole forehead. The statistical significance analysis result showed that the Mid location could result in significant cognitive workload classification accuracy compared to Whole forehead sensing, with a statistically insignificant difference in the mean accuracy. Thus, the wearable fNIRS system can be improved in terms of wearability by optimizing the sensor location, considering the sensing of the Mid location on the forehead for cognitive workload monitoring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masudur R. Siddiquee
- Human Cyber-Physical Systems Laboratory, Florida International University, Miami, FL 33174, USA; (R.A.); (J.S.M.); (S.M.S.H.); (R.R.); (O.B.)
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