101
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Abraham E, Hendler T, Zagoory-Sharon O, Feldman R. Network integrity of the parental brain in infancy supports the development of children's social competencies. Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci 2016; 11:1707-1718. [PMID: 27369068 PMCID: PMC5091682 DOI: 10.1093/scan/nsw090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2016] [Accepted: 06/20/2016] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The cross-generational transmission of mammalian sociality, initiated by the parent’s postpartum brain plasticity and species-typical behavior that buttress offspring’s socialization, has not been studied in humans. In this longitudinal study, we measured brain response of 45 primary-caregiving parents to their infant’s stimuli, observed parent–infant interactions, and assayed parental oxytocin (OT). Intra- and inter-network connectivity were computed in three main networks of the human parental brain: core limbic, embodied simulation and mentalizing. During preschool, two key child social competencies were observed: emotion regulation and socialization. Parent’s network integrity in infancy predicted preschoolers’ social outcomes, with subcortical and cortical network integrity foreshadowing simple evolutionary-based regulatory tactics vs complex self-regulatory strategies and advanced socialization. Parent–infant synchrony mediated the links between connectivity of the parent’s embodied simulation network and preschoolers' ability to use cognitive/executive emotion regulation strategies, highlighting the inherently dyadic nature of this network and its long-term effects on tuning young to social life. Parent’s inter-network core limbic-embodied simulation connectivity predicted children’s OT as moderated by parental OT. Findings challenge solipsistic neuroscience perspectives by demonstrating how the parent–offspring interface enables the brain of one human to profoundly impact long-term adaptation of another.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eyal Abraham
- Department of Psychology and the Gonda Brain Research Center, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan 52900, Israel
| | - Talma Hendler
- Functional Brain Center, Wohl Institute of Advanced Imaging, Tel-Aviv SouraskyMedical Center, Tel Aviv, Israel.,School of Psychological Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Orna Zagoory-Sharon
- Department of Psychology and the Gonda Brain Research Center, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan 52900, Israel
| | - Ruth Feldman
- Department of Psychology and the Gonda Brain Research Center, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan 52900, Israel .,Child Study Center, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
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102
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Beffara B, Bret AG, Vermeulen N, Mermillod M. Resting high frequency heart rate variability selectively predicts cooperative behavior. Physiol Behav 2016; 164:417-28. [PMID: 27343804 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2016.06.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2016] [Revised: 06/02/2016] [Accepted: 06/11/2016] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
This study explores whether the vagal connection between the heart and the brain is involved in prosocial behaviors. The Polyvagal Theory postulates that vagal activity underlies prosocial tendencies. Even if several results suggest that vagal activity is associated with prosocial behaviors, none of them used behavioral measures of prosociality to establish this relationship. We recorded the resting state vagal activity (reflected by High Frequency Heart Rate Variability, HF-HRV) of 48 (42 suitale for analysis) healthy human adults and measured their level of cooperation during a hawk-dove game. We also manipulated the consequence of mutual defection in the hawk-dove game (severe vs. moderate). Results show that HF-HRV is positively and linearly related to cooperation level, but only when the consequence of mutual defection is severe (compared to moderate). This supports that i) prosocial behaviors are likely to be underpinned by vagal functioning ii) physiological disposition to cooperate interacts with environmental context. We discuss these results within the theoretical framework of the Polyvagal Theory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brice Beffara
- Univ. Grenoble Alpes, LPNC, F-38040, Grenoble, France; CNRS, LPNC UMR 5105, F-38040, Grenoble, France; IPSY, Université Catholique de Louvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium.
| | - Amélie G Bret
- Univ. Grenoble Alpes, LPNC, F-38040, Grenoble, France; CNRS, LPNC UMR 5105, F-38040, Grenoble, France; IPSY, Université Catholique de Louvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
| | - Nicolas Vermeulen
- IPSY, Université Catholique de Louvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium; Fund for Scientific Research (FRS-FNRS), Brussels, Belgium
| | - Martial Mermillod
- Univ. Grenoble Alpes, LPNC, F-38040, Grenoble, France; CNRS, LPNC UMR 5105, F-38040, Grenoble, France; Institut Universitaire de France, Paris, France
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103
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Seymour KE, Jones RN, Cushman GK, Galvan T, Puzia ME, Kim KL, Spirito A, Dickstein DP. Emotional face recognition in adolescent suicide attempters and adolescents engaging in non-suicidal self-injury. Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2016; 25:247-59. [PMID: 26048103 PMCID: PMC6642805 DOI: 10.1007/s00787-015-0733-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2015] [Accepted: 05/30/2015] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Little is known about the bio-behavioral mechanisms underlying and differentiating suicide attempts from non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) in adolescents. Adolescents who attempt suicide or engage in NSSI often report significant interpersonal and social difficulties. Emotional face recognition ability is a fundamental skill required for successful social interactions, and deficits in this ability may provide insight into the unique brain-behavior interactions underlying suicide attempts versus NSSI in adolescents. Therefore, we examined emotional face recognition ability among three mutually exclusive groups: (1) inpatient adolescents who attempted suicide (SA, n = 30); (2) inpatient adolescents engaged in NSSI (NSSI, n = 30); and (3) typically developing controls (TDC, n = 30) without psychiatric illness. Participants included adolescents aged 13-17 years, matched on age, gender and full-scale IQ. Emotional face recognition was evaluated using the diagnostic assessment of nonverbal accuracy (DANVA-2). Compared to TDC youth, adolescents with NSSI made more errors on child fearful and adult sad face recognition while controlling for psychopathology and medication status (ps < 0.05). No differences were found on emotional face recognition between NSSI and SA groups. Secondary analyses showed that compared to inpatients without major depression, those with major depression made fewer errors on adult sad face recognition even when controlling for group status (p < 0.05). Further, compared to inpatients without generalized anxiety, those with generalized anxiety made fewer recognition errors on adult happy faces even when controlling for group status (p < 0.05). Adolescent inpatients engaged in NSSI showed greater deficits in emotional face recognition than TDC, but not inpatient adolescents who attempted suicide. Further results suggest the importance of psychopathology in emotional face recognition. Replication of these preliminary results and examination of the role of context-dependent emotional processing are needed moving forward.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karen E Seymour
- Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 550 North Broadway, Suite 943, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA.
| | - Richard N Jones
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, USA
| | - Grace K Cushman
- Bradley Hospital's Pediatric, Mood, Imaging and NeuroDevelopment (PediMIND) Program, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, USA
| | - Thania Galvan
- Bradley Hospital's Pediatric, Mood, Imaging and NeuroDevelopment (PediMIND) Program, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, USA
| | - Megan E Puzia
- Bradley Hospital's Pediatric, Mood, Imaging and NeuroDevelopment (PediMIND) Program, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, USA
| | - Kerri L Kim
- Bradley Hospital's Pediatric, Mood, Imaging and NeuroDevelopment (PediMIND) Program, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, USA
| | - Anthony Spirito
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, USA
| | - Daniel P Dickstein
- Bradley Hospital's Pediatric, Mood, Imaging and NeuroDevelopment (PediMIND) Program, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, USA
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104
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On dissociating the neural time course of the processing of positive emotions. Neuropsychologia 2016; 83:123-137. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2015.12.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2015] [Revised: 11/20/2015] [Accepted: 12/01/2015] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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105
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Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Neurologists have generally paid relatively little attention to social behavior and its disorders. As a result, many individuals with suspected brain disorders primarily involving changes in social behavior have sought evaluations by psychiatrists or psychologists. This review summarizes recent findings from the growing field of social neuroscience and illustrates the relevance of this knowledge for the neurologist by reviewing contemporary research on frontotemporal dementia and its differential diagnosis. RECENT FINDINGS An explosion of research over the past 10 to 15 years has illuminated specific psychological processes involved in core facets of social behavior and their neural bases. In parallel, knowledge of the genetics, neurobiology, neuroimaging features, and clinical phenomenology of frontotemporal dementia has grown dramatically. SUMMARY As the understanding of specific component processes involved in social behavior and their neural underpinnings deepen, neurologists may lead the way in using this knowledge to provide sophisticated evaluation and monitoring for patients with disorders of social behavior and ultimately may develop new therapeutic options to treat these brain disorders.
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106
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Abstract
OBJECTIVES Behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD) is characterized by early atrophy in the frontotemporoinsular regions. These regions overlap with networks that are engaged in social cognition-executive functions, two hallmarks deficits of bvFTD. We examine (i) whether Network Centrality (a graph theory metric that measures how important a node is in a brain network) in the frontotemporoinsular network is disrupted in bvFTD, and (ii) the level of involvement of this network in social-executive performance. METHODS Patients with probable bvFTD, healthy controls, and frontoinsular stroke patients underwent functional MRI resting-state recordings and completed social-executive behavioral measures. RESULTS Relative to the controls and the stroke group, the bvFTD patients presented decreased Network Centrality. In addition, this measure was associated with social cognition and executive functions. To test the specificity of these results for the Network Centrality of the frontotemporoinsular network, we assessed the main areas from six resting-state networks. No group differences or behavioral associations were found in these networks. Finally, Network Centrality and behavior distinguished bvFTD patients from the other groups with a high classification rate. CONCLUSIONS bvFTD selectively affects Network Centrality in the frontotemporoinsular network, which is associated with high-level social and executive profile.
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107
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Wei D, Dinh D, Lee D, Li D, Anguren A, Moreno-Sanz G, Gall CM, Piomelli D. Enhancement of Anandamide-Mediated Endocannabinoid Signaling Corrects Autism-Related Social Impairment. Cannabis Cannabinoid Res 2016; 1:81-89. [PMID: 28861483 PMCID: PMC5549436 DOI: 10.1089/can.2015.0008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction: We recently uncovered a signaling mechanism by which the endocannabinoid anandamide mediates the action of oxytocin, a neuropeptide that is crucial for social behavior, to control social reward. Oxytocin signaling has been implicated in autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and social reward is a key aspect of social functioning that is thought to be disrupted in ASD. Therefore, as a proof of principle for the core component of ASD—social impairment—we tested an endocannabinoid-enhancing compound on two widely studied mouse models of ASD, the BTBR and fmr1−/− (model of Fragile X Syndrome). Methods: We used the established three-chambered social approach test. We specifically increased the activity of anandamide by administering the compound URB597, a selective inhibitor of fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH), the hydrolytic enzyme for anandamide. Results: Remarkably, we found that FAAH blockade completely reversed the social impairment in both mouse models. CB1 receptor blockade prevented the prosocial action of FAAH inhibition in BTBR mice. These results were likely independent of effects on anxiety, as FAAH inhibition did not alter the performance of BTBR mice in the elevated plus maze. Conclusions: The results suggest that increasing anandamide activity at CB1 receptors improves ASD-related social impairment and identify FAAH as a novel therapeutic target for ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Don Wei
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California
| | - Drake Dinh
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California
| | - DaYeon Lee
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California
| | - Dandan Li
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California.,Department of Ophthalmology, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
| | - Allison Anguren
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California
| | - Guillermo Moreno-Sanz
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California
| | - Christine M Gall
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California
| | - Daniele Piomelli
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California.,Department of Biological Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California.,Unit of Drug Discovery and Development, Italian Institute of Technology, Genova, Italy
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108
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Hu C, Di X, Eickhoff SB, Zhang M, Peng K, Guo H, Sui J. Distinct and common aspects of physical and psychological self-representation in the brain: A meta-analysis of self-bias in facial and self-referential judgements. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2016; 61:197-207. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2015.12.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 99] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2015] [Revised: 11/25/2015] [Accepted: 12/09/2015] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
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109
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110
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Valk SL, Bernhardt BC, Böckler A, Trautwein FM, Kanske P, Singer T. Socio-Cognitive Phenotypes Differentially Modulate Large-Scale Structural Covariance Networks. Cereb Cortex 2016; 27:1358-1368. [DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhv319] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
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111
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Neural Basis of Strategic Decision Making. Trends Neurosci 2015; 39:40-48. [PMID: 26688301 DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2015.11.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2015] [Revised: 11/03/2015] [Accepted: 11/10/2015] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Human choice behaviors during social interactions often deviate from the predictions of game theory. This might arise partly from the limitations in the cognitive abilities necessary for recursive reasoning about the behaviors of others. In addition, during iterative social interactions, choices might change dynamically as knowledge about the intentions of others and estimates for choice outcomes are incrementally updated via reinforcement learning. Some of the brain circuits utilized during social decision making might be general-purpose and contribute to isomorphic individual and social decision making. By contrast, regions in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and temporal parietal junction (TPJ) might be recruited for cognitive processes unique to social decision making.
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112
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Bello-Morales R, Delgado-García JM. The social neuroscience and the theory of integrative levels. Front Integr Neurosci 2015; 9:54. [PMID: 26578909 PMCID: PMC4625076 DOI: 10.3389/fnint.2015.00054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2015] [Accepted: 10/09/2015] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
The theory of integrative levels provides a general description of the evolution of matter through successive orders of complexity and integration. Along its development, material forms pass through different levels of organization, such as physical, chemical, biological or sociological. The appearance of novel structures and dynamics during this process of development of matter in complex systems has been called emergence. Social neuroscience (SN), an interdisciplinary field that aims to investigate the biological mechanisms that underlie social structures, processes, and behavior and the influences between social and biological levels of organization, has affirmed the necessity for including social context as an essential element to understand the human behavior. To do this, SN proposes a multilevel integrative approach by means of three principles: multiple determinism, nonadditive determinism and reciprocal determinism. These theoretical principles seem to share the basic tenets of the theory of integrative levels but, in this paper, we aim to reveal the differences among both doctrines. First, SN asserts that combination of neural and social variables can produce emergent phenomena that would not be predictable from a neuroscientific or social psychological analysis alone; SN also suggests that to achieve a complete understanding of social structures we should use an integrative analysis that encompasses levels of organization ranging from the genetic level to the social one; finally, SN establishes that there can be mutual influences between biological and social factors in determining behavior, accepting, therefore, a double influence, upward from biology to social level, and downward, from social level to biology. In contrast, following the theory of integrative levels, emergent phenomena are not produced by the combination of variables from two levels, but by the increment of complexity at one level. In addition, the social behavior and structures might be contemplated not as the result of mixing or summing social and biological influences, but as emergent phenomena that should be described with its own laws. Finally, following the integrative levels view, influences upward, from biology to social level, and downward, from social level to biology, might not be equivalent, since the bottom-up processes are emergent and the downward causation (DC) is not.
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113
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Abstract
UNLABELLED Social hierarchy is an ubiquitous principle of social organization across animal species. Although some progress has been made in our understanding of how humans infer hierarchical identity, the neuroanatomical basis for perceiving key social dimensions of others remains unexplored. Here, we combined event-related potentials and structural MRI to reveal the neuroanatomical substrates of early status recognition. We designed a covertly simulated hierarchical setting in which participants performed a task either with a superior or with an inferior player. Participants showed higher amplitude in the N170 component when presented with a picture of a superior player compared with an inferior player. Crucially, the magnitude of this effect correlated with brain morphology of the posterior cingulate cortex, superior temporal gyrus, insula, fusiform gyrus, and caudate nucleus. We conclude that early recognition of social hierarchies relies on the structural properties of a network involved in the automatic recognition of social identity. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Humans can perceive social hierarchies very rapidly, an ability that is key for social interactions. However, some individuals are more sensitive to hierarchical information than others. Currently, it is unknown how brain structure supports such fast-paced processes of social hierarchy perception and their individual differences. Here, we addressed this issue for the first time by combining the high temporal resolution of event-related potentials (ERPs) and the high spatial resolution of structural MRI. This methodological approach allowed us to unveil a novel association between ERP neuromarkers of social hierarchy perception and the morphology of several cortical and subcortical brain regions typically assumed to play a role in automatic processes of social cognition. Our results are a step forward in our understanding of the human social brain.
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114
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Oxytocin selectively modulates brain response to stimuli probing social synchrony. Neuroimage 2015; 124:923-930. [PMID: 26455794 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2015.09.066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2015] [Revised: 09/30/2015] [Accepted: 09/30/2015] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
The capacity to act collectively within groups has led to the survival and thriving of Homo sapiens. A central group collaboration mechanism is "social synchrony," the coordination of behavior during joint action among affiliative members, which intensifies under threat. Here, we tested brain response to vignettes depicting social synchrony among combat veterans trained for coordinated action and following life-threatening group experience, versus controls, as modulated by oxytocin (OT), a neuropeptide supporting social synchrony. Using a randomized, double-blind, within-subject design, 40 combat-trained and control male veterans underwent magnetoencephalography (MEG) twice following OT/placebo administration while viewing two social vignettes rated as highly synchronous: pleasant male social gathering and coordinated unit during combat. Both vignettes activated a wide response across the social brain in the alpha band; the combat scene triggered stronger activations. Importantly, OT effects were modulated by prior experience. Among combat veterans, OT attenuated the increased response to combat stimuli in the posterior superior temporal sulcus (pSTS) - a hub of social perception, action observation, and mentalizing - and enhanced activation in the inferior parietal lobule (IPL) to the pleasant social scene. Among controls, OT enhanced inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) response to combat cues, demonstrating selective OT effects on mirror-neuron and mentalizing networks. OT-enhanced mirror network activity was dampened in veterans reporting higher posttraumatic symptoms. Results demonstrate that the social brain responds online, via modulation of alpha rhythms, to stimuli probing social synchrony, particularly those involving threat to survival, and OT's enhancing versus anxiolytic effects are sensitive to salient experiences within social groups.
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115
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116
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Baribeau DA, Anagnostou E. Oxytocin and vasopressin: linking pituitary neuropeptides and their receptors to social neurocircuits. Front Neurosci 2015; 9:335. [PMID: 26441508 PMCID: PMC4585313 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2015.00335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 118] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2015] [Accepted: 09/07/2015] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Oxytocin and vasopressin are pituitary neuropeptides that have been shown to affect social processes in mammals. There is growing interest in these molecules and their receptors as potential precipitants of, and/or treatments for, social deficits in neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism spectrum disorder. Numerous behavioral-genetic studies suggest that there is an association between these peptides and individual social abilities; however, an explanatory model that links hormonal activity at the receptor level to complex human behavior remains elusive. The following review summarizes the known associations between the oxytocin and vasopressin neuropeptide systems and social neurocircuits in the brain. Following a micro- to macro- level trajectory, current literature on the synthesis and secretion of these peptides, and the structure, function and distribution of their respective receptors is first surveyed. Next, current models regarding the mechanism of action of these peptides on microcircuitry and other neurotransmitter systems are discussed. Functional neuroimaging evidence on the acute effects of exogenous administration of these peptides on brain activity is then reviewed. Overall, a model in which the local neuromodulatory effects of pituitary neuropeptides on brainstem and basal forebrain regions strengthen signaling within social neurocircuits proves appealing. However, these findings are derived from animal models; more research is needed to clarify the relevance of these mechanisms to human behavior and treatment of social deficits in neuropsychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Evdokia Anagnostou
- Autism Research Centre, Bloorview Research Institute, Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital Toronto, ON, Canada
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117
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Tavares RM, Mendelsohn A, Grossman Y, Williams CH, Shapiro M, Trope Y, Schiller D. A Map for Social Navigation in the Human Brain. Neuron 2015; 87:231-43. [PMID: 26139376 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2015.06.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 232] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2014] [Revised: 01/28/2015] [Accepted: 06/04/2015] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Deciphering the neural mechanisms of social behavior has propelled the growth of social neuroscience. The exact computations of the social brain, however, remain elusive. Here we investigated how the human brain tracks ongoing changes in social relationships using functional neuroimaging. Participants were lead characters in a role-playing game in which they were to find a new home and a job through interactions with virtual cartoon characters. We found that a two-dimensional geometric model of social relationships, a "social space" framed by power and affiliation, predicted hippocampal activity. Moreover, participants who reported better social skills showed stronger covariance between hippocampal activity and "movement" through "social space." The results suggest that the hippocampus is crucial for social cognition, and imply that beyond framing physical locations, the hippocampus computes a more general, inclusive, abstract, and multidimensional cognitive map consistent with its role in episodic memory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rita Morais Tavares
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mt. Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Avi Mendelsohn
- Sagol Department of Neurobiology, University of Haifa, Haifa 3498838, Israel
| | - Yael Grossman
- Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mt. Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | | | - Matthew Shapiro
- Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mt. Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA; Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mt. Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Yaacov Trope
- Department of Psychology, New York University, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Daniela Schiller
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mt. Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA; Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mt. Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA; Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mt. Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA.
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118
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Abstract
Decisions to engage in collaborative interactions require enduring considerable risk, yet provide the foundation for building and maintaining relationships. Here, we investigate the mechanisms underlying this process and test a computational model of social value to predict collaborative decision making. Twenty-six participants played an iterated trust game and chose to invest more frequently with their friends compared with a confederate or computer despite equal reinforcement rates. This behavior was predicted by our model, which posits that people receive a social value reward signal from reciprocation of collaborative decisions conditional on the closeness of the relationship. This social value signal was associated with increased activity in the ventral striatum and medial prefrontal cortex, which significantly predicted the reward parameters from the social value model. Therefore, we demonstrate that the computation of social value drives collaborative behavior in repeated interactions and provide a mechanistic account of reward circuit function instantiating this process.
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119
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Tu PC, Hsu JW, Lan CC, Liu CC, Su TP, Chen YS. Structural and functional correlates of a quantitative autistic trait measured using the social responsive scale in neurotypical male adolescents. Autism Res 2015; 9:570-8. [DOI: 10.1002/aur.1535] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2015] [Accepted: 07/28/2015] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Pei-Chi Tu
- Department of Medical Research; Taipei Veterans General Hospital; Taipei 112 Taiwan
- Department of Psychiatry; Taipei Veterans General Hospital; Taipei 112 Taiwan
- Institute of Philosophy of Mind and Cognition, National Yang-Ming University; Taipei Taiwan
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine; National Yang-Ming University; Taipei Taiwan
| | - Ju-Wei Hsu
- Department of Psychiatry; Taipei Veterans General Hospital; Taipei 112 Taiwan
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine; National Yang-Ming University; Taipei Taiwan
| | - Chen-Chia Lan
- Department of Psychiatry; Taipei Municipal Gandau Hospital; Taipei Taiwan
| | - Chia-Chien Liu
- Department of Psychiatry; National Yang-Ming University Hospital; Yi-Lan Taiwan
| | - Tung-Ping Su
- Department of Psychiatry; Taipei Veterans General Hospital; Taipei 112 Taiwan
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine; National Yang-Ming University; Taipei Taiwan
| | - Ying-Sheue Chen
- Department of Psychiatry; Taipei Veterans General Hospital; Taipei 112 Taiwan
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine; National Yang-Ming University; Taipei Taiwan
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120
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Visual attraction in Drosophila larvae develops during a critical period and is modulated by crowding conditions. J Comp Physiol A Neuroethol Sens Neural Behav Physiol 2015; 201:1019-27. [DOI: 10.1007/s00359-015-1034-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2015] [Revised: 07/28/2015] [Accepted: 08/02/2015] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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121
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Rose A, Vinogradov S, Fisher M, Green MF, Ventura J, Hooker C, Merzenich M, Nahum M. Randomized controlled trial of computer-based treatment of social cognition in schizophrenia: the TRuSST trial protocol. BMC Psychiatry 2015; 15:142. [PMID: 26138715 PMCID: PMC4489025 DOI: 10.1186/s12888-015-0510-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2015] [Accepted: 05/28/2015] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Schizophrenia is a severe and chronic medical condition, characterized by positive and negative symptoms, as well as pervasive social cognitive deficits. Despite the functional significance of the social cognition deficits affecting many aspects of daily living, such as social relationships, occupational status, and independent living, there is still no effective treatment option for these deficits, which is applied as standard of care. To address this need, we developed a novel, internet-based training program that targets social cognition deficits in schizophrenia (SocialVille). Preliminary studies demonstrate the feasibility and initial efficacy of Socialville in schizophrenia patients (Nahum et al., 2014). The purpose of the current trial (referred to as the TReatment of Social cognition in Schizophrenia Trial or TRuSST) is to compare SocialVille to an active control training condition, include a larger sample of patients, and assess both social cognitive functioning, and functional outcomes. METHODS/DESIGN We will employ a multi-site, longitudinal, blinded, randomized controlled trial (RCT) design with a target sample of 128 patients with schizophrenia. Patients will perform, at their home or in clinic, 40 sessions of either the SocialVille training program or an active control computer game condition. Each session will last for 40-45 minutes/day, performed 3-5 days a week, over 10-12 weeks, totaling to 30 hours of training. Patients will be assessed on a battery of social cognitive, social functioning and functional outcomes immediately before training, mid-way through training (after 20 training sessions) and at the completion of the 40 training sessions. DISCUSSION The strengths of this protocol are that it tests an innovative, internet-based treatment that targets fundamental social cognitive deficits in schizophrenia, employs a highly sensitive and extensive battery of functional outcome measures, and incorporates a large sample size in an RCT design. TRIAL REGISTRATION ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02246426 Registered 16 September 2014.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annika Rose
- Posit Science Corporation, 77 Geary Street, San Francisco, CA, 94108, USA.
| | - Sophia Vinogradov
- San Francisco Veterans Affairs Medical Center, 4150 Clement Street, San Francisco, CA, 94143, USA.
| | - Melissa Fisher
- San Francisco Veterans Affairs Medical Center, 4150 Clement Street, San Francisco, CA, 94143, USA.
| | - Michael F Green
- VA Greater Los Angeles, 11301 Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA, 90073, USA.
| | - Joseph Ventura
- UCLA Aftercare Research Program, 760 Westwood Plaza, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA.
| | - Christine Hooker
- Department of Psychology, Harvard University, 1020 William James Hall 33 Kirkland St., Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA.
| | - Michael Merzenich
- Posit Science Corporation, 77 Geary Street, San Francisco, CA, 94108, USA.
| | - Mor Nahum
- Posit Science Corporation, 77 Geary Street, San Francisco, CA, 94108, USA.
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Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Deficits in social cognition are an important determinant of social functioning in schizophrenia, a core feature of the illness that persists despite treatment. Recent research in neuroplasticity-based therapeutics shows that neural systems supporting core cognitive skills improve after targeted cognitive training, suggesting that social cognition, and concomitant social functioning, may be improved by targeting the neural systems supporting social cognition. However, the success of this approach depends on the extent to which the social brain is malleable. We review the neural effects of training programs focused on improving social cognition in healthy, schizophrenia, and other clinical samples. RECENT FINDINGS The current literature suggests that the neural mechanisms underlying social cognition show neuroplastic changes after behavioral training and these neural changes confer concomitant benefits to social cognition and social behavior. Most research in schizophrenia has focused on emotion recognition, and although emotion recognition training has behavioral and neural benefits for schizophrenia, more advanced social cognitive processes need to be examined. SUMMARY The data suggest that targeting neural systems underlying social cognition through socially focused behavioral interventions may improve social functioning impairments in schizophrenia. Questions remain regarding how to optimize training, which should be addressed in future work.
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Abstract
Reinforcement learning (RL) theory posits that learning is driven by discrepancies between the predicted and actual outcomes of actions (prediction errors [PEs]). In social environments, learning is often guided by similar RL mechanisms. For example, teachers monitor the actions of students and provide feedback to them. This feedback evokes PEs in students that guide their learning. We report the first study that investigates the neural mechanisms that underpin RL signals in the brain of a teacher. Neurons in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) signal PEs when learning from the outcomes of one's own actions but also signal information when outcomes are received by others. Does a teacher's ACC signal PEs when monitoring a student's learning? Using fMRI, we studied brain activity in human subjects (teachers) as they taught a confederate (student) action-outcome associations by providing positive or negative feedback. We examined activity time-locked to the students' responses, when teachers infer student predictions and know actual outcomes. We fitted a RL-based computational model to the behavior of the student to characterize their learning, and examined whether a teacher's ACC signals when a student's predictions are wrong. In line with our hypothesis, activity in the teacher's ACC covaried with the PE values in the model. Additionally, activity in the teacher's insula and ventromedial prefrontal cortex covaried with the predicted value according to the student. Our findings highlight that the ACC signals PEs vicariously for others' erroneous predictions, when monitoring and instructing their learning. These results suggest that RL mechanisms, processed vicariously, may underpin and facilitate teaching behaviors.
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Rossi A, Parada FJ, Latinus M, Puce A. Photographic but not line-drawn faces show early perceptual neural sensitivity to eye gaze direction. Front Hum Neurosci 2015; 9:185. [PMID: 25914636 PMCID: PMC4392689 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2015.00185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2014] [Accepted: 03/19/2015] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Our brains readily decode facial movements and changes in social attention, reflected in earlier and larger N170 event-related potentials (ERPs) to viewing gaze aversions vs. direct gaze in real faces (Puce et al., 2000). In contrast, gaze aversions in line-drawn faces do not produce these N170 differences (Rossi et al., 2014), suggesting that physical stimulus properties or experimental context may drive these effects. Here we investigated the role of stimulus-induced context on neurophysiological responses to dynamic gaze. Sixteen healthy adults viewed line-drawn and real faces, with dynamic eye aversion and direct gaze transitions, and control stimuli (scrambled arrays and checkerboards) while continuous electroencephalographic (EEG) activity was recorded. EEG data from 2 temporo-occipital clusters of 9 electrodes in each hemisphere where N170 activity is known to be maximal were selected for analysis. N170 peak amplitude and latency, and temporal dynamics from Event-Related Spectral Perturbations (ERSPs) were measured in 16 healthy subjects. Real faces generated larger N170s for averted vs. direct gaze motion, however, N170s to real and direct gaze were as large as those to respective controls. N170 amplitude did not differ across line-drawn gaze changes. Overall, bilateral mean gamma power changes for faces relative to control stimuli occurred between 150–350 ms, potentially reflecting signal detection of facial motion. Our data indicate that experimental context does not drive N170 differences to viewed gaze changes. Low-level stimulus properties, such as the high sclera/iris contrast change in real eyes likely drive the N170 changes to viewed aversive movements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandra Rossi
- Cognitive Science Program, Indiana University Bloomington, IN, USA ; Program in Neuroscience, Indiana University Bloomington, IN, USA
| | - Francisco J Parada
- Program in Neuroscience, Indiana University Bloomington, IN, USA ; Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Indiana University Bloomington, IN, USA ; Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School Boston, MA, USA
| | - Marianne Latinus
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Indiana University Bloomington, IN, USA ; Institut de Neurosciences de la Timone, UMR7289, CNRS, Aix-Marseille Université Marseille, France
| | - Aina Puce
- Cognitive Science Program, Indiana University Bloomington, IN, USA ; Program in Neuroscience, Indiana University Bloomington, IN, USA ; Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Indiana University Bloomington, IN, USA
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Herbet G, Lafargue G, Moritz-Gasser S, Menjot de Champfleur N, Costi E, Bonnetblanc F, Duffau H. A disconnection account of subjective empathy impairments in diffuse low-grade glioma patients. Neuropsychologia 2015; 70:165-76. [PMID: 25687031 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2015.02.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2014] [Revised: 01/25/2015] [Accepted: 02/13/2015] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Human empathic experience is a multifaceted psychological construct which arises from functional integration of multiple neural networks. Despite accumulating knowledge about the cortical circuitry of empathy, almost nothing is known about the connectivity that may be concerned in conveying empathy-related neural information. To bridge this gap in knowledge, we studied dispositional empathy in a large-sized cohort of 107 patients who had undergone surgery for a diffuse low-grade glioma. The self-report questionnaire used enabled us to obtain a global measure of subjective empathy but also, importantly, to assess the two main components of empathy (cognitive and emotional). Data were processed by combining voxelwise and tractwise lesion-symptom analyses. Several major findings emerged from our analyses. First of all, topological voxelwise analyses were inconclusive. Conversely, tractwise multiple regression analyses, including all major associative white matter pathways as potential predictors, yielded to significant models explaining substantial part of the behavioural variance. Among the main results, we found that disconnection of the left cingulum bundle was a strong predictor of a low cognitive empathy (p<0.0005 Bonferroni-corrected). Similarly, we found that disconnection of the right uncinate fasciculus and the right inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus predicted, respectively, a low (p<0.05 Bonferroni-corrected) and a high (p<0.05 Bonferroni-corrected) subjective empathy. Finally, although we failed to relate emotional empathy to disruption of a specific tract, correlation analyses indicated a positive association between this component of empathy and the volumes of residual lesion infiltration in the right hemisphere (p<0.01). Taken as a whole, these findings provide key fundamental insights into the anatomical connectivity of empathy. They may help to better understand the pathophysiology of empathy impairments in pathological conditions characterized by abnormalities of long-range anatomical connectivity, such as autism spectrum disorders, schizophrenia and fronto-temporal dementia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guillaume Herbet
- Department of Neurosurgery, Gui de Chauliac Hospital, Montpellier University Medical Center, F-34295 Montpellier, France; Institute for Neuroscience of Montpellier, INSERM U-1051, Montpellier University Medical Center, F-34295 Montpellier, France
| | - Gilles Lafargue
- Functional Neuroscience and Pathologies Lab., EA-4559, Lille Nord de France University, F-59120 Loos, France
| | - Sylvie Moritz-Gasser
- Department of Neurosurgery, Gui de Chauliac Hospital, Montpellier University Medical Center, F-34295 Montpellier, France; Institute for Neuroscience of Montpellier, INSERM U-1051, Montpellier University Medical Center, F-34295 Montpellier, France
| | - Nicolas Menjot de Champfleur
- Institute for Neuroscience of Montpellier, INSERM U-1051, Montpellier University Medical Center, F-34295 Montpellier, France; Department of Neuroradiology, Gui de Chauliac Hospital, Montpellier University Medical Center, F-34295 Montpellier, France
| | - Emanuele Costi
- Department of Neuroscience, Division of Neurosurgery, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
| | - François Bonnetblanc
- INRIA, University of Montpellier 2, LIRMM, équipe DEMAR, F-34095 Montpellier, France; Cognition, Action et Plasticité Sensorimotrice, INSERM U-1093, Université de Bourgogne, UFR STAPS, F-27877 Dijon, France; Institut Universitaire de France, F-75005 Paris, France
| | - Hugues Duffau
- Department of Neurosurgery, Gui de Chauliac Hospital, Montpellier University Medical Center, F-34295 Montpellier, France; Institute for Neuroscience of Montpellier, INSERM U-1051, Montpellier University Medical Center, F-34295 Montpellier, France.
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Antagonistic control of social versus repetitive self-grooming behaviors by separable amygdala neuronal subsets. Cell 2014; 158:1348-1361. [PMID: 25215491 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2014.07.049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 236] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2014] [Revised: 05/27/2014] [Accepted: 07/17/2014] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Animals display a range of innate social behaviors that play essential roles in survival and reproduction. While the medial amygdala (MeA) has been implicated in prototypic social behaviors such as aggression, the circuit-level mechanisms controlling such behaviors are not well understood. Using cell-type-specific functional manipulations, we find that distinct neuronal populations in the MeA control different social and asocial behaviors. A GABAergic subpopulation promotes aggression and two other social behaviors, while neighboring glutamatergic neurons promote repetitive self-grooming, an asocial behavior. Moreover, this glutamatergic subpopulation inhibits social interactions independently of its effect to promote self-grooming, while the GABAergic subpopulation inhibits self-grooming, even in a nonsocial context. These data suggest that social versus repetitive asocial behaviors are controlled in an antagonistic manner by inhibitory versus excitatory amygdala subpopulations, respectively. These findings provide a framework for understanding circuit-level mechanisms underlying opponency between innate behaviors, with implications for their perturbation in psychiatric disorders.
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127
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Bambini-Junior V, Nunes GDF, Schneider T, Gottfried C. Comment on "Oxytocin-mediated GABA inhibition during delivery attenuates autism pathogenesis in rodent offspring". Science 2014; 346:176. [PMID: 25301610 DOI: 10.1126/science.1255679] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
Tyzio et al. (Reports, 7 February 2014, p. 675) reported that bumetanide restored the impaired oxytocin-mediated γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) excitatory-inhibitory shift during delivery in animal models of autism, ameliorating some autistic-like characteristics in the offspring. However, standard practices in the study of these models, such as the use of sex-dimorphic or males-only analyses and implementation of tests measuring social behavior, are lacking to definitely associate their findings to autism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victorio Bambini-Junior
- Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Research Group in Neuroglial Plasticity at the Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Health's Basic Science, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Translational Research Group in Autism Spectrum Disorders (GETTEA), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
| | - Gustavo Della Flora Nunes
- Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Research Group in Neuroglial Plasticity at the Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Health's Basic Science, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Translational Research Group in Autism Spectrum Disorders (GETTEA), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Tomasz Schneider
- School of Medicine, Pharmacy and Health, TS17 6BH, Durham University, Durham, UK
| | - Carmem Gottfried
- Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Research Group in Neuroglial Plasticity at the Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Health's Basic Science, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Translational Research Group in Autism Spectrum Disorders (GETTEA), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
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128
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Forbes CE. On social neuroscience methodologies and their applicability to group processes and intergroup relations. GROUP PROCESSES & INTERGROUP RELATIONS 2014. [DOI: 10.1177/1368430214546070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Group processes and intergroup relations are one of the most important topics examined by social psychologists. Recent advancements in social neuroscience methodologies provide valuable insight into these processes by allowing researchers to examine different psychological phenomena via neural processes that instantiate them while individuals interact with ingroup and outgroup members. This includes responses that occur outside conscious awareness or are deemed undesirable to overtly express. The purpose of this review is to provide an overview of the different social neuroscience methodologies that afford these possibilities. Specifically, functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), electroencephalography (EEG), functional near infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), and genetic approaches will be discussed. Each section includes a discussion of what the methodology is and how it is used to assess neural function. A secondary goal of the review is to highlight recent studies that have utilized the aforementioned tools to better understand intergroup processes and interactions. Throughout, advantages and limitations of each approach are discussed, particularly with respect to the study of group processes and intergroup relations.
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Structure-Function Relationships behind the Phenomenon of Cognitive Resilience in Neurology: Insights for Neuroscience and Medicine. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2014. [DOI: 10.1155/2014/462765] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
The phenomenon of cognitive resilience, that is, the dynamical preservation of normal functions despite neurological disorders, demonstrates that cognition can be highly robust to devastating brain injury. Here, cognitive resilience is considered across a range of neurological conditions. Simple computational models of structure-function relationships are used to discuss hypotheses about the neural mechanisms of resilience. Resilience expresses functional redundancies in brain networks and suggests a process of dynamic rerouting of brain signals. This process is underlined by a global renormalization of effective connectivity, capable of restoring information transfer between spared brain structures via alternate pathways. Local mechanisms of synaptic plasticity mediate the renormalization at the lowest level of implementation, but it is also driven by top-down cognition, with a key role of self-awareness in fostering resilience. The presence of abstraction layers in brain computation and networking is hypothesized to account for the renormalization process. Future research directions and challenges are discussed regarding the understanding and control of resilience based on multimodal neuroimaging and computational neuroscience. The study of resilience will illuminate ways by which the brain can overcome adversity and help inform prevention and treatment strategies. It is relevant to combating the negative neuropsychological impact of aging and fostering cognitive enhancement.
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Derix J, Iljina O, Weiske J, Schulze-Bonhage A, Aertsen A, Ball T. From speech to thought: the neuronal basis of cognitive units in non-experimental, real-life communication investigated using ECoG. Front Hum Neurosci 2014; 8:383. [PMID: 24982625 PMCID: PMC4056309 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2014.00383] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2013] [Accepted: 05/14/2014] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Exchange of thoughts by means of expressive speech is fundamental to human communication. However, the neuronal basis of real-life communication in general, and of verbal exchange of ideas in particular, has rarely been studied until now. Here, our aim was to establish an approach for exploring the neuronal processes related to cognitive “idea” units (IUs) in conditions of non-experimental speech production. We investigated whether such units corresponding to single, coherent chunks of speech with syntactically-defined borders, are useful to unravel the neuronal mechanisms underlying real-world human cognition. To this aim, we employed simultaneous electrocorticography (ECoG) and video recordings obtained in pre-neurosurgical diagnostics of epilepsy patients. We transcribed non-experimental, daily hospital conversations, identified IUs in transcriptions of the patients' speech, classified the obtained IUs according to a previously-proposed taxonomy focusing on memory content, and investigated the underlying neuronal activity. In each of our three subjects, we were able to collect a large number of IUs which could be assigned to different functional IU subclasses with a high inter-rater agreement. Robust IU-onset-related changes in spectral magnitude could be observed in high gamma frequencies (70–150 Hz) on the inferior lateral convexity and in the superior temporal cortex regardless of the IU content. A comparison of the topography of these responses with mouth motor and speech areas identified by electrocortical stimulation showed that IUs might be of use for extraoperative mapping of eloquent cortex (average sensitivity: 44.4%, average specificity: 91.1%). High gamma responses specific to memory-related IU subclasses were observed in the inferior parietal and prefrontal regions. IU-based analysis of ECoG recordings during non-experimental communication thus elicits topographically- and functionally-specific effects. We conclude that segmentation of spontaneous real-world speech in linguistically-motivated units is a promising strategy for elucidating the neuronal basis of mental processing during non-experimental communication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johanna Derix
- Department of Neurosurgery, Epilepsy Center, University Medical Center Freiburg Freiburg, Germany ; Department of Neurobiology and Biophysics, Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg Freiburg, Germany ; Bernstein Center Freiburg, University of Freiburg Freiburg, Germany
| | - Olga Iljina
- Department of Neurosurgery, Epilepsy Center, University Medical Center Freiburg Freiburg, Germany ; GRK 1624, University of Freiburg Freiburg, Germany ; Department of German Linguistics, University of Freiburg Freiburg, Germany ; Hermann Paul School of Linguistics, University of Freiburg Freiburg, Germany
| | - Johanna Weiske
- Department of Neurosurgery, Epilepsy Center, University Medical Center Freiburg Freiburg, Germany ; Department of Neurobiology and Biophysics, Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg Freiburg, Germany ; Bernstein Center Freiburg, University of Freiburg Freiburg, Germany
| | - Andreas Schulze-Bonhage
- Department of Neurosurgery, Epilepsy Center, University Medical Center Freiburg Freiburg, Germany ; Bernstein Center Freiburg, University of Freiburg Freiburg, Germany
| | - Ad Aertsen
- Department of Neurobiology and Biophysics, Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg Freiburg, Germany ; Bernstein Center Freiburg, University of Freiburg Freiburg, Germany
| | - Tonio Ball
- Department of Neurosurgery, Epilepsy Center, University Medical Center Freiburg Freiburg, Germany ; Bernstein Center Freiburg, University of Freiburg Freiburg, Germany
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131
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Han S, Ma Y. Cultural differences in human brain activity: a quantitative meta-analysis. Neuroimage 2014; 99:293-300. [PMID: 24882220 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2014.05.062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2014] [Revised: 05/04/2014] [Accepted: 05/21/2014] [Indexed: 10/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Psychologists have been trying to understand differences in cognition and behavior between East Asian and Western cultures within a single cognitive framework such as holistic versus analytic or interdependent versus independent processes. However, it remains unclear whether cultural differences in multiple psychological processes correspond to the same or different neural networks. We conducted a quantitative meta-analysis of 35 functional MRI studies to examine cultural differences in brain activity engaged in social and non-social processes. We showed that social cognitive processes are characterized by stronger activity in the dorsal medial prefrontal cortex, lateral frontal cortex and temporoparietal junction in East Asians but stronger activity in the anterior cingulate, ventral medial prefrontal cortex and bilateral insula in Westerners. Social affective processes are associated with stronger activity in the right dorsal lateral frontal cortex in East Asians but greater activity in the left insula and right temporal pole in Westerners. Non-social processes induce stronger activity in the left inferior parietal cortex, left middle occipital and left superior parietal cortex in East Asians but greater activations in the right lingual gyrus, right inferior parietal cortex and precuneus in Westerners. The results suggest that cultural differences in social and non-social processes are mediated by distinct neural networks. Moreover, East Asian cultures are associated with increased neural activity in the brain regions related to inference of others' mind and emotion regulation whereas Western cultures are associated with enhanced neural activity in the brain areas related to self-relevance encoding and emotional responses during social cognitive/affective processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shihui Han
- Department of Psychology, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China; PKU-IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China.
| | - Yina Ma
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
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132
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Akdeniz C, Tost H, Meyer-Lindenberg A. The neurobiology of social environmental risk for schizophrenia: an evolving research field. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol 2014; 49:507-17. [PMID: 24638893 DOI: 10.1007/s00127-014-0858-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2013] [Accepted: 02/27/2014] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Schizophrenia is a severe and complex brain disorder that usually manifests in early adulthood and disturbs a wide range of human functions. More than 100 years after its initial description, the pathophysiology of the disorder is still incompletely understood. Many epidemiological studies strongly suggest a complex interaction between genetic and environmental risk factors for the development of the disorder. While there is considerable evidence for a social environmental component of this risk, the links between adverse social factors and altered brain function have just come into focus. METHODS In the present review, we first summarize epidemiological evidence for the significance of social environmental risk factors, outline the role of altered social stress processing in mental illness, and review the latest experimental evidence for the neural correlates of social environmental risk for schizophrenia. CONCLUSIONS The studies we have discussed in this review provide a selection of the current work in the field. We suggest that many of the social environmental risk factors may impact on perceived social stress and engage neural circuits in the brain whose functional and structural architecture undergoes detrimental change in response to prolonged exposure. We conclude that multidisciplinary approaches involving various fields and thoroughly constructed longitudinal designs are necessary to capture complex structure of social environmental risks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ceren Akdeniz
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Square J5, 68159, Mannheim, Germany
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133
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Abstract
Understanding the different categories of facial expressions of emotion regularly used by us is essential to gain insights into human cognition and affect as well as for the design of computational models and perceptual interfaces. Past research on facial expressions of emotion has focused on the study of six basic categories--happiness, surprise, anger, sadness, fear, and disgust. However, many more facial expressions of emotion exist and are used regularly by humans. This paper describes an important group of expressions, which we call compound emotion categories. Compound emotions are those that can be constructed by combining basic component categories to create new ones. For instance, happily surprised and angrily surprised are two distinct compound emotion categories. The present work defines 21 distinct emotion categories. Sample images of their facial expressions were collected from 230 human subjects. A Facial Action Coding System analysis shows the production of these 21 categories is different but consistent with the subordinate categories they represent (e.g., a happily surprised expression combines muscle movements observed in happiness and surprised). We show that these differences are sufficient to distinguish between the 21 defined categories. We then use a computational model of face perception to demonstrate that most of these categories are also visually discriminable from one another.
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134
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Gariépy JF, Watson KK, Du E, Xie DL, Erb J, Amasino D, Platt ML. Social learning in humans and other animals. Front Neurosci 2014; 8:58. [PMID: 24765063 PMCID: PMC3982061 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2014.00058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2013] [Accepted: 03/13/2014] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Decisions made by individuals can be influenced by what others think and do. Social learning includes a wide array of behaviors such as imitation, observational learning of novel foraging techniques, peer or parental influences on individual preferences, as well as outright teaching. These processes are believed to underlie an important part of cultural variation among human populations and may also explain intraspecific variation in behavior between geographically distinct populations of animals. Recent neurobiological studies have begun to uncover the neural basis of social learning. Here we review experimental evidence from the past few decades showing that social learning is a widespread set of skills present in multiple animal species. In mammals, the temporoparietal junction, the dorsomedial, and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, as well as the anterior cingulate gyrus, appear to play critical roles in social learning. Birds, fish, and insects also learn from others, but the underlying neural mechanisms remain poorly understood. We discuss the evolutionary implications of these findings and highlight the importance of emerging animal models that permit precise modification of neural circuit function for elucidating the neural basis of social learning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean-François Gariépy
- Department of Neurobiology, Center for Cognitive Neuroscience and Duke Institute for Brain Sciences, Duke University Durham, NC, USA
| | - Karli K Watson
- Department of Neurobiology, Center for Cognitive Neuroscience and Duke Institute for Brain Sciences, Duke University Durham, NC, USA
| | - Emily Du
- Department of Neurobiology, Center for Cognitive Neuroscience and Duke Institute for Brain Sciences, Duke University Durham, NC, USA
| | - Diana L Xie
- Department of Neurobiology, Center for Cognitive Neuroscience and Duke Institute for Brain Sciences, Duke University Durham, NC, USA
| | - Joshua Erb
- Department of Neurobiology, Center for Cognitive Neuroscience and Duke Institute for Brain Sciences, Duke University Durham, NC, USA
| | - Dianna Amasino
- Department of Neurobiology, Center for Cognitive Neuroscience and Duke Institute for Brain Sciences, Duke University Durham, NC, USA
| | - Michael L Platt
- Department of Neurobiology, Center for Cognitive Neuroscience and Duke Institute for Brain Sciences, Duke University Durham, NC, USA ; Department of Biological Anthropology, Duke University Durham, NC, USA
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García AM, Ibáñez A. Two-person neuroscience and naturalistic social communication: the role of language and linguistic variables in brain-coupling research. Front Psychiatry 2014; 5:124. [PMID: 25249986 PMCID: PMC4155792 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2014.00124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2014] [Accepted: 08/22/2014] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Social cognitive neuroscience (SCN) seeks to understand the brain mechanisms through which we comprehend others' emotions and intentions in order to react accordingly. For decades, SCN has explored relevant domains by exposing individual participants to predesigned stimuli and asking them to judge their social (e.g., emotional) content. Subjects are thus reduced to detached observers of situations that they play no active role in. However, the core of our social experience is construed through real-time interactions requiring the active negotiation of information with other people. To gain more relevant insights into the workings of the social brain, the incipient field of two-person neuroscience (2PN) advocates the study of brain-to-brain coupling through multi-participant experiments. In this paper, we argue that the study of online language-based communication constitutes a cornerstone of 2PN. First, we review preliminary evidence illustrating how verbal interaction may shed light on the social brain. Second, we advance methodological recommendations to design experiments within language-based 2PN. Finally, we formulate outstanding questions for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adolfo M García
- Laboratory of Experimental Psychology and Neuroscience (LPEN), Institute of Cognitive Neurology (INECO), Favaloro University , Buenos Aires , Argentina ; National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET) , Buenos Aires , Argentina ; School of Languages, National University of Córdoba , Córdoba , Argentina ; UDP-INECO Foundation Core on Neuroscience (UIFCoN), Diego Portales University , Santiago , Chile
| | - Agustín Ibáñez
- Laboratory of Experimental Psychology and Neuroscience (LPEN), Institute of Cognitive Neurology (INECO), Favaloro University , Buenos Aires , Argentina ; National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET) , Buenos Aires , Argentina ; UDP-INECO Foundation Core on Neuroscience (UIFCoN), Diego Portales University , Santiago , Chile ; Universidad Autónoma del Caribe , Barranquilla , Colombia ; Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Cognition and its Disorders , Sydney, NSW , Australia
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