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Olszewski AK, Kikinis Z, Gonzalez CS, Coman IL, Makris N, Gong X, Rathi Y, Zhu A, Antshel KM, Fremont W, Kubicki MR, Bouix S, Shenton ME, Kates WR. The social brain network in 22q11.2 deletion syndrome: a diffusion tensor imaging study. Behav Brain Funct 2017; 13:4. [PMID: 28209179 PMCID: PMC5314621 DOI: 10.1186/s12993-017-0122-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2016] [Accepted: 02/05/2017] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Chromosome 22q11.2 deletion syndrome (22q11.2DS) is a neurogenetic disorder that is associated with a 25-fold increase in schizophrenia. Both individuals with 22q11.2DS and those with schizophrenia present with social cognitive deficits, which are putatively subserved by a network of brain regions that are involved in the processing of social cognitive information. This study used two-tensor tractography to examine the white matter tracts believed to underlie the social brain network in a group of 57 young adults with 22q11.2DS compared to 30 unaffected controls. RESULTS Results indicated that relative to controls, participants with 22q11.2DS showed significant differences in several DTI metrics within the inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus, cingulum bundle, thalamo-frontal tract, and inferior longitudinal fasciculus. In addition, participants with 22q11.2DS showed significant differences in scores on measures of social cognition, including the Social Responsiveness Scale and Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire. Further analyses among individuals with 22q11.2DS demonstrated an association between DTI metrics and positive and negative symptoms of psychosis, as well as differentiation between individuals with 22q11.2DS and overt psychosis, relative to those with positive prodromal symptoms or no psychosis. CONCLUSIONS Findings suggest that white matter disruption, specifically disrupted axonal coherence in the right inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus, may be a biomarker for social cognitive difficulties and psychosis in individuals with 22q11.2DS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy K Olszewski
- Department of Psychiatry, SUNY Upstate Medical University, 750 E. Adams St., Syracuse, NY, 13210, USA
| | - Zora Kikinis
- Department of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - Ioana L Coman
- Department of Psychiatry, SUNY Upstate Medical University, 750 E. Adams St., Syracuse, NY, 13210, USA
| | - Nikolaos Makris
- Department of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.,Departments of Psychiatry and Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Xue Gong
- Department of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Yogesh Rathi
- Department of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Anni Zhu
- Department of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - Wanda Fremont
- Department of Psychiatry, SUNY Upstate Medical University, 750 E. Adams St., Syracuse, NY, 13210, USA
| | - Marek R Kubicki
- Department of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.,Department of Radiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Sylvain Bouix
- Department of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Martha E Shenton
- Department of Radiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.,VA Boston Healthcare System, Harvard Medical School, Brockton, MA, USA
| | - Wendy R Kates
- Department of Psychiatry, SUNY Upstate Medical University, 750 E. Adams St., Syracuse, NY, 13210, USA.
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152
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Galeano Weber EM, Hahn T, Hilger K, Fiebach CJ. Distributed patterns of occipito-parietal functional connectivity predict the precision of visual working memory. Neuroimage 2017; 146:404-418. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2016.10.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2016] [Revised: 09/15/2016] [Accepted: 10/02/2016] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
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153
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Bajaj JS, Ahluwalia V, Thacker LR, Fagan A, Gavis EA, Lennon M, Heuman DM, Fuchs M, Wade JB. Brain Training with Video Games in Covert Hepatic Encephalopathy. Am J Gastroenterol 2017; 112:316-324. [PMID: 27958279 DOI: 10.1038/ajg.2016.544] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2016] [Accepted: 10/26/2016] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Despite the associated adverse outcomes, pharmacologic intervention for covert hepatic encephalopathy (CHE) is not the standard of care. We hypothesized that a video game-based rehabilitation program would improve white matter integrity and brain connectivity in the visuospatial network on brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), resulting in improved cognitive function in CHE subjects on measures consistent with the cognitive skill set emphasized by the two video games (e.g., IQ Boost-visual working memory, and Aim and Fire Challenge-psychomotor speed), but also generalize to thinking skills beyond the focus of the cognitive training (Hopkins verbal learning test (HVLT)-verbal learning/memory) and improve their health-related quality of life (HRQOL). The trial included three phases over 8 weeks; during the learning phase (cognitive tests administered twice over 2 weeks without intervening intervention), training phase (daily video game training for 4 weeks), and post-training phase (testing 2 weeks after the video game training ended). Thirty CHE patients completed all visits with significant daily achievement on the video games. In a subset of 13 subjects that underwent brain MRI, there was a significant decrease in fractional anisotropy, and increased radial diffusivity (suggesting axonal sprouting or increased cross-fiber formation) involving similar brain regions (i.e., corpus callosum, internal capsule, and sections of the corticospinal tract) and improvement in the visuospatial resting-state connectivity corresponding to the video game training domains. No significant corresponding improvement in HRQOL or HVLT performance was noted, but cognitive performance did transiently improve on cognitive tests similar to the video games during training. Although multimodal brain imaging changes suggest reductions in tract edema and improved neural network connectivity, this trial of video game brain training did not improve the HRQOL or produce lasting improvement in cognitive function in patients with CHE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jasmohan S Bajaj
- Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Virginia Commonwealth University and McGuire VA Medical Center, Richmond, Virginia, USA
| | - Vishwadeep Ahluwalia
- Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Virginia Commonwealth University and McGuire VA Medical Center, Richmond, Virginia, USA
| | - Leroy R Thacker
- Biostatistics, Virginia Commonwealth University and McGuire VA Medical Center, Richmond, Virginia, USA
| | - Andrew Fagan
- Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Virginia Commonwealth University and McGuire VA Medical Center, Richmond, Virginia, USA
| | - Edith A Gavis
- Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Virginia Commonwealth University and McGuire VA Medical Center, Richmond, Virginia, USA
| | - Michael Lennon
- Radiology, Virginia Commonwealth University and McGuire VA Medical Center, Richmond, Virginia, USA
| | - Douglas M Heuman
- Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Virginia Commonwealth University and McGuire VA Medical Center, Richmond, Virginia, USA
| | - Michael Fuchs
- Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Virginia Commonwealth University and McGuire VA Medical Center, Richmond, Virginia, USA
| | - James B Wade
- Psychiatry, Virginia Commonwealth University and McGuire VA Medical Center, Richmond, Virginia, USA
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154
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van der Plas E, Schachar RJ, Hitzler J, Crosbie J, Guger SL, Spiegler BJ, Ito S, Nieman BJ. Brain structure, working memory and response inhibition in childhood leukemia survivors. Brain Behav 2017; 7:e00621. [PMID: 28239531 PMCID: PMC5318374 DOI: 10.1002/brb3.621] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2016] [Revised: 11/09/2016] [Accepted: 11/11/2016] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Survival rates for children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) approach 95%. At the same time, there is growing concern that chemotherapy causes alterations in brain development and cognitive abilities. We performed MRI measurements of white and gray matter volume to explore how variation in brain structure may be related to cognitive abilities in ALL survivors and healthy controls. METHODS The sample included 24 male ALL survivors who had completed contemporary treatment 3-11 years prior, and 21 age- and sex-matched controls. Participants were between 8 and 18 years old. Working memory and motor response inhibition were measured with the N-Back and Stop Signal Tasks (SST), respectively. Participants underwent 3T structural MRI to assess white and gray matter volumes overall, lobe-wise, and in cortical and atlas-identified subcortical structures. Mental health was assessed with the Child Behavioral Checklist. RESULTS ALL survivors performed more poorly on measures of working memory and response inhibition than controls. Frontal and parietal white matter, temporal and occipital gray matter volume, and volumes of subcortical white and gray matter structures were significantly reduced in ALL survivors compared with controls. Significant structure-function correlations were observed between working memory performance and volume of the amygdala, thalamus, striatum, and corpus callosum. Response inhibition was correlated with frontal white matter volume. No differences were found in psychopathology. CONCLUSIONS Compared with controls, a reduction in volume across brain regions and tissue types, was detectable in ALL survivors years after completion of therapy. These structural alterations were correlated with neurocognitive performance, particularly in working memory. Confirming these observations in a larger, more representative sample of the population is necessary. Additionally, establishing the time course of these changes-and the treatment, genetic, and environmental factors that influence them-may provide opportunities to identify at-risk patients, inform the design of treatment modifications, and minimize adverse cognitive outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ellen van der Plas
- Physiology and Experimental Medicine The Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute Toronto ON Canada; Psychiatry Research The Hospital for Sick Children Toronto ON Canada
| | - Russell J Schachar
- Psychiatry Research The Hospital for Sick Children Toronto ON Canada; Department of Psychiatry Faculty of Medicine The University of Toronto Toronto ON Canada
| | - Johann Hitzler
- Department of Pediatrics Faculty of Medicine The University of Toronto Toronto ON Canada; Department of Haematology/Oncology The Hospital for Sick Children Toronto ON Canada
| | - Jennifer Crosbie
- Psychiatry Research The Hospital for Sick Children Toronto ON Canada
| | - Sharon L Guger
- Department of Psychology The Hospital for Sick Children Toronto ON Canada
| | - Brenda J Spiegler
- Department of Pediatrics Faculty of Medicine The University of Toronto Toronto ON Canada; Department of Psychology The Hospital for Sick Children Toronto ON Canada
| | - Shinya Ito
- Physiology and Experimental Medicine The Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute Toronto ON Canada; Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology The Hospital for Sick Children Toronto ON Canada; Pharmacology and Pharmacy Faculty of Medicine The University of Toronto Toronto ON Canada
| | - Brian J Nieman
- Physiology and Experimental Medicine The Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute Toronto ON Canada; Mouse Imaging Centre (MICe) The Hospital for Sick Children Toronto ON Canada; Ontario Institute for Cancer Research Toronto ON Canada; Department of Medical Biophysics The University of Toronto Toronto ON Canada
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155
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Chen W, He Y, Gao Y, Zhang C, Chen C, Bi S, Yang P, Wang Y, Wang W. Long-Term Experience of Chinese Calligraphic Handwriting Is Associated with Better Executive Functions and Stronger Resting-State Functional Connectivity in Related Brain Regions. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0170660. [PMID: 28129407 PMCID: PMC5271317 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0170660] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2016] [Accepted: 12/26/2016] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Chinese calligraphic handwriting (CCH) is a traditional art form that requires high levels of concentration and motor control. Previous research has linked short-term training in CCH to improvements in attention and memory. Little is known about the potential impacts of long-term CCH practice on a broader array of executive functions and their potential neural substrates. In this cross-sectional study, we recruited 36 practitioners with at least 5 years of CCH experience and 50 control subjects with no more than one month of CCH practice and investigated their differences in the three components of executive functions (i.e., shifting, updating, and inhibition). Valid resting-state fMRI data were collected from 31 CCH and 40 control participants. Compared with the controls, CCH individuals showed better updating (as measured by the Corsi Block Test) and inhibition (as measured by the Stroop Word-Color Test), but the two groups did not differ in shifting (as measured by a cue-target task). The CCH group showed stronger resting-state functional connectivity (RSFC) than the control group in brain areas involved in updating and inhibition. These results suggested that long-term CCH training may be associated with improvements in specific aspects of executive functions and strengthened neural networks in related brain regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wen Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
- Department of Psychology and Social Behavior, University of California, Irvine, California, United States of America
| | - Yong He
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
- IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Yang Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Cuiping Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Chuansheng Chen
- Department of Psychology and Social Behavior, University of California, Irvine, California, United States of America
| | - Suyu Bi
- School of International Journalism and Communication, Beijing Foreign Studies University, Beijing, China
- School of Arts and Media, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Pin Yang
- Conservation Department, National Palace Museum, Beijing, China
| | - Yiwen Wang
- School of Arts and Media, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
- * E-mail: (WW); (YW)
| | - Wenjing Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
- IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
- * E-mail: (WW); (YW)
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156
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Recovery from chemotherapy-induced white matter changes in young breast cancer survivors? Brain Imaging Behav 2017; 12:64-77. [DOI: 10.1007/s11682-016-9665-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
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157
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Everts R, Mürner-Lavanchy I, Schroth G, Steinlin M. Neural change following different memory training approaches in very preterm born children - A pilot study. Dev Neurorehabil 2017; 20:14-24. [PMID: 25905646 DOI: 10.3109/17518423.2015.1027010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE There is mixed evidence regarding neural change following cognitive training. Brain activation increase, decrease, or a combination of both may occur. We investigated training-induced neural change using two different memory training approaches. METHODS Very preterm born children (aged 7-12 years) were randomly allocated to a memory strategy training, an intensive working memory practice or a waiting control group. Before and immediately after the trainings and the waiting period, brain activation during a visual working memory task was measured using fMRI and cognitive performance was assessed. RESULTS Following both memory trainings, there was a significant decrease of fronto-parietal brain activation and a significant increase of memory performance. In the control group, no neural or performance change occurred after the waiting period. CONCLUSION These pilot data point towards a training-related decrease of brain activation, independent of the training approach. Our data highlight the high training-induced plasticity of the child's brain during development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Regula Everts
- a Division of Neuropediatrics , Development and Rehabilitation, Children's University Hospital , Inselspital , Bern , Switzerland.,b Institute of Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology, University Hospital , Inselspital , Bern , Switzerland.,c Centre for Cognition, Learning and Memory, University of Bern , Bern , Switzerland , and
| | - Ines Mürner-Lavanchy
- b Institute of Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology, University Hospital , Inselspital , Bern , Switzerland.,c Centre for Cognition, Learning and Memory, University of Bern , Bern , Switzerland , and.,d Institute of Psychology, University of Bern , Bern , Switzerland
| | - Gerhard Schroth
- b Institute of Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology, University Hospital , Inselspital , Bern , Switzerland
| | - Maja Steinlin
- a Division of Neuropediatrics , Development and Rehabilitation, Children's University Hospital , Inselspital , Bern , Switzerland.,c Centre for Cognition, Learning and Memory, University of Bern , Bern , Switzerland , and
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158
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Making Brains run Faster: are they Becoming Smarter? SPANISH JOURNAL OF PSYCHOLOGY 2016; 19:E88. [DOI: 10.1017/sjp.2016.83] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
AbstractA brief overview of structural and functional brain characteristics related to g is presented in the light of major neurobiological theories of intelligence: Neural Efficiency, P-FIT and Multiple-Demand system. These theories provide a framework to discuss the main objective of the paper: what is the relationship between individual alpha frequency (IAF) and g? Three studies were conducted in order to investigate this relationship: two correlational studies and a third study in which we experimentally induced changes in IAF by means of transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS). (1) In a large scale study (n = 417), no significant correlations between IAF and IQ were observed. However, in males IAF positively correlated with mental rotation and shape manipulation and with an attentional focus on detail. (2) The second study showed sex-specific correlations between IAF (obtained during task performance) and scope of attention in males and between IAF and reaction time in females. (3) In the third study, individuals’ IAF was increased with tACS. The induced changes in IAF had a disrupting effect on male performance on Raven’s matrices, whereas a mild positive effect was observed for females. Neuro-electric activity after verum tACS showed increased desynchronization in the upper alpha band and dissociation between fronto-parietal and right temporal brain areas during performance on Raven’s matrices. The results are discussed in the light of gender differences in brain structure and activity.
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159
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Takeuchi H, Taki Y, Hashizume H, Asano K, Asano M, Sassa Y, Yokota S, Kotozaki Y, Nouchi R, Kawashima R. Impact of videogame play on the brain's microstructural properties: cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses. Mol Psychiatry 2016; 21:1781-1789. [PMID: 26728566 PMCID: PMC5116480 DOI: 10.1038/mp.2015.193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2015] [Revised: 10/08/2015] [Accepted: 10/21/2015] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Videogame play (VGP) has been associated with numerous preferred and non-preferred effects. However, the effects of VGP on the development of microstructural properties in children, particularly those associated with negative psychological consequences of VGP, have not been identified to date. The purpose of this study was to investigate this issue through cross-sectional and longitudinal prospective analyses. In the present study of humans, we used the diffusion tensor imaging mean diffusivity (MD) measurement to measure microstructural properties and examined cross-sectional correlations with the amount of VGP in 114 boys and 126 girls. We also assessed correlations between the amount of VGP and longitudinal changes in MD that developed after 3.0±0.3 (s.d.) years in 95 boys and 94 girls. After correcting for confounding factors, we found that the amount of VGP was associated with increased MD in the left middle, inferior and orbital frontal cortex; left pallidum; left putamen; left hippocampus; left caudate; right putamen; right insula; and thalamus in both cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses. Regardless of intelligence quotient type, higher MD in the areas of the left thalamus, left hippocampus, left putamen, left insula and left Heschl gyrus was associated with lower intelligence. We also confirmed an association between the amount of VGP and decreased verbal intelligence in both cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses. In conclusion, increased VGP is directly or indirectly associated with delayed development of the microstructure in extensive brain regions and verbal intelligence.
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Affiliation(s)
- H Takeuchi
- Division of Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience, Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan,Division of Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience, Institute of Development, Ageing and Cancer, Tohoku University, 4-1 Seiryo-cho, Aoba-ku, Sendai 980-8575, Japan. E-mail:
| | - Y Taki
- Division of Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience, Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan,Division of Medical Neuroimaging Analysis, Department of Community Medical Supports, Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan,Department of Nuclear Medicine and Radiology, Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
| | - H Hashizume
- Research Administration Office, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - K Asano
- Department of Neurology, Medical-Industry Translational Research Center, Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine, Fukushima, Japan
| | - M Asano
- Department of Child and Adolescent Mental Health, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Y Sassa
- Division of Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience, Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
| | - S Yokota
- Division of Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience, Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
| | - Y Kotozaki
- Division of Clinical Research, Medical-Industry Translational Research Center, Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine, Fukushima, Japan
| | - R Nouchi
- Human and Social Response Research Division, International Research Institute of Disaster Science, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
| | - R Kawashima
- Division of Medical Neuroimaging Analysis, Department of Community Medical Supports, Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan,Department of Functional Brain Imaging, Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan,Smart Ageing International Research Centre, Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
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160
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Chen AG, Zhu LN, Yan J, Yin HC. Neural Basis of Working Memory Enhancement after Acute Aerobic Exercise: fMRI Study of Preadolescent Children. Front Psychol 2016; 7:1804. [PMID: 27917141 PMCID: PMC5116552 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2016.01804] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2016] [Accepted: 11/01/2016] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Working memory lies at the core of cognitive function and plays a crucial role in children's learning, reasoning, problem solving, and intellectual activity. Behavioral findings have suggested that acute aerobic exercise improves children's working memory; however, there is still very little knowledge about whether a single session of aerobic exercise can alter working memory's brain activation patterns, as assessed by functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Therefore, we investigated the effect of acute moderate-intensity aerobic exercise on working memory and its brain activation patterns in preadolescent children, and further explored the neural basis of acute aerobic exercise on working memory in these children. We used a within-subjects design with a counterbalanced order. Nine healthy, right-handed children were scanned with a Siemens MAGNETOM Trio 3.0 Tesla magnetic resonance imaging scanner while they performed a working memory task (N-back task), following a baseline session and a 30-min, moderate-intensity exercise session. Compared with the baseline session, acute moderate-intensity aerobic exercise benefitted performance in the N-back task, increasing brain activities of bilateral parietal cortices, left hippocampus, and the bilateral cerebellum. These data extend the current knowledge by indicating that acute aerobic exercise enhances children's working memory, and the neural basis may be related to changes in the working memory's brain activation patterns elicited by acute aerobic exercise.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ai-Guo Chen
- College of Physical Education, Yangzhou University Yangzhou, China
| | - Li-Na Zhu
- College of Physical Education, Yangzhou University Yangzhou, China
| | - Jun Yan
- College of Physical Education, Yangzhou University Yangzhou, China
| | - Heng-Chan Yin
- School of Physical Education and Sports Science, Beijing Normal University Beijing, China
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161
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Macoveanu J, Vinberg M, Madsen K, Kessing LV, Siebner HR, Baaré W. Unaffected twins discordant for affective disorders show changes in anterior callosal white matter microstructure. Acta Psychiatr Scand 2016; 134:441-451. [PMID: 27604681 DOI: 10.1111/acps.12638] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/11/2016] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The neurobiological mechanisms mediating an increased risk to develop affective disorders remain poorly understood. In a group of individuals with a family history of major depressive (MDD) or bipolar disorder (BD), we investigated the microstructural properties of white matter fiber tracts, that is, cingulum bundle, uncinate fasciculus, anterior limb of the internal capsule, and corpus callosum, that facilitate the communication between brain regions implicated in affective disorders. METHOD Eighty-nine healthy mono- or dizygotic twins with a co-twin diagnosed with MDD or BD (high-risk) and 57 healthy twins with a co-twin with no familial history of affective disorders (low-risk) were included in a diffusion tensor imaging study. RESULT The high-risk group showed decreased fractional anisotropy (FA), a measure of water diffusion directionality, and increased radial diffusivity in the anterior region of corpus callosum compared to the low-risk group. This abnormality was not associated with zygosity or type of depressive disorder of co-twin. CONCLUSION The observed decreased anterior callosal fiber FA in the high-risk group may be indicative of a compromised interhemispheric communication between left and right frontal regions critically involved in mood regulation. Reduced anterior callosal FA may act as a vulnerability marker for affective disorders in individuals at familial risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Macoveanu
- Psychiatric Centre Copenhagen, Copenhagen University Hospital Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark. .,Danish Research Centre for Magnetic Resonance, Centre for Functional and Diagnostic Imaging and Research, Copenhagen University Hospital Hvidovre, Hvidovre, Denmark.
| | - M Vinberg
- Psychiatric Centre Copenhagen, Copenhagen University Hospital Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - K Madsen
- Danish Research Centre for Magnetic Resonance, Centre for Functional and Diagnostic Imaging and Research, Copenhagen University Hospital Hvidovre, Hvidovre, Denmark
| | - L V Kessing
- Psychiatric Centre Copenhagen, Copenhagen University Hospital Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - H R Siebner
- Danish Research Centre for Magnetic Resonance, Centre for Functional and Diagnostic Imaging and Research, Copenhagen University Hospital Hvidovre, Hvidovre, Denmark.,Department of Neurology, Copenhagen University Hospital Bispebjerg, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - W Baaré
- Danish Research Centre for Magnetic Resonance, Centre for Functional and Diagnostic Imaging and Research, Copenhagen University Hospital Hvidovre, Hvidovre, Denmark
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162
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De Giglio L, Upadhyay N, De Luca F, Prosperini L, Tona F, Petsas N, Pozzilli C, Pantano P. Corpus callosum microstructural changes associated with Kawashima Nintendo Brain Training in patients with multiple sclerosis. J Neurol Sci 2016; 370:211-213. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jns.2016.09.041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2016] [Revised: 09/20/2016] [Accepted: 09/21/2016] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
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163
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Pedullà L, Brichetto G, Tacchino A, Vassallo C, Zaratin P, Battaglia MA, Bonzano L, Bove M. Adaptive vs. non-adaptive cognitive training by means of a personalized App: a randomized trial in people with multiple sclerosis. J Neuroeng Rehabil 2016; 13:88. [PMID: 27716336 PMCID: PMC5050994 DOI: 10.1186/s12984-016-0193-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2016] [Accepted: 09/17/2016] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Cognitive impairment is common in multiple sclerosis (MS), but the definition of the best cognitive rehabilitation tools and features is still an open issue among researchers. The aims of the present study were to evaluate the effectiveness of COGNI-TRAcK (a customized application software delivering personalized working memory-based exercises) on cognitively impaired people with MS and to investigate the effects of an adaptive vs. a non-adaptive cognitive training administered by means of COGNI-TRAcK. Methods Twenty eight patients (20 women, age 47.5 ± 9.3 years, Expanded Disability Status Scale score 3.8 ± 1.9) were randomized in two homogeneous groups, both performing a 8-week home-based cognitive rehabilitation treatment by means of COGNI-TRAcK. The study group (ADAPT-gr) underwent an adaptive training given by the automatic adjustment of tasks difficulty to the subjects’ performance, whilst the control group (CONST-gr) was trained at constant difficulty levels. Before and after the treatment, patients’ cognitive status was assessed using a gold standard neuropsychological evaluation. Moreover, the mostly affected cognitive domains in MS (i.e., attention, concentration and information processing speed) were also assessed 6 months after the end of the treatment. Results The analysis of variance showed a significant Group*Time interaction in six out of ten tests of the cognitive evaluation. Post-hoc analysis revealed a significant improvement between the performances before and after the intervention only in the ADAPT-gr in tests evaluating verbal memory acquisition (p <0.05) and delayed recall (p = 0.001), verbal fluency (p = 0.01), sustained attention, concentration and information processing speed (p < 0.01). This last effect was maintained also after 6 months (p < 0.05). Conclusions We concluded that COGNI-TRAcK represents a suitable tool to administer a personalized training to cognitively impaired subjects and that an adaptive working load is a crucial feature determining the effectiveness of cognitive treatment, allowing transfer effects to several cognitive domains and long-term maintenance of results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ludovico Pedullà
- Department of Experimental Medicine, Section of Human Physiology, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy.,Italian Multiple Sclerosis Foundation, Scientific Research Area, Genoa, Italy
| | - Giampaolo Brichetto
- Italian Multiple Sclerosis Foundation, Scientific Research Area, Genoa, Italy.
| | - Andrea Tacchino
- Italian Multiple Sclerosis Foundation, Scientific Research Area, Genoa, Italy
| | - Claudio Vassallo
- Italian Multiple Sclerosis Foundation, Scientific Research Area, Genoa, Italy
| | - Paola Zaratin
- Italian Multiple Sclerosis Foundation, Scientific Research Area, Genoa, Italy
| | | | - Laura Bonzano
- Department of Neuroscience, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Marco Bove
- Department of Experimental Medicine, Section of Human Physiology, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy.
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164
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Holmes J, Byrne EM, Gathercole SE, Ewbank MP. Transcranial Random Noise Stimulation Does Not Enhance the Effects of Working Memory Training. J Cogn Neurosci 2016; 28:1471-83. [DOI: 10.1162/jocn_a_00993] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
Abstract
Transcranial random noise stimulation (tRNS), a noninvasive brain stimulation technique, enhances the generalization and sustainability of gains following mathematical training. Here it is combined for the first time with working memory training in a double-blind randomized controlled trial. Adults completed 10 sessions of Cogmed Working Memory Training with either active tRNS or sham stimulation applied bilaterally to dorsolateral pFC. Training was associated with gains on both the training tasks and on untrained tests of working memory that shared overlapping processes with the training tasks, but not with improvements on working memory tasks with distinct processing demands or tests of other cognitive abilities (e.g., IQ, maths). There was no evidence that tRNS increased the magnitude or transfer of these gains. Thus, combining tRNS with Cogmed Working Memory Training provides no additional therapeutic value.
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165
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Joo MS, Park DS, Moon CT, Chun YI, Song SW, Roh HG. Relationship between Gyrus Rectus Resection and Cognitive Impairment after Surgery for Ruptured Anterior Communicating Artery Aneurysms. J Cerebrovasc Endovasc Neurosurg 2016; 18:223-228. [PMID: 27847765 PMCID: PMC5104846 DOI: 10.7461/jcen.2016.18.3.223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2016] [Revised: 09/01/2016] [Accepted: 09/06/2016] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The gyrus rectus (GR) is known as a non-functional gyrus; hence, its resection is agreed to be a safe procedure frequently practiced to achieve a better surgical view during specific surgeries. This study aimed at comparing the cognitive outcomes following GR resection in patients who underwent surgery for ruptured anterior communicating artery (ACoA) aneurysms. MATERIALS AND METHODS From 2012 to 2015, 39 patients underwent surgical clipping for ruptured ACoA aneurysms. Mini-mental state examinations (MMSE) were performed in 2 different periods. The statistical relationship between GR resection and MMSE results was evaluated, and further analysis of MMSE subgroup was performed. RESULTS Twenty-five out of the 39 patients (64.19%) underwent GR resection. Mean initial and final MMSE scores in the GR resection group were 16.3 ± 9.8 and 20.8 ± 7.3, respectively. In the non-resection group, the mean initial and final MMSE scores were 17.1 ± 8.6 and 21.9 ± 4.5, respectively. Neither group's scores showed a significant change. Subgroup analysis of initial MMSE showed a significant difference in memory recall and language (p = 0.02) but not in the final MMSE scores. CONCLUSION There was no significant relationship between the GR resection and cognitive outcomes in terms of total MMSE scores after surgery for ruptured ACoA aneurysm. However, subgroup analysis revealed a temporary negative effect of GR resection in the categories of language and memory recall. This study suggests that GR resection should be executed superficially, owing to its close anatomical relationship with the limbic system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Myung Sung Joo
- Department of Neurosurgery, Konkuk University Medical Center, Seoul, Korea
| | - Dong Sun Park
- Department of Neurosurgery, Konkuk University Medical Center, Seoul, Korea
| | - Chang Taek Moon
- Department of Neurosurgery, Konkuk University Medical Center, Seoul, Korea
| | - Young Il Chun
- Department of Neurosurgery, Konkuk University Medical Center, Seoul, Korea
| | - Sang Woo Song
- Department of Neurosurgery, Konkuk University Medical Center, Seoul, Korea
| | - Hong Gee Roh
- Department of Radiology, Konkuk University Medical Center, Seoul, Korea
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166
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Transfer after Dual n-Back Training Depends on Striatal Activation Change. J Neurosci 2016; 36:10198-213. [PMID: 27683914 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.2305-15.2016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2015] [Accepted: 08/02/2016] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
UNLABELLED The dual n-back working memory (WM) training paradigm (comprising auditory and visual stimuli) has gained much attention since studies have shown widespread transfer effects. By including a multimodal dual-task component, the task is demanding to the human cognitive system. We investigated whether dual n-back training improves general cognitive resources or a task-specific WM updating process in participants. We expected: (1) widespread transfer effects and the recruitment of a common neuronal network by the training and the transfer tasks and (2) narrower transfer results and that a common activation network alone would not produce transfer, but instead an activation focus on the striatum, which is associated with WM updating processes. The training group showed transfer to an untrained dual-modality WM updating task, but not to single-task versions of the training or the transfer task. They also showed diminished neuronal overlap between the training and the transfer task from pretest to posttest and an increase in striatal activation in both tasks. Furthermore, we found an association between the striatal activation increase and behavioral improvement. The control groups showed no transfer and no change in the amount of activation overlap or in striatal activation from pretest to posttest. We conclude that, instead of improving general cognitive resources (which would have required a transfer effect to all transfer tasks and that a frontal activation overlap between the tasks produced transfer), dual n-back training improved a task-specific process: WM updating of stimuli from two modalities. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The current study allows for a better understanding of the cognitive and neural effects of working memory (WM) training and transfer. It shows that dual n-back training mainly improves specific processes of WM updating, and this improvement leads to narrow transfer effects to tasks involving the same processes. On a neuronal level this is accompanied by increased neural activation in the striatum that is related to WM updating. The current findings challenge the view that dual n-back training provokes a general boosting of the WM system and of its neural underpinnings located in frontoparietal brain regions. Instead, the findings imply the relevance of task-specific brain regions which are involved in important cognitive processes during training and transfer tasks.
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167
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Schneider S, Gruart A, Grade S, Zhang Y, Kröger S, Kirchhoff F, Eichele G, Delgado García JM, Dimou L. Decrease in newly generated oligodendrocytes leads to motor dysfunctions and changed myelin structures that can be rescued by transplanted cells. Glia 2016; 64:2201-2218. [PMID: 27615452 DOI: 10.1002/glia.23055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2016] [Revised: 08/11/2016] [Accepted: 08/22/2016] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
NG2-glia in the adult brain are known to proliferate and differentiate into mature and myelinating oligodendrocytes throughout lifetime. However, the role of these newly generated oligodendrocytes in the adult brain still remains little understood. Here we took advantage of the Sox10-iCreERT2 x CAG-eGFP x Esco2fl/fl mouse line in which we can specifically ablate proliferating NG2-glia in adult animals. Surprisingly, we observed that the generation of new oligodendrocytes in the adult brain was severely affected, although the number of NG2-glia remained stable due to the enhanced proliferation of non-recombined cells. This lack of oligodendrogenesis led to the elongation of the nodes of Ranvier as well as the associated paranodes, which could be locally rescued by myelinating oligodendrocytes differentiated from transplanted NG2-glia deriving from wildtype mice. Repetitive measurements of conduction velocity in the corpus callosum of awake animals revealed a progressive deceleration specifically in the mice lacking adult oligodendrogenesis that resulted in progressive motor deficits. In summary, here we demonstrated for the first time that axon function is not only controlled by the reliable organization of myelin, but also requires a dynamic and continuous generation of new oligodendrocytes in the adult brain. GLIA 2016;64:2201-2218.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Schneider
- Physiological Genomics, Biomedical Center, Ludwig-Maximilians University, Munich, Germany.,Institute of Stem Cell Research, Helmholtz Zentrum, Neuherberg, Germany.,Graduate School of Systemic Neurosciences, Ludwig-Maximilians University, Munich, Germany
| | - Agnès Gruart
- División de Neurosciencias, Universidad Pablo de Olavide, Seville, Spain
| | - Sofia Grade
- Physiological Genomics, Biomedical Center, Ludwig-Maximilians University, Munich, Germany.,Institute of Stem Cell Research, Helmholtz Zentrum, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Yina Zhang
- Physiological Genomics, Biomedical Center, Ludwig-Maximilians University, Munich, Germany
| | - Stephan Kröger
- Physiological Genomics, Biomedical Center, Ludwig-Maximilians University, Munich, Germany
| | - Frank Kirchhoff
- Molecular Physiology, Center of Integrative Physiology and Molecular Medicine (CIPMM), University of Saarland, Homburg, Germany
| | - Gregor Eichele
- Department of Genes and Behavior, MPI for Biophysical Chemistry, Göttingen, Germany
| | | | - Leda Dimou
- Physiological Genomics, Biomedical Center, Ludwig-Maximilians University, Munich, Germany. .,Institute of Stem Cell Research, Helmholtz Zentrum, Neuherberg, Germany. .,Graduate School of Systemic Neurosciences, Ludwig-Maximilians University, Munich, Germany. .,Munich Cluster for Systems Neurology (SyNergy), Munich, Germany.
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168
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Gathercole SE, Dunning DL, Holmes J, Norris D. Working memory training involves learning new skills. JOURNAL OF MEMORY AND LANGUAGE 2016; 105:19-42. [PMID: 31235992 PMCID: PMC6591133 DOI: 10.1016/j.jml.2018.10.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 106] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
We present a new framework characterizing training-induced changes in WM as the acquisition of novel cognitive routines akin to learning a new skill. Predictions were tested in three studies analyzing the transfer between WM tasks following WM training. Study 1 reports a meta-analysis establishing substantial transfer when trained and untrained tasks shared either a serial recall, complex span or backward span paradigm. Transfer was weaker for serial recall of verbal than visuo-spatial material, suggesting that this paradigm is served by an existing verbal STM system and does not require a new routine. Re-analysis of published WM training data in Study 2 showed that transfer was restricted to tasks sharing properties proposed to require new routines. In a re-analysis of data from four studies, Study 3 demonstrated that transfer was greatest for children with higher fluid cognitive abilities. These findings suggest that development of new routines depends on general cognitive resources and that they can only be applied to other similarly-structured tasks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susan E. Gathercole
- MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit, University of Cambridge, 15 Chaucer Road, Cambridge CB2 7EF, England, United Kingdom
| | - Darren L. Dunning
- MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit, University of Cambridge, 15 Chaucer Road, Cambridge CB2 7EF, England, United Kingdom
| | - Joni Holmes
- MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit, University of Cambridge, 15 Chaucer Road, Cambridge CB2 7EF, England, United Kingdom
| | - Dennis Norris
- MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit, University of Cambridge, 15 Chaucer Road, Cambridge CB2 7EF, England, United Kingdom
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169
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Makinodan M, Ikawa D, Miyamoto Y, Yamauchi J, Yamamuro K, Yamashita Y, Toritsuka M, Kimoto S, Okumura K, Yamauchi T, Fukami SI, Yoshino H, Wanaka A, Kishimoto T. Social isolation impairs remyelination in mice through modulation of IL-6. FASEB J 2016; 30:4267-4274. [PMID: 27613805 DOI: 10.1096/fj.201600537r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2016] [Accepted: 09/01/2016] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Recent studies have revealed that social experience affects myelination. These findings have important implications for disorders that feature abnormal myelination, such as multiple sclerosis (MS), as previous studies have shown that psychosocial stress exacerbates the pathobiology of MS. However, most studies have focused on psychosocial stress during the demyelination phase of MS and have not investigated the effects of social experience on remyelination. Thus, the current study sought to determine whether social experience can alter remyelination after myelin depletion. Myelin in the mouse medial prefrontal cortex was depleted with cuprizone, and the effects of subsequent social isolation on remyelination were evaluated. Remyelination was severely impaired in socially isolated mice. Social isolation also increased IL-6 levels in the medial prefrontal cortex, and administration of an IL-6 inhibitor (ND50 = 0.01-0.03 μg for 0.25 ng/ml IL-6) ameliorated remyelination impairments. Consistent with this result, IL-6 administration (ED50 = 0.02-0.06 ng/ml) disturbed remyelination. In addition, neuron-oligodendrocyte coculture experiments showed that IL-6 treatment (ED50 ≤ 0.02 ng/ml) markedly impeded myelination, which was recovered with IL-6 inhibitor administration (ND50 = 0.01-0.03 μg for 0.25 ng/ml IL-6). This study provides the first direct evidence, to our knowledge, that social experience influences remyelination via modulation of IL-6 expression. These findings indicate that psychosocial stress may disturb remyelination through regulation of IL-6 expression in patients with such demyelinating diseases that involve remyelination as MS.-Makinodan, M., Ikawa, D., Miyamoto, Y., Yamauchi, J., Yamamuro, K., Yamashita, Y., Toritsuka, M., Kimoto, S., Okumura, K., Yamauchi, T., Fukami, S., Yoshino, H., Wanaka, A., Kishimoto, T. Social isolation impairs remyelination in mice through modulation of IL-6.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manabu Makinodan
- Department of Psychiatry, Nara Medical University School of Medicine, Nara, Japan;
| | - Daisuke Ikawa
- Department of Psychiatry, Nara Medical University School of Medicine, Nara, Japan
| | - Yuki Miyamoto
- Department of Pharmacology, National Research Institute for Child Health and Development, Tokyo, Japan; and
| | - Junji Yamauchi
- Department of Pharmacology, National Research Institute for Child Health and Development, Tokyo, Japan; and
| | - Kazuhiko Yamamuro
- Department of Psychiatry, Nara Medical University School of Medicine, Nara, Japan
| | - Yasunori Yamashita
- Department of Psychiatry, Nara Medical University School of Medicine, Nara, Japan
| | - Michihiro Toritsuka
- Department of Psychiatry, Nara Medical University School of Medicine, Nara, Japan
| | - Sohei Kimoto
- Department of Psychiatry, Nara Medical University School of Medicine, Nara, Japan
| | - Kazuki Okumura
- Department of Psychiatry, Nara Medical University School of Medicine, Nara, Japan
| | - Takahira Yamauchi
- Department of Psychiatry, Nara Medical University School of Medicine, Nara, Japan
| | - Shin-Ichi Fukami
- Department of Psychiatry, Nara Medical University School of Medicine, Nara, Japan
| | - Hiroki Yoshino
- Department of Psychiatry, Nara Medical University School of Medicine, Nara, Japan
| | - Akio Wanaka
- Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, Nara Medical University School of Medicine, Nara, Japan
| | - Toshifumi Kishimoto
- Department of Psychiatry, Nara Medical University School of Medicine, Nara, Japan
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170
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Liu Q, Zheng X, Li P, Xu L, He L, Mei Z, Zhu Y, Huang G, Zhong C, Song S. Cerebral blood perfusion changes in amputees with myoelectric hands after rehabilitation: a SPECT computer-aided analysis. BMC Neurosci 2016; 17:59. [PMID: 27576313 PMCID: PMC5006566 DOI: 10.1186/s12868-016-0294-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2016] [Accepted: 07/29/2016] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Rehabilitation, which is essential for amputees with myoelectric hands, can improve the quality of daily life by remodeling the neuron network. In our study, we aim to develop a cerebral blood perfusion (CBF) single-photon emission computed tomography computer-aided (SPECT-CA) detection scheme to automatically locate the brain’s activated regions after rehabilitation. Results Five participants without forearms (three male, two female, mean age 51 ± 12.89 years, two missing the right side, and three missing the left side) were included in our study. In the clinical assessment, all of the participants received higher scores after training. The results of the SPM analysis indicated that CBF in the precentral gyrus, postcentral gyrus, frontal lobe, temporal lobe and cerebellum was significantly different among the five participants (P < 0.05). Moreover, SPECT-CA showed that the activated brain areas mainly included the precentral gyrus, postcentral gyrus, cerebellum and extensive cerebral cortex. Conclusion Our study demonstrated that the CBF SPECT-CA method can detect the brain blood perfusion changes induced by rehabilitation with high sensitivity and accuracy. This method has great potential for locating the remodeled neuron regions of amputees with myoelectric hands after rehabilitation. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12868-016-0294-3) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiufang Liu
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 160 Pujian Road, Shanghai, 200127, China
| | - Xiujuan Zheng
- Department of Automation, School of Electrical Engineering Information, Sichuan University, Sichuan, 610065, China
| | - Panli Li
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 160 Pujian Road, Shanghai, 200127, China
| | - Lian Xu
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 160 Pujian Road, Shanghai, 200127, China
| | - Longwen He
- Shanghai Rehabilitation and Vocational Training Center for the Disabled, Shanghai, 200127, China
| | - Zhao Mei
- Shanghai Rehabilitation and Vocational Training Center for the Disabled, Shanghai, 200127, China
| | - Yinyan Zhu
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 160 Pujian Road, Shanghai, 200127, China
| | - Gang Huang
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 160 Pujian Road, Shanghai, 200127, China
| | - Chunlong Zhong
- Department of Neurosurgery, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 160 Pujian Road, Shanghai, 200127, China.
| | - Shaoli Song
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 160 Pujian Road, Shanghai, 200127, China.
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171
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Favre P, Houenou J, Baciu M, Pichat C, Poupon C, Bougerol T, Polosan M. White Matter Plasticity Induced by Psychoeducation in Bipolar Patients: A Controlled Diffusion Tensor Imaging Study. PSYCHOTHERAPY AND PSYCHOSOMATICS 2016; 85:58-60. [PMID: 26610264 DOI: 10.1159/000441009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2015] [Accepted: 09/10/2015] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Pauline Favre
- LPNC, CNRS UMR 5105, Universitx00E9; Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France
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172
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Dynamics of the Human Structural Connectome Underlying Working Memory Training. J Neurosci 2016; 36:4056-66. [PMID: 27053212 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1973-15.2016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2015] [Accepted: 02/04/2016] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
UNLABELLED Brain region-specific changes have been demonstrated with a variety of cognitive training interventions. The effect of cognitive training on brain subnetworks in humans, however, remains largely unknown, with studies limited to functional networks. Here, we used a well-established working memory training program and state-of-the art neuroimaging methods in 40 healthy adults (21 females, mean age 26.5 years). Near and far-transfer training effects were assessed using computerized working memory and executive function tasks. Adaptive working memory training led to improvement on (non)trained working memory tasks and generalization to tasks of reasoning and inhibition. Graph theoretical analysis of the structural (white matter) network connectivity ("connectome") revealed increased global integration within a frontoparietal attention network following adaptive working memory training compared with the nonadaptive group. Furthermore, the impact on the outcome of graph theoretical analyses of different white matter metrics to infer "connection strength" was evaluated. Increased efficiency of the frontoparietal network was best captured when using connection strengths derived from MR metrics that are thought to be more sensitive to differences in myelination (putatively indexed by the [quantitative] longitudinal relaxation rate, R1) than previously used diffusion MRI metrics (fractional anisotropy or fiber-tracking recovered streamlines). Our findings emphasize the critical role of specific microstructural markers in providing important hints toward the mechanisms underpinning training-induced plasticity that may drive working memory improvement in clinical populations. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT This is the first study to explore training-induced changes in the structural connectome using a well-controlled design to examine cognitive training with up-to-date neuroimaging methods. We found changes in global integration based on white matter connectivity within a frontoparietal attention network following adaptive working memory training compared with a nonadaptive comparison group. Furthermore, the impact of different diffusion MR metrics and more specific markers of white matter on the graph theoretical findings was evaluated. An increase in network global efficiency following working memory training was best captured when connection strengths were weighted by MR relaxation rates (influenced by myelination). These results are important for the optimization of cognitive training programs for healthy individuals and people with brain disease.
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173
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Different Roles of Direct and Indirect Frontoparietal Pathways for Individual Working Memory Capacity. J Neurosci 2016; 36:2894-903. [PMID: 26961945 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1376-14.2016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
The ability to temporarily store and manipulate information in working memory is a hallmark of human intelligence and differs considerably across individuals, but the structural brain correlates underlying these differences in working memory capacity (WMC) are only poorly understood. In two separate studies, diffusion MRI data and WMC scores were collected for 70 and 109 healthy individuals. Using a combination of probabilistic tractography and network analysis of the white matter tracts, we examined whether structural brain network properties were predictive of individual WMC. Converging evidence from both studies showed that lateral prefrontal cortex and posterior parietal cortex of high-capacity individuals are more densely connected compared with low-capacity individuals. Importantly, our network approach was further able to dissociate putative functional roles associated with two different pathways connecting frontal and parietal regions: a corticocortical pathway and a subcortical pathway. In Study 1, where participants were required to maintain and update working memory items, the connectivity of the direct and indirect pathway was predictive of WMC. In contrast, in Study 2, where participants were required to maintain working memory items without updating, only the connectivity of the direct pathway was predictive of individual WMC. Our results suggest an important dissociation in the circuitry connecting frontal and parietal regions, where direct frontoparietal connections might support storage and maintenance, whereas subcortically mediated connections support the flexible updating of working memory content.
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174
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Finn AS, Minas JE, Leonard JA, Mackey AP, Salvatore J, Goetz C, West MR, Gabrieli CFO, Gabrieli JDE. Functional brain organization of working memory in adolescents varies in relation to family income and academic achievement. Dev Sci 2016; 20. [PMID: 27434857 DOI: 10.1111/desc.12450] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2015] [Accepted: 03/30/2016] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Working memory (WM) capacity reflects executive functions associated with performance on a wide range of cognitive tasks and education outcomes, including mathematics achievement, and is associated with dorsolateral prefrontal and parietal cortices. Here we asked if family income is associated with variation in the functional brain organization of WM capacity among adolescents, and whether that variation is associated with performance on a statewide test of academic achievement in mathematics. Participants were classified into higher-income and lower-income groups based on family income, and performed a WM task with a parametric manipulation of WM load (N-back task) during functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Behaviorally, the higher-income group had greater WM capacity and higher mathematics achievement scores. Neurally, the higher-income group showed greater activation as a function of WM load in bilateral prefrontal, parietal, and other regions, although the lower-income group exhibited greater activation at the lowest load. Both groups exhibited positive correlations between parietal activations and mathematics achievement scores, but only the higher-income group exhibited a positive correlation between prefrontal activations and mathematics scores. Most of these findings were maintained when higher- and lower-income groups were matched on WM task performance or nonverbal IQ. Findings indicate that the functional neural architecture of WM varies with family income and is associated with education measures of mathematics achievement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy S Finn
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Canada
| | - Jennifer E Minas
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences and McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA
| | - Julia A Leonard
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences and McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA
| | - Allyson P Mackey
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences and McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA
| | - John Salvatore
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences and McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA
| | - Calvin Goetz
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences and McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA
| | - Martin R West
- Graduate School of Education, Harvard University, USA
| | - Christopher F O Gabrieli
- Graduate School of Education, Harvard University, USA.,Transforming Education/National Center on Time & Learning, Boston, USA
| | - John D E Gabrieli
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences and McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA.,Graduate School of Education, Harvard University, USA
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175
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Melby-Lervåg M, Redick TS, Hulme C. Working Memory Training Does Not Improve Performance on Measures of Intelligence or Other Measures of "Far Transfer": Evidence From a Meta-Analytic Review. PERSPECTIVES ON PSYCHOLOGICAL SCIENCE 2016; 11:512-34. [PMID: 27474138 PMCID: PMC4968033 DOI: 10.1177/1745691616635612] [Citation(s) in RCA: 461] [Impact Index Per Article: 57.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
It has been claimed that working memory training programs produce diverse beneficial effects. This article presents a meta-analysis of working memory training studies (with a pretest-posttest design and a control group) that have examined transfer to other measures (nonverbal ability, verbal ability, word decoding, reading comprehension, or arithmetic; 87 publications with 145 experimental comparisons). Immediately following training there were reliable improvements on measures of intermediate transfer (verbal and visuospatial working memory). For measures of far transfer (nonverbal ability, verbal ability, word decoding, reading comprehension, arithmetic) there was no convincing evidence of any reliable improvements when working memory training was compared with a treated control condition. Furthermore, mediation analyses indicated that across studies, the degree of improvement on working memory measures was not related to the magnitude of far-transfer effects found. Finally, analysis of publication bias shows that there is no evidential value from the studies of working memory training using treated controls. The authors conclude that working memory training programs appear to produce short-term, specific training effects that do not generalize to measures of "real-world" cognitive skills. These results seriously question the practical and theoretical importance of current computerized working memory programs as methods of training working memory skills.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Charles Hulme
- Division of Psychology and Language Sciences, University College London, and Department of Special Needs Education, University of Oslo
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176
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Abstract
Working memory - the ability to maintain and manipulate information over a period of seconds - is a core component of higher cognitive functions. The storage capacity of working memory is limited but can be expanded by training, and evidence of the neural mechanisms underlying this effect is accumulating. Human imaging studies and neurophysiological recordings in non-human primates, together with computational modelling studies, reveal that training increases the activity of prefrontal neurons and the strength of connectivity in the prefrontal cortex and between the prefrontal and parietal cortex. Dopaminergic transmission could have a facilitatory role. These changes more generally inform us of the plasticity of higher cognitive functions.
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177
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Begolly S, Shrager PG, Olschowka JA, Williams JP, O'Banion MK. Fractionation Spares Mice From Radiation-Induced Reductions in Weight Gain But Does Not Prevent Late Oligodendrocyte Lineage Side Effects. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 2016; 96:449-457. [PMID: 27478169 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijrobp.2016.05.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2016] [Revised: 04/28/2016] [Accepted: 05/04/2016] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE To determine the late effects of fractionated versus single-dose cranial radiation on murine white matter. METHODS AND MATERIALS Mice were exposed to 0 Gy, 6 × 6 Gy, or 1 × 20 Gy cranial irradiation at 10 to 12 weeks of age. Endpoints were assessed through 18 months from exposure using immunohistochemistry, electron microscopy, and electrophysiology. RESULTS Weight gain was temporarily reduced after irradiation; greater loss was seen after single versus fractionated doses. Oligodendrocyte progenitor cells were reduced early and late after both single and fractionated irradiation. Both protocols also increased myelin g-ratio, reduced the number of nodes of Ranvier, and promoted a shift in the proportion of small, unmyelinated versus large, myelinated axon fibers. CONCLUSIONS Fractionation does not adequately spare normal white matter from late radiation side effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sage Begolly
- Department of Environmental Medicine, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, New York
| | - Peter G Shrager
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, New York; Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, New York
| | - John A Olschowka
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, New York
| | - Jacqueline P Williams
- Department of Environmental Medicine, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, New York; Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, New York
| | - M Kerry O'Banion
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, New York; Department of Neurology, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, New York.
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178
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Karlsgodt KH. Diffusion Imaging of White Matter In Schizophrenia: Progress and Future Directions. BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY. COGNITIVE NEUROSCIENCE AND NEUROIMAGING 2016; 1:209-217. [PMID: 27453952 PMCID: PMC4955654 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpsc.2015.12.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) is a powerful tool for the in-vivo assessment of white matter microstructure. The application of DTI methodologies to the study of schizophrenia has supported and advanced the hypothesis of schizophrenia as a disorder of disrupted connectivity. In the context of impaired structural connectivity, the extended time frame of white matter development may offer unique opportunities for treatment that can capitalize on the neural flexibility that is still present in the period leading up to and after disease onset. Therefore, it is important to gain a clear understanding of white matter deficits and how they may emerge and change across the illness. However, while there is broad consistency in the findings of white matter deficits in patients with schizophrenia, there is also a great deal of variability in specific findings across studies. In this review, the aim is to move beyond summarizing case-control analyses, to consider the many factors that may impact DTI measures, to explain variability of findings, and to explore future directions for the field. The topics explored include ways to parse DTI patterns associated with different disease subtypes, ways in which novel and established treatments might interact with or enhance white matter, ways of dissociating developmental change from the disease process itself, and understanding the role of emerging analytic methodologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine H Karlsgodt
- Psychiatry Research Division, Zucker Hillside Hospital and Feinstein Institute for Medical Research; Department of Psychiatry, Hofstra NorthShore LIJ School of Medicine
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179
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Voelker P, Piscopo D, Weible AP, Lynch G, Rothbart MK, Posner MI, Niell CM. How changes in white matter might underlie improved reaction time due to practice. Cogn Neurosci 2016; 8:112-118. [PMID: 27064751 DOI: 10.1080/17588928.2016.1173664] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Why does training on a task reduce the reaction time for performing it? New research points to changes in white matter pathways as one likely mechanism. These pathways connect remote brain areas involved in performing the task. Genetic variations may be involved in individual differences in the extent of this improvement. If white matter change is involved in improved reaction time with training, it may point the way toward understanding where and how generalization occurs. We examine the hypothesis that brain pathways shared by different tasks may result in improved performance of cognitive tasks remote from the training.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pascale Voelker
- a Department of Psychology , University of Oregon , Eugene , OR , USA
| | - Denise Piscopo
- b Department of Biology , University of Oregon , Eugene , OR , USA
| | - Aldis P Weible
- b Department of Biology , University of Oregon , Eugene , OR , USA.,c Institute of Neuroscience , University of Oregon , Eugene , OR , USA
| | - Gary Lynch
- d Department of Neurobiology and Behavior UC Irvine , Irvine , CA , USA
| | - Mary K Rothbart
- a Department of Psychology , University of Oregon , Eugene , OR , USA
| | - Michael I Posner
- a Department of Psychology , University of Oregon , Eugene , OR , USA.,c Institute of Neuroscience , University of Oregon , Eugene , OR , USA
| | - Cristopher M Niell
- b Department of Biology , University of Oregon , Eugene , OR , USA.,c Institute of Neuroscience , University of Oregon , Eugene , OR , USA
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180
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Activity-Dependent and Experience-Driven Myelination Provide New Directions for the Management of Multiple Sclerosis. Trends Neurosci 2016; 39:356-365. [PMID: 27113322 DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2016.04.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2016] [Revised: 03/26/2016] [Accepted: 04/04/2016] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Despite an appreciation of the importance of myelination and the consequences of pathological demyelination, the fundamental mechanisms regulating myelination are only now being resolved. Neuronal activity has long been considered a plausible regulatory signal for myelination. However, controversy surrounding its dispensability in certain contexts and the difficulty in determining to what degree it influences myelination has limited its widespread acceptance. Recent studies have shed new light on the role of neuronal activity in regulating oligodendrogenesis and myelination. Further, the dynamics of myelin in adulthood and the association between skilled learning and myelination have become increasingly well characterized. These advances present new considerations for the management of multiple sclerosis and open up new approaches to facilitate remyelination following pathological demyelination.
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181
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Hemispheric Coherence in ASD with and without Comorbid ADHD and Anxiety. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2016; 2016:4267842. [PMID: 27127785 PMCID: PMC4834397 DOI: 10.1155/2016/4267842] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2015] [Accepted: 03/06/2016] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
There is a growing body of evidence suggesting that altered brain connectivity may be a defining feature of disorders such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD), anxiety, and ADHD. This study investigated whether resting state functional connectivity, measured by 128-channel EEG oscillation coherence, differs between developmental disorders. Analyses were conducted separately on groups with and without comorbid conditions. Analyses revealed increased coherence across central electrodes over the primary motor cortex and decreased coherence in the frontal lobe networks in those with ASD compared to neurotypical controls. There was increased coherence in occipital lobe networks in the ADHD group compared to other groups. Symptoms of generalised anxiety were positively correlated with both frontal-occipital intrahemispheric (alpha only) coherence and occipital interhemispheric coherence (alpha, approaching theta band). The patterns of coherence in the ASD pure group were different when comorbid conditions were included in the analyses, suggesting that aberrant coherence in the frontal and central areas of the brain is specifically associated with ASD. Our findings support the idea that comorbid conditions are additive, rather than being symptoms of the same disorder.
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182
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Impact of reading habit on white matter structure: Cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses. Neuroimage 2016; 133:378-389. [PMID: 27033689 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2016.03.037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2015] [Revised: 02/02/2016] [Accepted: 03/16/2016] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Psychological studies showed the quantity of reading habit affects the development of their reading skills, various language skills, and knowledge. However, despite a vast amount of literature, the effects of reading habit on the development of white matter (WM) structures critical to language and reading processes have never been investigated. In this study, we used the fractional anisotropy (FA) measure of diffusion tensor imaging to measure WM microstructural properties and examined cross-sectional and longitudinal correlations between reading habit and FA of the WM bundles in a large sample of normal children. In both cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses, we found that greater strength of reading habit positively affected FA in the left arcuate fasciculus (AF), in the left inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus (IFOF), and in the left posterior corona radiata (PCR). Consistent with previous studies, we also confirmed the significance or a tendency for positive correlation between the strength of reading habit and the Verbal Comprehension score in cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses. These cross-sectional and longitudinal findings indicate that a healthy reading habit may be directly or indirectly associated with the advanced development of WM critical to reading and language processes. Future intervention studies are needed to determine the causal effects of reading habits on WM in normal children.
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183
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Increased integrity of white matter pathways after dual n-back training. Neuroimage 2016; 133:244-250. [PMID: 27001498 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2016.03.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2015] [Revised: 03/05/2016] [Accepted: 03/13/2016] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Dual n-back WM training has been shown to produce broad transfer effects to different untrained cognitive functions. The task is demanding to the cognitive system because it includes a bi-modal (auditory and visual) dual-task component. A previous WM training study showed increased white matter integrity in the parietal lobe as well as the anterior part of the corpus callosum after visual n-back training. We investigated dual n-back training-related changes in white matter pathways. We anticipated dual n-back training to increase white matter integrity in pathways that connect brain regions related to WM processes. Additionally, we hypothesized that dual n-back training would produce more brain-wide white matter changes than single n-back training because of the involvement of two modalities and the additional dual-task coordination component of the task. The dual n-back training group showed increased white matter integrity (reflected as increased fractional anisotropy, FA) after training. The effects were mostly left lateralized as compared with changes from pretest to posttest in the passive and active control groups. Additionally, significant effects were observed in the anterior part of the corpus callosum, when the training group was compared with the passive control group. There were no changes in pretest to posttest FA changes between the passive and active control groups. The results therefore show that dual n-back training produces increased integrity in white matter pathways connecting different brain regions. The results are discussed in reference to the bi-modal dual-task component of the training task.
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184
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Monge ZA, Greenwood PM, Parasuraman R, Strenziok M. Individual differences in reasoning and visuospatial attention are associated with prefrontal and parietal white matter tracts in healthy older adults. Neuropsychology 2016; 30:558-67. [PMID: 26986750 DOI: 10.1037/neu0000264] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Although reasoning and attention are 2 cognitive processes necessary for ensuring the efficiency of many everyday activities in older adults, the role of white matter integrity in these processes has been little studied. This is an important question due to the role of white matter integrity as a neural substrate of cognitive aging. Here, we sought to examine the white matter tracts subserving reasoning and visuospatial attention in healthy older adults. METHOD Sixty-one adults ages 60 and older completed a battery of cognitive tests to assess reasoning and visuospatial attention. In addition, diffusion tensor images were collected to assess fractional anisotropy (FA), a measure of white matter integrity. A principle components analysis of the test scores yielded 2 components: reasoning and visuospatial attention. Whole-brain correlations between FA and the cognitive components were submitted to probabilistic tractography analyses for visualization of cortical targets of tracts. RESULTS For reasoning, bilateral thalamo-anterior prefrontal, anterior corpus callosum, and corpus callosum body tracts interconnecting the superior frontal cortices and right cingulum bundle were found. For visuospatial attention, a right inferior fronto-parietal tract and bilateral parietal and temporal connections were found. CONCLUSIONS We conclude that in older adults, prefrontal cortex white matter tracts and interhemispheric communication are important in higher order cognitive functioning. On the other hand, right-sided fronto-parietal tracts appear to be critical for supporting control of cognitive processes, such as redirecting attention. Researchers may use our results to develop neuroscience-based interventions for older adults targeting brain mechanisms involved in cognitive plasticity. (PsycINFO Database Record
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185
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Akimoto Y, Nozawa T, Kanno A, Kambara T, Ihara M, Ogawa T, Goto T, Taki Y, Yokoyama R, Kotozaki Y, Nouchi R, Sekiguchi A, Takeuchi H, Miyauchi CM, Sugiura M, Okumura E, Sunda T, Shimizu T, Tozuka E, Hirose S, Nanbu T, Kawashima R. High-gamma power changes after cognitive intervention: preliminary results from twenty-one senior adult subjects. Brain Behav 2016; 6:e00427. [PMID: 26855826 PMCID: PMC4733105 DOI: 10.1002/brb3.427] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2015] [Revised: 12/08/2015] [Accepted: 12/11/2015] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Brain-imaging techniques have begun to be popular in evaluating the effectiveness of cognitive intervention training. Although gamma activities are rarely used as an index of training effects, they have several characteristics that suggest their potential suitability for this purpose. This pilot study examined whether cognitive training in elderly people affected the high-gamma activity associated with attentional processing and whether high-gamma power changes were related to changes in behavioral performance. METHODS We analyzed (MEG) magnetoencephalography data obtained from 35 healthy elderly subjects (60-75 years old) who had participated in our previous intervention study in which the subjects were randomly assigned to one of the three types of intervention groups: Group V trained in a vehicle with a newly developed onboard cognitive training program, Group P trained with a similar program but on a personal computer, and Group C was trained to solve a crossword puzzle as an active control group. High-gamma (52-100 Hz) activity during a three-stimulus visual oddball task was measured before and after training. As a result of exclusion in the MEG data analysis stage, the final sample consisted of five subjects in Group V, nine subjects in Group P, and seven subjects in Group C. RESULTS Results showed that high-gamma activities were differently altered between groups after cognitive intervention. In particular, members of Group V, who showed significant improvements in cognitive function after training, exhibited increased high-gamma power in the left middle frontal gyrus during top-down anticipatory target processing. High-gamma power changes in this region were also associated with changes in behavioral performance. CONCLUSIONS Our preliminary results suggest the usefulness of high-gamma activities as an index of the effectiveness of cognitive training in elderly subjects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoritaka Akimoto
- Department of Functional Brain Imaging Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer Tohoku University Sendai 980-8575 Japan
| | - Takayuki Nozawa
- Smart Ageing International Research Center Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer Tohoku University Sendai 980-8575 Japan
| | - Akitake Kanno
- Department of Functional Brain Imaging Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer Tohoku University Sendai 980-8575 Japan
| | - Toshimune Kambara
- Department of Functional Brain Imaging Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer Tohoku University Sendai 980-8575 Japan; Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) Tokyo 102-8472 Japan
| | - Mizuki Ihara
- Smart Ageing International Research Center Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer Tohoku University Sendai 980-8575 Japan
| | - Takeshi Ogawa
- Department of Functional Brain Imaging Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer Tohoku University Sendai 980-8575 Japan
| | - Takakuni Goto
- Department of Functional Brain Imaging Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer Tohoku University Sendai 980-8575 Japan
| | - Yasuyuki Taki
- Division of Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer Tohoku University Sendai 980-8575 Japan
| | - Ryoichi Yokoyama
- Department of Functional Brain Imaging Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer Tohoku University Sendai 980-8575 Japan
| | - Yuka Kotozaki
- Smart Ageing International Research Center Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer Tohoku University Sendai 980-8575 Japan
| | - Rui Nouchi
- Smart Ageing International Research Center Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer Tohoku University Sendai 980-8575 Japan; Human and Social Response Research Division International Research Institute of Disaster Science Tohoku University Sendai 980-8575 Japan
| | - Atsushi Sekiguchi
- Department of Functional Brain Imaging Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer Tohoku University Sendai 980-8575 Japan; Division of Medical Neuroimage Analysis Department of Community Medical Supports Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization Tohoku University Sendai 980-8575 Japan; Department of Adult Mental Health National Institute of Mental Health National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry Kodaira 187-8553 Japan
| | - Hikaru Takeuchi
- Division of Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer Tohoku University Sendai 980-8575 Japan
| | - Carlos Makoto Miyauchi
- Department of Functional Brain Imaging Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer Tohoku University Sendai 980-8575 Japan
| | - Motoaki Sugiura
- Department of Functional Brain Imaging Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer Tohoku University Sendai 980-8575 Japan; Human and Social Response Research Division International Research Institute of Disaster Science Tohoku University Sendai 980-8575 Japan
| | - Eiichi Okumura
- Department of Epileptology Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine Sendai 980-8575 Japan
| | - Takashi Sunda
- Mobility Services Laboratory Research Division 2 Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. Kanagawa 243-0123 Japan
| | - Toshiyuki Shimizu
- Mobility Services Laboratory Research Division 2 Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. Kanagawa 243-0123 Japan
| | - Eiji Tozuka
- Vehicle Test and Measurement Technology Development Department CAE and Testing Division 1 Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. Kanagawa 243-0192 Japan
| | - Satoru Hirose
- Mobility Services Laboratory Research Division 2 Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. Kanagawa 243-0123 Japan
| | - Tatsuyoshi Nanbu
- Prototype and Test Department Research Division 2 Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. Kanagawa 243-0123 Japan
| | - Ryuta Kawashima
- Department of Functional Brain Imaging Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer Tohoku University Sendai 980-8575 Japan; Smart Ageing International Research Center Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer Tohoku University Sendai 980-8575 Japan; Division of Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer Tohoku University Sendai 980-8575 Japan
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186
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Liu ZX, Glizer D, Tannock R, Woltering S. EEG alpha power during maintenance of information in working memory in adults with ADHD and its plasticity due to working memory training: A randomized controlled trial. Clin Neurophysiol 2016; 127:1307-1320. [DOI: 10.1016/j.clinph.2015.10.032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2015] [Revised: 09/15/2015] [Accepted: 10/07/2015] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
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187
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Metzler-Baddeley C, Caeyenberghs K, Foley S, Jones DK. Task complexity and location specific changes of cortical thickness in executive and salience networks after working memory training. Neuroimage 2016; 130:48-62. [PMID: 26806288 PMCID: PMC4819728 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2016.01.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2015] [Revised: 12/05/2015] [Accepted: 01/05/2016] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Novel activities and experiences shape the brain's structure and organisation and, hence, our behaviour. However, evidence from structural plasticity studies remains mixed and the neural correlates of learning and practice are still poorly understood. We conducted a robustly designed study into grey matter plasticity following 2 months of working memory training. We generated a priori hypotheses regarding the location of plastic effects across three cognitive control networks (executive, anterior salience and basal ganglia networks), and compared the effects of adaptive training (n=20) with a well-matched active control group (n=20) which differed in training complexity and included extensive cognitive assessment before and after the training. Adaptive training relative to control activities resulted in a complex pattern of subtle and localised structural changes: Training was associated with increases in cortical thickness in right-lateralised executive regions, notably the right caudal middle frontal cortex, as well as increases in the volume of the left pallidum. In addition the training group showed reductions of thickness in the right insula, which were correlated with training-induced improvements in backward digit span performance. Unexpectedly, control activities were associated with reductions in thickness in the right pars triangularis. These results suggest that the direction of activity-induced plastic changes depend on the level of training complexity as well as brain location. These observations are consistent with the view that the brain responds dynamically to environmental demands by focusing resources on task relevant networks and eliminating irrelevant processing for the purpose of energy reduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Metzler-Baddeley
- Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre (CUBRIC), School of Psychology, and Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute (NMHRI), Cardiff University, Cardiff CF10 3AT, UK.
| | - Karen Caeyenberghs
- School of Psychology, Australian Catholic University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Sonya Foley
- Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre (CUBRIC), School of Psychology, and Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute (NMHRI), Cardiff University, Cardiff CF10 3AT, UK
| | - Derek K Jones
- Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre (CUBRIC), School of Psychology, and Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute (NMHRI), Cardiff University, Cardiff CF10 3AT, UK
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188
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Takeuchi H, Taki Y, Sassa Y, Sekiguchi A, Nagase T, Nouchi R, Fukushima A, Kawashima R. The Associations between Regional Gray Matter Structural Changes and Changes of Cognitive Performance in Control Groups of Intervention Studies. Front Hum Neurosci 2016; 9:681. [PMID: 26733852 PMCID: PMC4685061 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2015.00681] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2015] [Accepted: 12/01/2015] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
In intervention studies of cognitive training, the challenging cognitive tests, which were used as outcome measures, are generally completed in more than a few hours. Here, utilizing the control groups' data from three 1-week intervention studies in which young healthy adult subjects underwent a wide range of cognitive tests and T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) before and after the intervention period, we investigated how regional gray matter (GM) density (rGMD) of the subjects changed through voxel-based morphometry (VBM). Statistically significant increases in rGMD were observed in the anatomical cluster that mainly spread around the bilateral dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC) and the right superior frontal gyrus (rSFG). Moreover, mean rGMD within this cluster changes were significantly and positively correlated with performance changes in the Stroop task, and tended to positively correlate with performance changes in a divergent thinking task. Affected regions are considered to be associated with performance monitoring (dACC) and manipulation of the maintained information including generating associations (rSFG), and both are relevant to the cognitive functions measured in the cognitive tests. Thus, the results suggest that even in the groups of the typical “control group” in intervention studies including those of the passive one, experimental or non-experimental factors can result in an increase in the regional GM structure and form the association between such neural changes and improvements related to these cognitive tests. These results suggest caution toward the experimental study designs without control groups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hikaru Takeuchi
- Smart Ageing International Research Center, Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer, Tohoku University Sendai, Japan
| | - Yasuyuki Taki
- Division of Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience, Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer, Tohoku University Sendai, Japan
| | - Yuko Sassa
- Division of Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience, Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer, Tohoku University Sendai, Japan
| | - Atsushi Sekiguchi
- Department of Functional Brain Imaging, Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer, Tohoku University Sendai, Japan
| | - Tomomi Nagase
- Faculty of Medicine, Tohoku University Sendai, Japan
| | - Rui Nouchi
- Smart Ageing International Research Center, Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer, Tohoku University Sendai, Japan
| | - Ai Fukushima
- Department of Functional Brain Imaging, Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer, Tohoku University Sendai, Japan
| | - Ryuta Kawashima
- Smart Ageing International Research Center, Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer, Tohoku UniversitySendai, Japan; Division of Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience, Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer, Tohoku UniversitySendai, Japan; Department of Functional Brain Imaging, Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer, Tohoku UniversitySendai, Japan
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189
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Effects of Fast Simple Numerical Calculation Training on Neural Systems. Neural Plast 2016; 2016:5940634. [PMID: 26881117 PMCID: PMC4736604 DOI: 10.1155/2016/5940634] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2015] [Revised: 10/21/2015] [Accepted: 11/02/2015] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Cognitive training, including fast simple numerical calculation (FSNC), has been shown to improve performance on untrained processing speed and executive function tasks in the elderly. However, the effects of FSNC training on cognitive functions in the young and on neural mechanisms remain unknown. We investigated the effects of 1-week intensive FSNC training on cognitive function, regional gray matter volume (rGMV), and regional cerebral blood flow at rest (resting rCBF) in healthy young adults. FSNC training was associated with improvements in performance on simple processing speed, speeded executive functioning, and simple and complex arithmetic tasks. FSNC training was associated with a reduction in rGMV and an increase in resting rCBF in the frontopolar areas and a weak but widespread increase in resting rCBF in an anatomical cluster in the posterior region. These results provide direct evidence that FSNC training alone can improve performance on processing speed and executive function tasks as well as plasticity of brain structures and perfusion. Our results also indicate that changes in neural systems in the frontopolar areas may underlie these cognitive improvements.
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Neurological and Psychosocial Development in Adolescence. CONGENITAL HEART DISEASE AND ADOLESCENCE 2016. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-31139-5_5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
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192
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Román FJ, Lewis LB, Chen CH, Karama S, Burgaleta M, Martínez K, Lepage C, Jaeggi SM, Evans AC, Kremen WS, Colom R. Gray matter responsiveness to adaptive working memory training: a surface-based morphometry study. Brain Struct Funct 2015; 221:4369-4382. [PMID: 26701168 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-015-1168-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2015] [Accepted: 12/01/2015] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Here we analyze gray matter indices before and after completing a challenging adaptive cognitive training program based on the n-back task. The considered gray matter indices were cortical thickness (CT) and cortical surface area (CSA). Twenty-eight young women (age range 17-22 years) completed 24 training sessions over the course of 3 months (12 weeks, 24 sessions), showing expected performance improvements. CT and CSA values for the training group were compared with those of a matched control group. Statistical analyses were computed using a ROI framework defined by brain areas distinguished by their genetic underpinning. The interaction between group and time was analyzed. Middle temporal, ventral frontal, inferior parietal cortices, and pars opercularis were the regions where the training group showed conservation of gray matter with respect to the control group. These regions support working memory, resistance to interference, and inhibition. Furthermore, an interaction with baseline intelligence differences showed that the expected decreasing trend at the biological level for individuals showing relatively low intelligence levels at baseline was attenuated by the completed training.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Lindsay B Lewis
- Montreal Neurological Institute (MNI), McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | | | - Sherif Karama
- Montreal Neurological Institute (MNI), McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | | | - Kenia Martínez
- Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 28049, Madrid, Spain.,Hospital Gregorio Marañon, Madrid, Spain
| | - Claude Lepage
- Montreal Neurological Institute (MNI), McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | | | - Alan C Evans
- Montreal Neurological Institute (MNI), McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | | | - Roberto Colom
- Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 28049, Madrid, Spain.
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193
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Cognitive stimulation of the default-mode network modulates functional connectivity in healthy aging. Brain Res Bull 2015; 121:26-41. [PMID: 26688237 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainresbull.2015.12.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2015] [Revised: 11/03/2015] [Accepted: 12/04/2015] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
A cognitive-stimulation tool was created to regulate functional connectivity within the brain Default-Mode Network (DMN). Computerized exercises were designed based on the hypothesis that repeated task-dependent coactivation of multiple DMN regions would translate into regulation of resting-state network connectivity. Forty seniors (mean age: 65.90 years; SD: 8.53) were recruited and assigned either to an experimental group (n=21) who received one month of intensive cognitive stimulation, or to a control group (n=19) who maintained a regime of daily-life activities explicitly focused on social interactions. An MRI protocol and a battery of neuropsychological tests were administered at baseline and at the end of the study. Changes in the DMN (measured via functional connectivity of posterior-cingulate seeds), in brain volumes, and in cognitive performance were measured with mixed models assessing group-by-timepoint interactions. Moreover, regression models were run to test gray-matter correlates of the various stimulation tasks. Significant associations were found between task performance and gray-matter volume of multiple DMN core regions. Training-dependent up-regulation of functional connectivity was found in the posterior DMN component. This interaction was driven by a pattern of increased connectivity in the training group, while little or no up-regulation was seen in the control group. Minimal changes in brain volumes were found, but there was no change in cognitive performance. The training-dependent regulation of functional connectivity within the posterior DMN component suggests that this stimulation program might exert a beneficial impact in the prevention and treatment of early AD neurodegeneration, in which this neurofunctional pathway is progressively affected by the disease.
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194
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Fuentes A, Risso A. Evaluación de conocimientos y actitudes sobre neuromitos en futuros/as maestros/as. REVISTA DE ESTUDIOS E INVESTIGACIÓN EN PSICOLOGÍA Y EDUCACIÓN 2015. [DOI: 10.17979/reipe.2015.0.06.530] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
El tema de los neuromitos constituye un núcleo de contenido transversal a la literatura neuroeducativa. El término fue acuñado en el contexto médico: un neurocirujano, Alan Crockard (1986), lo utilizó en la década de los 90 para describir "un tipo engañoso de saber sobre el cerebro". Poco después fue Bruer (1997) quien lo llevó al contexto educativo, subrayando los peligros que surgen de la traducción directa de los resultados de la investigación neurocientífica al campo educativo. Por otro lado, en el año 2002, el proyecto Brain and Learning de la OECD emitió un informe en el cual los neuromitos ocupan uno de sus capítulos. Tras la publicación de ese informe se elaboró una de las primeras definiciones del término en su acepción educativa, siendo concebidos como algunas de las trampas surgidas en el establecimiento de puentes equivocados o sin fundamento entre la neurociencia y la educación. Así, los neuromitos estarían constituidos por conceptos erróneos en relación con el cerebro, y cuyos orígenes podrían residir en algún elemento científico sólido, lo que haría más difícil su identificación y refutación. La vinculación de los neuromitos con el contexto educativo, deriva en el concepto de neuromito educativo, ya que muchas de estas interpretaciones erróneas están relacionadas con el cerebro y el aprendizaje, y en concreto con el aprendizaje escolar. Partiendo de este contexto, y en concordancia con la literatura existente, el objetivo del presente trabajo es analizar la prevalencia de neuromitos entre los futuros maestros así como sus actitudes respecto a este tópico. Para ello se contó con una muestra de 295 estudiantes de 1º y 4º curso de las titulaciones de Grado en Educación Primaria y Grado en Educación Infantil de la UDC, a quienes se les aplicaron dos cuestionarios: el de conocimiento se basó en el trabajo de Dekker, Lee, Howard-Jones y Jolles (2012), mientras que el de actitudes se fundamenta en el de Rato, Abreu y Castro-Caldas (2013). Comprobadas su fiabilidad y la validez de constructo, resultaron idóneas. Los resultados obtenidos apuntan a la concordancia con estudios precedentes: por un lado, el nivel de prevalencia de neuromitos entre los futuros maestros es alto y, por otro, no se observa relación con el nivel de estudios, excepto en lo relativo a la adquisición de una segunda lengua. En el ámbito de las actitudes los resultados también concuerdan con trabajos anteriores, mostrando una elevada acogida de las distintas propuestas orientadas a la superación de la brecha neuromitológica, y observándose una correlación directa entre el nivel de acuerdo de los estudiantes y el curso al que pertenecen.
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195
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Sun Y, Taya F, Chen Y, Delgado Martinez I, Thakor N, Bezerianos A. Topological changes of the effective connectivity during the working memory training. ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE OF THE IEEE ENGINEERING IN MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY SOCIETY. IEEE ENGINEERING IN MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY SOCIETY. ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE 2015; 2014:6242-5. [PMID: 25571423 DOI: 10.1109/embc.2014.6945055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Working memory (WM) refers to the retention of information over a short period of time. Accumulated evidence showed that training WM would lead to beneficial effects in untrained tasks, which could be attributed to the strengthening of the functional connections between brain regions through repeated training task. In this proof of concept investigation, we applied a graph theoretical approach to analyze the early changes of functional connectivity from two subjects undergoing a spatial n-back WM training task for three continuous days. A significant decreased clustering coefficient and normalized shortest path length was revealed, suggesting a reduced local efficiency with an increased global efficiency after WM training. Our findings thereby provide insightful implications for understanding the mechanisms of brain dynamics in cognitive training.
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196
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Walhovd KB, Westerhausen R, de Lange AMG, Bråthen ACS, Grydeland H, Engvig A, Fjell AM. Premises of plasticity - And the loneliness of the medial temporal lobe. Neuroimage 2015; 131:48-54. [PMID: 26505299 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2015.10.060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2015] [Revised: 09/17/2015] [Accepted: 10/21/2015] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
In this perspective paper, we examine possible premises of plasticity in the neural substrates underlying cognitive change. We take the special role of the medial temporal lobe as an anchoring point, but also investigate characteristics throughout the cortex. Specifically, we examine the dimensions of evolutionary expansion, heritability, variability of morphometric change, and inter-individual variance in myelination with respect to the plastic potential of different brain regions. We argue that areas showing less evolutionary expansion, lower heritability, greater variability of cortical thickness change through the lifespan, and greater inter-individual differences in intracortical myelin content have a great extent of plasticity. While different regions of the brain show these features to varying extent, analyses converge on the medial temporal lobe including the hippocampi as the target of all these premises. We discuss implications for effects of training on brain structures, and conditions under which plasticity may be evoked.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristine B Walhovd
- Research Group for Lifespan Changes in Brain and Cognition, Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, 0373, Norway; Department of Physical medicine and rehabilitation, Unit of neuropsychology, Oslo University Hospital, 0424, Norway.
| | - René Westerhausen
- Research Group for Lifespan Changes in Brain and Cognition, Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, 0373, Norway
| | - Ann-Marie Glasø de Lange
- Research Group for Lifespan Changes in Brain and Cognition, Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, 0373, Norway
| | - Anne Cecilie Sjøli Bråthen
- Research Group for Lifespan Changes in Brain and Cognition, Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, 0373, Norway
| | - Håkon Grydeland
- Research Group for Lifespan Changes in Brain and Cognition, Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, 0373, Norway
| | - Andreas Engvig
- Department of Medicine, Diakonhjemmet Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Anders M Fjell
- Research Group for Lifespan Changes in Brain and Cognition, Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, 0373, Norway
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197
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Relationship between Brain Age-Related Reduction in Gray Matter and Educational Attainment. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0140945. [PMID: 26474472 PMCID: PMC4608774 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0140945] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2015] [Accepted: 09/30/2015] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Inter-subject variability in age-related brain changes may relate to educational attainment, as suggested by cognitive reserve theories. This voxel-based morphometry study investigated the impact of very low educational level on the relationship between regional gray matter (rGM) volumes and age in healthy elders. Magnetic resonance imaging data were acquired in elders with low educational attainment (less than 4 years) (n = 122) and high educational level (n = 66), pulling together individuals examined using either of three MRI scanners/acquisition protocols. Voxelwise group comparisons showed no rGM differences (p<0.05, family-wise error corrected for multiple comparisons). When within-group voxelwise patterns of linear correlation were compared between high and low education groups, there was one cluster of greater rGM loss with aging in low versus high education elders in the left anterior cingulate cortex (p<0.05, FWE-corrected), as well as a trend in the left dorsomedial prefrontal cortex (p<0.10). These results provide preliminary indication that education might exert subtle protective effects against age-related brain changes in healthy subjects. The anterior cingulate cortex, critical to inhibitory control processes, may be particularly sensitive to such effects, possibly given its involvement in cognitive stimulating activities at school or later throughout life.
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198
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Chevalier N, Kurth S, Doucette MR, Wiseheart M, Deoni SCL, Dean DC, O’Muircheartaigh J, Blackwell KA, Munakata Y, LeBourgeois MK. Myelination Is Associated with Processing Speed in Early Childhood: Preliminary Insights. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0139897. [PMID: 26440654 PMCID: PMC4595421 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0139897] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2015] [Accepted: 09/18/2015] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Processing speed is an important contributor to working memory performance and fluid intelligence in young children. Myelinated white matter plays a central role in brain messaging, and likely mediates processing speed, but little is known about the relationship between myelination and processing speed in young children. In the present study, processing speed was measured through inspection times, and myelin volume fraction (VFM) was quantified using a multicomponent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) approach in 2- to 5-years of age. Both inspection times and VFM were found to increase with age. Greater VFM in the right and left occipital lobes, the body of the corpus callosum, and the right cerebellum was significantly associated with shorter inspection times, after controlling for age. A hierarchical regression showed that VFM in the left occipital lobe predicted inspection times over and beyond the effects of age and the VFM in the other brain regions. These findings are consistent with the hypothesis that myelin supports processing speed in early childhood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolas Chevalier
- Department of Psychology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
- * E-mail:
| | - Salome Kurth
- Department of Integrative Physiology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Margaret Rae Doucette
- Department of Integrative Physiology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Melody Wiseheart
- Department of Psychology, York University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Sean C. L. Deoni
- Brown University School of Engineering, Providence, Rhodes Island, United States of America
| | - Douglas C. Dean
- Brown University School of Engineering, Providence, Rhodes Island, United States of America
| | | | - Katharine A. Blackwell
- Department of Psychology, Salem College, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Yuko Munakata
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Monique K. LeBourgeois
- Department of Integrative Physiology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado, United States of America
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199
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Tacchino A, Pedullà L, Bonzano L, Vassallo C, Battaglia MA, Mancardi G, Bove M, Brichetto G. A New App for At-Home Cognitive Training: Description and Pilot Testing on Patients with Multiple Sclerosis. JMIR Mhealth Uhealth 2015; 3:e85. [PMID: 26323749 PMCID: PMC4704979 DOI: 10.2196/mhealth.4269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2015] [Revised: 07/02/2015] [Accepted: 07/24/2015] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Cognitive impairment is common in people with neurological diseases and severely affects their social and professional life. It has been shown that intensive and personalized cognitive rehabilitation (CR), based on working memory exercises, leads to improved cognitive status of healthy and cognitive-impaired subjects. New technologies would help to promote accessible, at-home, and self-managed CR interventions. Objective The aim of this paper is to describe the design of Cognitive Training Kit (COGNI-TRAcK), an app for mobile devices, to self-administer an at-home, intensive, and personalized CR intervention based on working memory exercises, and test its disposability-to-use (usability, motivation to use, compliance to treatment) on cognitive-impaired patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). Methods COGNI-TRAcK includes user-friendly interfaces for personal data input and management and for CR intervention configurations. Inner routines automatically implement adaptive working load algorithms and allow data processing and analysis. A dedicated team developed COGNI-TRAcK with C# programming language, by using the platform Xamarin Studio 4.0.10 for Android (API level 15 and following). Three exercises based on working memory are now available. To assess the disposability-to-use of the system, patients with MS were selected as likely users due to the young age of disease onset. Cognitive-impaired patients with MS (N=16) with a mean age of 49.06 years (SD 9.10) and a mean score of 3.75 (SD 1.92) on the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) were submitted to an 8-week at-home intervention administered by the app. The intervention consisted of 5 daily scheduled 30-minute sessions per week. Disposability-to-use of COGNI-TRAcK was investigated by means of a questionnaire administered to patients at the end of the training. Results The adherence to the treatment was 84% (33.4/40). Of the patients with MS, 94% (15/16) understood the instructions given, 100% (16/16) felt independent to use COGNI-TRAcK at home, 75% (12/16) found the exercises interesting, and 81% (13/16) found the exercises useful and were motivated to use the app again. Moreover, during the exercises, patients with MS were highly motivated to perform well (mean score 3.19/4, SE 0.16), experienced rather low levels of stress (mean score 2.19/4, SE 0.26), were not bored (mean score 1.81/4, SE 0.30), and felt amusement (mean score 2.25/4, SE 0.23). Conclusions As COGNI-TRAcK is highly usable, motivating, and well-accepted by patients with MS, its effectiveness can now be investigated. To improve COGNI-TRAcK, new releases should contain more working memory exercises, have enhanced perceived amusement, and promote Internet communication procedures for data transfer and fostering remote control of the intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Tacchino
- Italian Multiple Sclerosis Foundation, Scientific Research Area, Genoa, Italy
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200
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Neural Plastic Effects of Cognitive Training on Aging Brain. Neural Plast 2015; 2015:535618. [PMID: 26417460 PMCID: PMC4568366 DOI: 10.1155/2015/535618] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2014] [Revised: 03/04/2015] [Accepted: 03/11/2015] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Increasing research has evidenced that our brain retains a capacity to change in response to experience until late adulthood. This implies that cognitive training can possibly ameliorate age-associated cognitive decline by inducing training-specific neural plastic changes at both neural and behavioral levels. This longitudinal study examined the behavioral effects of a systematic thirteen-week cognitive training program on attention and working memory of older adults who were at risk of cognitive decline. These older adults were randomly assigned to the Cognitive Training Group (n = 109) and the Active Control Group (n = 100). Findings clearly indicated that training induced improvement in auditory and visual-spatial attention and working memory. The training effect was specific to the experience provided because no significant difference in verbal and visual-spatial memory between the two groups was observed. This pattern of findings is consistent with the prediction and the principle of experience-dependent neuroplasticity. Findings of our study provided further support to the notion that the neural plastic potential continues until older age. The baseline cognitive status did not correlate with pre- versus posttraining changes to any cognitive variables studied, suggesting that the initial cognitive status may not limit the neuroplastic potential of the brain at an old age.
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