201
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Batista S, Freitas S, Afonso A, Macário C, Sousa L, Cunha L, Santana I. Theory of Mind and Executive Functions are Dissociated in Multiple Sclerosis. Arch Clin Neuropsychol 2017; 33:541-551. [DOI: 10.1093/arclin/acx101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2017] [Accepted: 10/03/2017] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Sonia Batista
- Department of Neurology, Centro Hospitalar e Universitário de Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Sandra Freitas
- Centre for Neuroscience and Cell Biology (CNC), IBILI, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
- Centro de Investigação do Núcleo de Estudos e Intervenção Cognitivo Comportamental (CINEICC), University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
- Psychological Assessment Lab., Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Ana Afonso
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Carmo Macário
- Department of Neurology, Centro Hospitalar e Universitário de Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Lívia Sousa
- Department of Neurology, Centro Hospitalar e Universitário de Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Luís Cunha
- Department of Neurology, Centro Hospitalar e Universitário de Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Isabel Santana
- Department of Neurology, Centro Hospitalar e Universitário de Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
- Centre for Neuroscience and Cell Biology (CNC), IBILI, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
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202
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Brzozowska NI, Smith KL, Zhou C, Waters PM, Cavalcante LM, Abelev SV, Kuligowski M, Clarke DJ, Todd SM, Arnold JC. Genetic deletion of P-glycoprotein alters stress responsivity and increases depression-like behavior, social withdrawal and microglial activation in the hippocampus of female mice. Brain Behav Immun 2017; 65:251-261. [PMID: 28502879 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2017.05.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2017] [Revised: 05/05/2017] [Accepted: 05/09/2017] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
P-glycoprotein (P-gp) is an ABC transporter expressed at the blood brain barrier and regulates the brain uptake of various xenobiotics and endogenous mediators including glucocorticoid hormones which are critically important to the stress response. Moreover, P-gp is expressed on microglia, the brain's immune cells, which are activated by stressors and have an emerging role in psychiatric disorders. We therefore hypothesised that germline P-gp deletion in mice might alter the behavioral and microglial response to stressors. Female P-gp knockout mice displayed an unusual, frantic anxiety response to intraperitoneal injection stress in the light-dark test. They also tended to display reduced conditioned fear responses compared to wild-type (WT) mice in a paradigm where a single electric foot-shock stressor was paired to a context. Foot-shock stress reduced social interaction and decreased microglia cell density in the amygdala which was not varied by P-gp genotype. Independently of stressor exposure, female P-gp deficient mice displayed increased depression-like behavior, idiosyncratic darting behavior, age-related social withdrawal and hyperactivity, facilitated sensorimotor gating and altered startle reactivity. In addition, P-gp deletion increased microglia cell density in the CA3 region of the hippocampus, and the microglial cells exhibited a reactive, hypo-ramified morphology. Further, female P-gp KO mice displayed increased glucocorticoid receptor (GR) expression in the hippocampus. In conclusion, this research shows that germline P-gp deletion affected various behaviors of relevance to psychiatric conditions, and that altered microglial cell activity and enhanced GR expression in the hippocampus may play a role in mediating these behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalia I Brzozowska
- Discipline of Pharmacology, School of Medical Science, University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, Australia; The Brain and Mind Centre, University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, Australia
| | - Kristie L Smith
- Discipline of Pharmacology, School of Medical Science, University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, Australia; The Brain and Mind Centre, University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, Australia
| | - Cilla Zhou
- Discipline of Pharmacology, School of Medical Science, University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, Australia; The Brain and Mind Centre, University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, Australia
| | - Peter M Waters
- Discipline of Pharmacology, School of Medical Science, University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, Australia
| | - Ligia Menezes Cavalcante
- Discipline of Pharmacology, School of Medical Science, University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, Australia; The Brain and Mind Centre, University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, Australia
| | - Sarah V Abelev
- Discipline of Pharmacology, School of Medical Science, University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, Australia; The Brain and Mind Centre, University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, Australia
| | - Michael Kuligowski
- The Brain and Mind Centre, University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, Australia; Australian Microscopy & Microanalysis Research Facility, University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, Australia
| | - David J Clarke
- Discipline of Pharmacology, School of Medical Science, University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, Australia; The Brain and Mind Centre, University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, Australia
| | - Stephanie M Todd
- Discipline of Pharmacology, School of Medical Science, University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, Australia; The Brain and Mind Centre, University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, Australia
| | - Jonathon C Arnold
- Discipline of Pharmacology, School of Medical Science, University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, Australia; The Brain and Mind Centre, University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, Australia.
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203
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Atzil S, Gendron M. Bio-behavioral synchrony promotes the development of conceptualized emotions. Curr Opin Psychol 2017; 17:162-169. [PMID: 28843112 PMCID: PMC5617801 DOI: 10.1016/j.copsyc.2017.07.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2017] [Revised: 06/25/2017] [Accepted: 07/08/2017] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
As adults, we have structured conceptual representations of our emotions that help us to make sense of and regulate our ongoing affective experience. The ability to use emotion concepts is critical to make predictions about the world and choose appropriate action, such as 'I am afraid, and going to run away' or 'I am hungry and going to eat'. Thus, emotion concepts have an important role in helping us maintain our ongoing physiological balance, or allostasis. We will suggest here that infants can learn emotion concepts for the purpose of allostasis regulation, and that conceptualization is key component in emotional development. Moreover, we will suggest that social dyads facilitate concept learning because of a robust evolutionary feature seen in newborns of social species: they cannot survive alone and depend on conspecifics for allostasis regulation. Such social dependency creates a robust driving force for social learning of emotion concepts, and makes the social dyad, which is designed to regulate the infant's allostasis, an optimal medium for concept learning. In line with that, we will review evidence showing that the neural reference space for emotion overlaps with neural circuits that support allostasis (striatum, amygdala, and hypothalamus) and conceptualization (medial prefrontal cortex, posterior cingulate cortex), and that their developmental trajectories are interrelated, and depend on synchronous social care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shir Atzil
- The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Mt. Scopus, Jerusalem, Israel.
| | - Maria Gendron
- Northeastern University, Department of Psychology, Boston, MA, USA
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204
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Walpola IC, Nest T, Roseman L, Erritzoe D, Feilding A, Nutt DJ, Carhart-Harris RL. Altered Insula Connectivity under MDMA. Neuropsychopharmacology 2017; 42:2152-2162. [PMID: 28195139 PMCID: PMC5603811 DOI: 10.1038/npp.2017.35] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2016] [Revised: 02/05/2017] [Accepted: 02/08/2017] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Recent work with noninvasive human brain imaging has started to investigate the effects of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) on large-scale patterns of brain activity. MDMA, a potent monoamine-releaser with particularly pronounced serotonin- releasing properties, has unique subjective effects that include: marked positive mood, pleasant/unusual bodily sensations and pro-social, empathic feelings. However, the neurobiological basis for these effects is not properly understood, and the present analysis sought to address this knowledge gap. To do this, we administered MDMA-HCl (100 mg p.o.) and, separately, placebo (ascorbic acid) in a randomized, double-blind, repeated-measures design with twenty-five healthy volunteers undergoing fMRI scanning. We then employed a measure of global resting-state functional brain connectivity and follow-up seed-to-voxel analysis to the fMRI data we acquired. Results revealed decreased right insula/salience network functional connectivity under MDMA. Furthermore, these decreases in right insula/salience network connectivity correlated with baseline trait anxiety and acute experiences of altered bodily sensations under MDMA. The present findings highlight insular disintegration (ie, compromised salience network membership) as a neurobiological signature of the MDMA experience, and relate this brain effect to trait anxiety and acutely altered bodily sensations-both of which are known to be associated with insular functioning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ishan C Walpola
- Department of Psychiatry, McGill University Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada,Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, 6825 LaSalle Boulevard, Montreal, Quebec, Canada H4H 1R3, Tel: 5147662010, E-mail:
| | - Timothy Nest
- Department of Psychiatry, McGill University Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Leor Roseman
- Division of Brain Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Centre for Neuropsychopharmacology, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - David Erritzoe
- Division of Brain Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Centre for Neuropsychopharmacology, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | | | - David J Nutt
- Division of Brain Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Centre for Neuropsychopharmacology, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Robin L Carhart-Harris
- Division of Brain Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Centre for Neuropsychopharmacology, Imperial College London, London, UK
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205
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Haller J. The role of central and medial amygdala in normal and abnormal aggression: A review of classical approaches. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2017; 85:34-43. [PMID: 28918358 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2017.09.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2017] [Revised: 06/21/2017] [Accepted: 09/13/2017] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
The involvement of the amygdala in aggression is supported by overwhelming evidence. Frequently, however, the amygdala is studied as a whole, despite its complex internal organization. To reveal the role of various subdivisions, here we review the involvement of the central and medial amygdala in male rivalry aggression, maternal aggression, predatory aggression, and models of abnormal aggression where violent behavior is associated with increased or decreased arousal. We conclude that: (1) rivalry aggression is controlled by the medial amygdala; (2) predatory aggression is controlled by the central amygdala; (3) hypoarousal-associated violent aggression recruits both nuclei, (4) a specific upregulation of the medial amygdala was observed in hyperarousal-driven aggression. These patterns of amygdala activation were used to build four alternative models of the aggression circuitry, each being specific to particular forms of aggression. The separate study of the roles of amygdala subdivisions may not only improve our understanding of aggressive behavior, but also the differential control of aggression and violent behaviors of various types, including those associated with various psychopathologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jozsef Haller
- Institute of Experimental Medicine, Budapest, Hungary; National University of Public Service, Budapest, Hungary.
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206
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Mesial temporal lobe epilepsy diminishes functional connectivity during emotion perception. Epilepsy Res 2017; 134:33-40. [DOI: 10.1016/j.eplepsyres.2017.05.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2017] [Revised: 04/04/2017] [Accepted: 05/05/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
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207
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Amygdala Volume Differences in Autism Spectrum Disorder Are Related to Anxiety. J Autism Dev Disord 2017; 47:3682-3691. [DOI: 10.1007/s10803-017-3206-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
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208
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Joo WT, Kwak S, Youm Y, Chey J. Brain functional connectivity difference in the complete network of an entire village: the role of social network size and embeddedness. Sci Rep 2017; 7:4465. [PMID: 28667288 PMCID: PMC5493622 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-04904-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2017] [Accepted: 06/05/2017] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Social networks are known to protect cognitive function in old age. For the first time, this study examines how social network size and social network embeddedness measured by k-core score are associated with functional connectivity in the brain using the complete social network of an entire village. According to the results, social network size has both positive and negative associations with functional connectivity; showing no meaningful pattern relative to distance among brain regions. However, older adults deeply embedded in the complete network tend to maintain functional connectivity between long-distance regions even after controlling for other covariates such as age, gender, education, and Mini-Mental State Examination score. Network Based Statistics (NBS) also revealed strong and consistent evidence that social network embeddedness has component-level associations with functional connectivity among brain regions, especially between inferior prefrontal and occipital/parietal lobes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Won-Tak Joo
- Department of Sociology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Seyul Kwak
- Department of Psychology, Seoul National University, Gwanak-ro 1, Gwanak-gu, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Yoosik Youm
- Department of Sociology, Yonsei University, Yonsei-ro 50, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, South Korea.
| | - Jeanyung Chey
- Department of Psychology, Seoul National University, Gwanak-ro 1, Gwanak-gu, Seoul, South Korea.
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209
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Batista S, Alves C, d’Almeida OC, Afonso A, Félix-Morais R, Pereira J, Macário C, Sousa L, Castelo-Branco M, Santana I, Cunha L. Disconnection as a mechanism for social cognition impairment in multiple sclerosis. Neurology 2017; 89:38-45. [DOI: 10.1212/wnl.0000000000004060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2016] [Accepted: 03/14/2017] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective:To assess the contribution of microstructural normal-appearing white matter (NAWM) damage to social cognition impairment, specifically in the theory of mind (ToM), in multiple sclerosis (MS).Methods:We enrolled consecutively 60 patients with MS and 60 healthy controls (HC) matched on age, sex, and education level. All participants underwent ToM testing (Eyes Test, Videos Test) and 3T brain MRI including conventional and diffusion tensor imaging sequences. Tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS) were applied for whole-brain voxel-wise analysis of fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusivity (MD) on NAWM.Results:Patients with MS performed worse on both tasks of ToM compared to HC (Eyes Test 58.7 ± 13.8 vs 81.9 ± 10.4, p < 0.001, Hedges g −1.886; Videos Test 75.3 ± 9.3 vs 88.1 ± 7.1, p < 0.001, Hedges g −1.537). Performance on ToM tests was correlated with higher values of FA and lower values of MD across widespread white matter tracts. The largest effects (≥90% of voxels with statistical significance) for the Eyes Test were body and genu of corpus callosum, fornix, tapetum, uncinate fasciculus, and left inferior cerebellar peduncle, and for the Videos Test genu and splenium of corpus callosum, fornix, uncinate fasciculus, left tapetum, and right superior fronto-occipital fasciculus.Conclusions:These results indicate that a diffuse pattern of NAWM damage in MS contributes to social cognition impairment in the ToM domain, probably due to a mechanism of disconnection within the social brain network. Gray matter pathology is also expected to have an important role; thus further research is required to clarify the neural basis of social cognition impairment in MS.
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210
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Kleckner IR, Zhang J, Touroutoglou A, Chanes L, Xia C, Simmons WK, Quigley KS, Dickerson BC, Barrett LF. Evidence for a Large-Scale Brain System Supporting Allostasis and Interoception in Humans. Nat Hum Behav 2017; 1:0069. [PMID: 28983518 PMCID: PMC5624222 DOI: 10.1038/s41562-017-0069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 301] [Impact Index Per Article: 43.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2016] [Accepted: 02/13/2017] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Large-scale intrinsic brain systems have been identified for exteroceptive senses (e.g., sight, hearing, touch). We introduce an analogous system for representing sensations from within the body, called interoception, and demonstrate its relation to regulating peripheral systems in the body, called allostasis. Employing the recently introduced Embodied Predictive Interoception Coding (EPIC) model, we used tract-tracing studies of macaque monkeys, followed by two intrinsic functional magnetic resonance imaging samples (N = 280 and N = 270) to evaluate the existence of an intrinsic allostatic/interoceptive system in the human brain. Another sample (N = 41) allowed us to evaluate the convergent validity of the hypothesized allostatic/interoceptive system by showing that individuals with stronger connectivity between system hubs performed better on an implicit index of interoceptive ability related to autonomic fluctuations. Implications include insights for the brain's functional architecture, dissolving the artificial boundary between mind and body, and unifying mental and physical illness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ian R. Kleckner
- Department of Psychology, Northeastern University, Boston, MA
| | - Jiahe Zhang
- Department of Psychology, Northeastern University, Boston, MA
| | - Alexandra Touroutoglou
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging
- Psychiatric Neuroimaging Division, Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA
| | - Lorena Chanes
- Department of Psychology, Northeastern University, Boston, MA
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging
- Psychiatric Neuroimaging Division, Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA
| | - Chenjie Xia
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging
- Frontotemporal Disorders Unit, Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA
| | - W. Kyle Simmons
- Laureate Institute for Brain Research, Tulsa, OK
- School of Community Medicine, The University of Tulsa, Tulsa, OK
| | - Karen S. Quigley
- Department of Psychology, Northeastern University, Boston, MA
- Edith Nourse Rogers Memorial VA Hospital, Bedford, MA
| | - Bradford C. Dickerson
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging
- Frontotemporal Disorders Unit, Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA
| | - Lisa Feldman Barrett
- Department of Psychology, Northeastern University, Boston, MA
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging
- Psychiatric Neuroimaging Division, Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA
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211
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Delli Pizzi S, Chiacchiaretta P, Mantini D, Bubbico G, Ferretti A, Edden RA, Di Giulio C, Onofrj M, Bonanni L. Functional and neurochemical interactions within the amygdala-medial prefrontal cortex circuit and their relevance to emotional processing. Brain Struct Funct 2017; 222:1267-1279. [PMID: 27566606 PMCID: PMC5549263 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-016-1276-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2016] [Accepted: 07/15/2016] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
The amygdala-medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) circuit plays a key role in emotional processing. GABA-ergic inhibition within the mPFC has been suggested to play a role in the shaping of amygdala activity. However, the functional and neurochemical interactions within the amygdala-mPFC circuits and their relevance to emotional processing remain unclear. To investigate this circuit, we obtained resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) and proton MR spectroscopy in 21 healthy subjects to assess the potential relationship between GABA levels within mPFC and the amygdala-mPFC functional connectivity. Trait anxiety was assessed using the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-Y2). Partial correlations were used to measure the relationships among the functional connectivity outcomes, mPFC GABA levels and STAI-Y2 scores. Age, educational level and amount of the gray and white matters within 1H-MRS volume of interest were included as nuisance variables. The rs-fMRI signals of the amygdala and the vmPFC were significantly anti-correlated. This negative functional coupling between the two regions was inversely correlated with the GABA+/tCr level within the mPFC and the STAI-Y2 scores. We suggest a close relationship between mPFC GABA levels and functional interactions within the amygdala-vmPFC circuit, providing new insights in the physiology of emotion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefano Delli Pizzi
- Department of Neuroscience, Imaging and Clinical Sciences, ''G. d'Annunzio'' University of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy
- Institute for Advanced Biomedical Technologies (ITAB), ''G. d'Annunzio'' University of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy
- Aging Research Centre, ''G. d'Annunzio'' University of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy
| | - Piero Chiacchiaretta
- Department of Neuroscience, Imaging and Clinical Sciences, ''G. d'Annunzio'' University of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy
- Institute for Advanced Biomedical Technologies (ITAB), ''G. d'Annunzio'' University of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy
| | - Dante Mantini
- Research Centre for Motor Control and Neuroplasticity, KU Leuven, Louvain, Belgium
- Department of Health Sciences and Technology, Neural Control of Movement Lab, ETH Zurich, Switzerland
- Department of Experimental Psychology, Oxford University, Oxford, UK
| | - Giovanna Bubbico
- Department of Neuroscience, Imaging and Clinical Sciences, ''G. d'Annunzio'' University of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy
- Institute for Advanced Biomedical Technologies (ITAB), ''G. d'Annunzio'' University of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy
| | - Antonio Ferretti
- Department of Neuroscience, Imaging and Clinical Sciences, ''G. d'Annunzio'' University of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy
- Institute for Advanced Biomedical Technologies (ITAB), ''G. d'Annunzio'' University of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy
| | - Richard A Edden
- Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- F.M. Kirby Center for Functional MRI, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Camillo Di Giulio
- Department of Neuroscience, Imaging and Clinical Sciences, ''G. d'Annunzio'' University of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy
| | - Marco Onofrj
- Department of Neuroscience, Imaging and Clinical Sciences, ''G. d'Annunzio'' University of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy
- Aging Research Centre, ''G. d'Annunzio'' University of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy
| | - Laura Bonanni
- Department of Neuroscience, Imaging and Clinical Sciences, ''G. d'Annunzio'' University of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy.
- Aging Research Centre, ''G. d'Annunzio'' University of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy.
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212
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Graebenitz S, Cerina M, Lesting J, Kedo O, Gorji A, Pannek H, Hans V, Zilles K, Pape HC, Speckmann EJ. Directional spread of activity in synaptic networks of the human lateral amygdala. Neuroscience 2017; 349:330-340. [PMID: 28315444 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2017.03.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2016] [Revised: 02/22/2017] [Accepted: 03/07/2017] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Spontaneous epileptiform activity has previously been observed in lateral amygdala (LA) slices derived from patients with intractable-temporal lobe epilepsy. The present study aimed to characterize intranuclear LA synaptic connectivity and to test the hypothesis that differences in the spread of flow of neuronal activity may relate to spontaneous epileptiform activity occurrence. Electrical activity was evoked through electrical microstimulation in acute human brain slices containing the LA, signals were recorded as local field potentials combined with fast optical imaging of voltage-sensitive dye fluorescence. Sites of stimulation and recording were systematically varied. Following recordings, slices were anatomically reconstructed using two-dimensional unitary slices as a reference for coronal and parasagittal planes. Local spatial patterns and spread of activity were assessed by incorporating the coordinates of electrical and optical recording sites into the respective unitary slice. A preferential directional spread of evoked electrical signals was observed from ventral to dorsal, rostral to caudal and medial to lateral regions in the LA. No differences in spread of evoked activity were observed between spontaneously and non-spontaneously active LA slices, i.e. basic properties of evoked synaptic responses were similar in the two functional types of LA slices, including input-output relationship, and paired-pulse depression. These results indicate a directed propagation of synaptic signals within the human LA in spontaneously active epileptic slices. We suggest that the lack of differences in local and in systemic information processing has to be found in confined epileptiform circuits within the amygdala likely involving well-known "epileptic neurons".
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Manuela Cerina
- Department of Neurology and Institute of Translational Neurology, University Hospital and Westfaelische Wilhelms-University Muenster, Germany.
| | - Jörg Lesting
- Institute of Physiology I, Westfaelische Wilhelms-University Muenster, Germany
| | - Olga Kedo
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine, Research Center Juelich, Germany
| | - Ali Gorji
- Epilepsy Research Center, Westfaelische Wilhelms-University Muenster, Germany; Shefa Neuroscience Research Center, Khatam Alanbia Hospital, Tehran, Iran
| | - Heinz Pannek
- Bethel Epilepsy Center Bethel, Mara, Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Volkmar Hans
- Institute of Neuropathology, Bethel, Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Karl Zilles
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine, Research Center Juelich, Germany
| | - Hans-Christian Pape
- Institute of Physiology I, Westfaelische Wilhelms-University Muenster, Germany
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213
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A Volumetric and Functional Connectivity MRI Study of Brain Arginine-Vasopressin Pathways in Autistic Children. Neurosci Bull 2017; 33:130-142. [PMID: 28258508 PMCID: PMC5360858 DOI: 10.1007/s12264-017-0109-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2016] [Accepted: 02/06/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Dysfunction of brain-derived arginine-vasopressin (AVP) systems may be involved in the etiology of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Certain regions such as the hypothalamus, amygdala, and hippocampus are known to contain either AVP neurons or terminals and may play an important role in regulating complex social behaviors. The present study was designed to investigate the concomitant changes in autistic behaviors, circulating AVP levels, and the structure and functional connectivity (FC) of specific brain regions in autistic children compared with typically developing children (TDC) aged from 3 to 5 years. The results showed: (1) children with ASD had a significantly increased volume in the left amygdala and left hippocampus, and a significantly decreased volume in the bilateral hypothalamus compared to TDC, and these were positively correlated with plasma AVP level. (2) Autistic children had a negative FC between the left amygdala and the bilateral supramarginal gyri compared to TDC. The degree of the negative FC between amygdala and supramarginal gyrus was associated with a higher score on the clinical autism behavior checklist. (3) The degree of negative FC between left amygdala and left supramarginal gyrus was associated with a lowering of the circulating AVP concentration in boys with ASD. (4) Autistic children showed a higher FC between left hippocampus and right subcortical area compared to TDC. (5) The circulating AVP was negatively correlated with the visual and listening response score of the childhood autism rating scale. These results strongly suggest that changes in structure and FC in brain regions containing AVP may be involved in the etiology of autism.
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214
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Kerestes R, Chase HW, Phillips ML, Ladouceur CD, Eickhoff SB. Multimodal evaluation of the amygdala's functional connectivity. Neuroimage 2017; 148:219-229. [PMID: 28089676 PMCID: PMC5416470 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2016.12.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2016] [Revised: 12/08/2016] [Accepted: 12/09/2016] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The amygdala is one of the most extensively studied human brain regions and undisputedly plays a central role in many psychiatric disorders. However, an outstanding question is whether connectivity of amygdala subregions, specifically the centromedial (CM), laterobasal (LB) and superficial (SF) nuclei, are modulated by brain state (i.e., task vs. rest). Here, using a multimodal approach, we directly compared meta-analytic connectivity modeling (MACM) and specific co-activation likelihood estimation (SCALE)-derived estimates of CM, LB and SF task-based co-activation to the functional connectivity of these nuclei as assessed by resting state fmri (rs-fmri). Finally, using a preexisting resting state functional connectivity-derived cortical parcellation, we examined both MACM and rs-fmri amygdala subregion connectivity with 17 large-scale networks, to explicitly address how the amygdala interacts with other large-scale neural networks. Analyses revealed strong differentiation of CM, LB and SF connectivity patterns with other brain regions, both in task-dependent and task-independent contexts. All three regions, however, showed convergent connectivity with the right ventrolateral prefrontal cortex (VLPFC) that was not driven by high base rate levels of activation. Similar patterns of connectivity across rs-fmri and MACM were observed for each subregion, suggesting a similar network architecture of amygdala connectivity with the rest of the brain across tasks and resting state for each subregion, that may be modified in the context of specific task demands. These findings support animal models that posit a parallel model of amygdala functioning, but importantly, also modify this position to suggest integrative processing in the amygdala.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca Kerestes
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
| | - Henry W Chase
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Mary L Phillips
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Cecile D Ladouceur
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Simon B Eickhoff
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-1), Research Center Jülich, Germany; Institute of Clinical Neuroscience and Medical Psychology, Heinrich-Heine University Düsseldorf, Germany; Institute of Systems Neuroscience, School of Medicine, Heinrich-Heine University Düsseldorf, Germany
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215
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Shdo SM, Ranasinghe KG, Gola KA, Mielke CJ, Sukhanov PV, Miller BL, Rankin KP. Deconstructing empathy: Neuroanatomical dissociations between affect sharing and prosocial motivation using a patient lesion model. Neuropsychologia 2017; 116:126-135. [PMID: 28209520 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2017.02.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2016] [Revised: 02/11/2017] [Accepted: 02/11/2017] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Affect sharing and prosocial motivation are integral parts of empathy that are conceptually and mechanistically distinct. We used a neurodegenerative disease (NDG) lesion model to examine the neural correlates of these two aspects of real-world empathic responding. The study enrolled 275 participants, including 44 healthy older controls and 231 patients diagnosed with one of five neurodegenerative diseases (75 Alzheimer's disease, 58 behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD), 42 semantic variant primary progressive aphasia (svPPA), 28 progressive supranuclear palsy, and 28 non-fluent variant primary progressive aphasia (nfvPPA). Informants completed the Revised Self-Monitoring Scale's Sensitivity to the Expressive Behavior of Others (RSMS-EX) subscale and the Interpersonal Reactivity Index's Empathic Concern (IRI-EC) subscale describing the typical empathic behavior of the participants in daily life. Using regression modeling of the voxel based morphometry of T1 brain scans prepared using SPM8 DARTEL-based preprocessing, we isolated the variance independently contributed by the affect sharing and the prosocial motivation elements of empathy as differentially measured by the two scales. We found that the affect sharing component uniquely correlated with volume in right>left medial and lateral temporal lobe structures, including the amygdala and insula, that support emotion recognition, emotion generation, and emotional awareness. Prosocial motivation, in contrast, involved structures such as the nucleus accumbens (NaCC), caudate head, and inferior frontal gyrus (IFG), which suggests that an individual must maintain the capacity to experience reward, to resolve ambiguity, and to inhibit their own emotional experience in order to effectively engage in spontaneous altruism as a component of their empathic response to others.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suzanne M Shdo
- Memory and Aging Center, University of California, San Francisco, USA
| | | | - Kelly A Gola
- Memory and Aging Center, University of California, San Francisco, USA
| | - Clinton J Mielke
- Memory and Aging Center, University of California, San Francisco, USA
| | - Paul V Sukhanov
- Memory and Aging Center, University of California, San Francisco, USA
| | - Bruce L Miller
- Memory and Aging Center, University of California, San Francisco, USA
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216
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The Neurobiology of Human Attachments. Trends Cogn Sci 2017; 21:80-99. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tics.2016.11.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 380] [Impact Index Per Article: 54.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2016] [Revised: 11/14/2016] [Accepted: 11/22/2016] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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217
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Man V, Nohlen HU, Melo H, Cunningham WA. Hierarchical Brain Systems Support Multiple Representations of Valence and Mixed Affect. EMOTION REVIEW 2017. [DOI: 10.1177/1754073916667237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
We review the psychological literature on the organization of valence, discussing theoretical perspectives that favor a single dimension of valence, multiple valence dimensions, and positivity and negativity as dynamic and flexible properties of mental experience that are contingent upon context. Turning to the neuroscience literature that spans three levels of analysis, we discuss how positivity and negativity can be represented in the brain. We show that the evidence points toward both separable and overlapping brain systems that support affective processes depending on the level of resolution studied. We move from large-scale brain networks that underlie generalized processing, to functionally specific subcircuits, finally to intraregional neuronal distributions, where the organization and interaction across levels allow for multiple types of valence and mixed evaluations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vincent Man
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Canada
| | - Hannah U. Nohlen
- Department of Psychology, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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218
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Abstract
Social dysfunction is a core symptom of many psychiatric disorders and current medications have little or no remedial effects on this. Following on from extensive studies on animal models demonstrating that the neuropeptide oxytocin plays an important role in social recognition and bonding, human-based research has explored its therapeutic potential for social dysfunction in psychiatric disorders. Here we outline the historical background of this human-based research and some of the current methodological challenges it is facing. To date, research has primarily attempted to establish functional effects through measuring altered endogenous concentrations, observing effects of exogenous administration and by investigating the effects of polymorphisms and epigenetic modifications of the oxytocin receptor gene. We summarize some of the key findings on behavioral and neural effects that have been reported in healthy subjects in the context of social cognition which have provided encouragement that oxytocin could represent a promising therapeutic target. At the same time, we have identified a number of key areas where we urgently need further information about optimal dosing strategies and interactions with other peptide and transmitter systems. Finally, we have summarized current translational findings, particularly in the context of therapeutic outcomes of intranasal oxytocin administration in autism and schizophrenia. These clinical findings while somewhat varied in outcome do offer increasing cause for optimism that targeting the oxytocin system may provide a successful therapeutic approach for social dysfunction. However, future research needs to focus on the most effective treatment strategy and which types of individuals are likely to benefit most.
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219
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Wu J, de Theije CGM, da Silva SL, Abbring S, van der Horst H, Broersen LM, Willemsen L, Kas M, Garssen J, Kraneveld AD. Dietary interventions that reduce mTOR activity rescue autistic-like behavioral deficits in mice. Brain Behav Immun 2017; 59:273-287. [PMID: 27640900 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2016.09.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2016] [Revised: 08/27/2016] [Accepted: 09/15/2016] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Enhanced mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling in the brain has been implicated in the pathogenesis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Inhibition of the mTOR pathway improves behavior and neuropathology in mouse models of ASD containing mTOR-associated single gene mutations. The current study demonstrated that the amino acids histidine, lysine, threonine inhibited mTOR signaling and IgE-mediated mast cell activation, while the amino acids leucine, isoleucine, valine had no effect on mTOR signaling in BMMCs. Based on these results, we designed an mTOR-targeting amino acid diet (Active 1 diet) and assessed the effects of dietary interventions with the amino acid diet or a multi-nutrient supplementation diet (Active 2 diet) on autistic-like behavior and mTOR signaling in food allergic mice and in inbred BTBR T+Itpr3tf/J mice. Cow's milk allergic (CMA) or BTBR male mice were fed a Control, Active 1, or Active 2 diet for 7 consecutive weeks. CMA mice showed reduced social interaction and increased self-grooming behavior. Both diets reversed behavioral impairments and inhibited the mTOR activity in the prefrontal cortex and amygdala of CMA mice. In BTBR mice, only Active 1 diet reduced repetitive self-grooming behavior and attenuated the mTOR activity in the prefrontal and somatosensory cortices. The current results suggest that activated mTOR signaling pathway in the brain may be a convergent pathway in the pathogenesis of ASD bridging genetic background and environmental triggers (food allergy) and that mTOR over-activation could serve as a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiangbo Wu
- Division of Pharmacology, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, Universiteitsweg 99, 3584 CG Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Caroline G M de Theije
- Division of Pharmacology, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, Universiteitsweg 99, 3584 CG Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Sofia Lopes da Silva
- Division of Pharmacology, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, Universiteitsweg 99, 3584 CG Utrecht, The Netherlands; Nutricia Research, Uppsalalaan 12, 3584 CT Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Suzanne Abbring
- Division of Pharmacology, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, Universiteitsweg 99, 3584 CG Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Hilma van der Horst
- Division of Pharmacology, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, Universiteitsweg 99, 3584 CG Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Laus M Broersen
- Division of Pharmacology, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, Universiteitsweg 99, 3584 CG Utrecht, The Netherlands; Nutricia Research, Uppsalalaan 12, 3584 CT Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Linette Willemsen
- Division of Pharmacology, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, Universiteitsweg 99, 3584 CG Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Martien Kas
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht, Universiteitsweg 100, 3584 CG Utrecht, The Netherlands; Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Johan Garssen
- Division of Pharmacology, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, Universiteitsweg 99, 3584 CG Utrecht, The Netherlands; Nutricia Research, Uppsalalaan 12, 3584 CT Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Aletta D Kraneveld
- Division of Pharmacology, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, Universiteitsweg 99, 3584 CG Utrecht, The Netherlands; Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 104, 3584 CM Utrecht, The Netherlands.
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220
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Batista S, d’Almeida OC, Afonso A, Freitas S, Macário C, Sousa L, Castelo-Branco M, Santana I, Cunha L. Impairment of social cognition in multiple sclerosis: Amygdala atrophy is the main predictor. Mult Scler 2016; 23:1358-1366. [DOI: 10.1177/1352458516680750] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Background: Patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) frequently reveal social behavior disturbance. Nevertheless, little is known regarding the impact of MS on social cognition, particularly theory of mind (ToM), and its neural basis. Objectives: To explore how ToM is affected in MS and its neural correlates. Methods: Enrolled 60 consecutive MS patients and 60 healthy controls (HC) matched on age, sex, and education. Participants underwent ToM testing (Eyes Test, Videos Test) and 3 T brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Using Freesurfer software, cortical and subcortical gray matter (GM) volumes were calculated. Results: MS patients performed worse on Eyes Test (58.7% ± 13.8% vs 81.9% ± 10.4%, p < 0.001) and Videos Test (75.3% ± 9.3% vs 88.1% ± 7.1%, p < 0.001). Eyes Test performance in MS was positively correlated with the volume of subcortical structures (amygdala, putamen) and cortical regions (entorhinal cortex, fusiform gyrus, superior temporal gyrus, superior parietal gyrus, supramarginal gyrus, medial orbitofrontal cortex, anterior and posterior cingulate gyrus). In regression analysis, amygdala volume was the single predictor of performance ( R2 change = 0.064, p = 0.031), and a mediation analysis indicated that it contributes for the differences observed between MS and HC. Conclusion: Patients with MS have impairment on social cognition. Amygdala atrophy was the main predictor probably due to its central position within the “social brain” network.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sonia Batista
- Department of Neurology, Centro Hospitalar e Universitário de Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal/Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Otília C d’Almeida
- Visual Neuroscience Laboratory, Institute for Biomedical Imaging and Life Sciences (IBILI), Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal/Centre for Neuroscience and Cell Biology (CNC), Institute for Biomedical Imaging and Life Sciences (IBILI), University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal/Institute for Nuclear Sciences Applied to Health (ICNAS), University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Ana Afonso
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Sandra Freitas
- Centre for Neuroscience and Cell Biology (CNC), Institute for Biomedical Imaging and Life Sciences (IBILI), University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal/Centro de Investigação do Núcleo de Estudos e Intervenção Cognitivo Comportamental (CINEICC), University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal/Psychological Assessment Lab, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Carmo Macário
- Department of Neurology, Centro Hospitalar e Universitário de Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Lívia Sousa
- Department of Neurology, Centro Hospitalar e Universitário de Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal/Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Miguel Castelo-Branco
- Visual Neuroscience Laboratory, Institute for Biomedical Imaging and Life Sciences (IBILI), Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal/Centre for Neuroscience and Cell Biology (CNC), Institute for Biomedical Imaging and Life Sciences (IBILI), University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal/Institute for Nuclear Sciences Applied to Health (ICNAS), University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Isabel Santana
- Department of Neurology, Centro Hospitalar e Universitário de Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal/Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal; Centre for Neuroscience and Cell Biology (CNC), Institute for Biomedical Imaging and Life Sciences (IBILI), University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Luís Cunha
- Department of Neurology, Centro Hospitalar e Universitário de Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal/Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
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221
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Ziaei M, Ebner NC, Burianová H. Functional brain networks involved in gaze and emotional processing. Eur J Neurosci 2016; 45:312-320. [DOI: 10.1111/ejn.13464] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2016] [Revised: 10/17/2016] [Accepted: 10/31/2016] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Maryam Ziaei
- Centre for Advanced Imaging University of Queensland Building 57, Research Road Brisbane St Lucia, QLD 4072 Australia
- School of Psychology University of Queensland Brisbane QLD Australia
| | - Natalie C. Ebner
- Department of Psychology University of Florida Gainesville FL USA
- Department of Aging and Geriatric Research Gainesville FL USA
| | - Hana Burianová
- Centre for Advanced Imaging University of Queensland Building 57, Research Road Brisbane St Lucia, QLD 4072 Australia
- Department of Psychology Swansea University Swansea UK
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222
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Raufelder D, Hoferichter F, Romund L, Golde S, Lorenz RC, Beck A. Adolescents' Socio-Motivational Relationships With Teachers, Amygdala Response to Teacher's Negative Facial Expressions, and Test Anxiety. JOURNAL OF RESEARCH ON ADOLESCENCE : THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR RESEARCH ON ADOLESCENCE 2016; 26:706-722. [PMID: 28453203 DOI: 10.1111/jora.12220] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
The amygdala is essential for processing emotions, including the processing of aversive faces. The aim of this multimethodological study was to relate the amygdala reactivity of students (N = 88) toward teachers' fearful and angry faces, to students' relationship with their teachers. Furthermore, students' neural responses during the perception of teachers' faces were tested as predictors of test anxiety (controlling for neuroticism as a potential trait anxiety effect). Multiple regression analysis revealed that students reporting high-quality teacher-student relationships showed stronger amygdala activity toward fearful faces, which was related to worry. Furthermore, students with high levels of neuroticism tended to perceive their teachers as motivators and showed higher amygdala activity toward angry faces, which was related to the measures of emotionality.
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223
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Rincón-Cortés M, Sullivan RM. Emergence of social behavior deficit, blunted corticolimbic activity and adult depression-like behavior in a rodent model of maternal maltreatment. Transl Psychiatry 2016; 6:e930. [PMID: 27779623 PMCID: PMC5290349 DOI: 10.1038/tp.2016.205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2015] [Revised: 08/31/2016] [Accepted: 08/31/2016] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Disrupted social behavior is a core symptom of multiple psychiatric and neurodevelopmental disorders. Many of these disorders are exacerbated by adverse infant experiences, including maltreatment and abuse, which negatively affect amygdala development. Although a link between impaired social behavior, abnormal amygdala function and depressive-like behavior following early adversity has been demonstrated in humans and animal models, the developmental emergence of maltreatment-related social deficits and associated amygdala neural activity are unknown. We used a naturalistic rodent model of maternal maltreatment during a sensitive period, postnatal days 8-12 (PN8-12), which produces social behavior deficits that precede adolescent depressive-like behavior and amygdala dysfunction, to examine social behavior in infancy, periweaning and adolescence. Neural activity in response to the social behavior test was assessed via c-Fos immunohistochemistry at these ages. A separate group of animals was tested for adult depressive-like behavior in the forced swim test. Maltreatment spared infant (PN16-18) social behavior but disrupted periweaning (PN20-22) and adolescent (PN42-48) social behavior. Maltreated rats exhibited blunted neural activation in the amygdala and other areas implicated in social functioning, including the medial prefrontal cortex and nucleus accumbens, at these ages and increased adult depressive-like behavior. These findings may suggest corticolimbic involvement in the emergence of maltreatment-induced social deficits that are linked to adult depressive-like behavior, thereby highlighting potential targets for therapeutic intervention. Understanding how infant experiences influence social behavior and age-specific expression across development may provide insights into basic neural mechanisms of social behaviors and disease-relevant social dysfunction exacerbated by early-life stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Rincón-Cortés
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Child Study Center, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, NY, USA,Neuroscience and Physiology, Sackler Institute for Graduate Biomedical Studies, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA,Emotional Brain Institute, Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, NY, USA,Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Child Study Center, New York University Langone Medical Center, 1 Park Avenue, 8th Floor, Room 8-431, New York, NY 10016, USA. E-mail:
| | - R M Sullivan
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Child Study Center, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, NY, USA,Neuroscience and Physiology, Sackler Institute for Graduate Biomedical Studies, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA,Emotional Brain Institute, Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, NY, USA
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224
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Papini C, White TP, Montagna A, Brittain PJ, Froudist-Walsh S, Kroll J, Karolis V, Simonelli A, Williams SC, Murray RM, Nosarti C. Altered resting-state functional connectivity in emotion-processing brain regions in adults who were born very preterm. Psychol Med 2016; 46:3025-3039. [PMID: 27523311 PMCID: PMC5080670 DOI: 10.1017/s0033291716001604] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2015] [Revised: 06/13/2016] [Accepted: 06/16/2016] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Very preterm birth (VPT; <32 weeks of gestation) has been associated with impairments in emotion regulation, social competence and communicative skills. However, the neuroanatomical mechanisms underlying such impairments have not been systematically studied. Here we investigated the functional integrity of the amygdala connectivity network in relation to the ability to recognize emotions from facial expressions in VPT adults. METHOD Thirty-six VPT-born adults and 38 age-matched controls were scanned at rest in a 3-T MRI scanner. Resting-state functional connectivity (rs-fc) was assessed with SPM8. A seed-based analysis focusing on three amygdalar subregions (centro-medial/latero-basal/superficial) was performed. Participants' ability to recognize emotions was assessed using dynamic stimuli of human faces expressing six emotions at different intensities with the Emotion Recognition Task (ERT). RESULTS VPT individuals compared to controls showed reduced rs-fc between the superficial subregion of the left amygdala, and the right posterior cingulate cortex (p = 0.017) and the left precuneus (p = 0.002). The VPT group further showed elevated rs-fc between the left superficial amygdala and the superior temporal sulcus (p = 0.008). Performance on the ERT showed that the VPT group was less able than controls to recognize anger at low levels of intensity. Anger scores were significantly associated with rs-fc between the superficial amygdala and the posterior cingulate cortex in controls but not in VPT individuals. CONCLUSIONS These findings suggest that alterations in rs-fc between the amygdala, parietal and temporal cortices could represent the mechanism linking VPT birth and deficits in emotion processing.
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Affiliation(s)
- C. Papini
- Department of Psychosis Studies,
Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and
Neuroscience, King's College London, De
Crespigny Park, London, UK
- Department of Developmental Psychology and
Socialisation, University of Padua,
Padua, Italy
| | - T. P. White
- Department of Psychosis Studies,
Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and
Neuroscience, King's College London, De
Crespigny Park, London, UK
- School of Psychology,
University of Birmingham, Edgbaston,
Birmingham, UK
| | - A. Montagna
- Division of Imaging Sciences and Biomedical
Engineering, Centre for the Developing Brain,
King's College London, St. Thomas’
Hospital, London, UK
| | - P. J. Brittain
- Department of Psychosis Studies,
Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and
Neuroscience, King's College London, De
Crespigny Park, London, UK
| | - S. Froudist-Walsh
- Department of Psychosis Studies,
Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and
Neuroscience, King's College London, De
Crespigny Park, London, UK
| | - J. Kroll
- Department of Psychosis Studies,
Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and
Neuroscience, King's College London, De
Crespigny Park, London, UK
| | - V. Karolis
- Department of Psychosis Studies,
Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and
Neuroscience, King's College London, De
Crespigny Park, London, UK
| | - A. Simonelli
- Department of Developmental Psychology and
Socialisation, University of Padua,
Padua, Italy
| | - S. C. Williams
- Department of Neuroimaging,
Centre for Neuroimaging Sciences, Institute of
Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience,
King's College London, De Crespigny Park,
London, UK
| | - R. M. Murray
- Department of Psychosis Studies,
Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and
Neuroscience, King's College London, De
Crespigny Park, London, UK
| | - C. Nosarti
- Department of Psychosis Studies,
Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and
Neuroscience, King's College London, De
Crespigny Park, London, UK
- Department of Developmental Psychology and
Socialisation, University of Padua,
Padua, Italy
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225
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Amygdala atrophy affects emotion-related activity in face-responsive regions in frontotemporal degeneration. Cortex 2016; 82:179-191. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2016.06.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2016] [Revised: 05/11/2016] [Accepted: 06/01/2016] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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226
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Deuse L, Rademacher LM, Winkler L, Schultz RT, Gründer G, Lammertz SE. Neural correlates of naturalistic social cognition: brain-behavior relationships in healthy adults. Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci 2016; 11:1741-1751. [PMID: 27496338 DOI: 10.1093/scan/nsw094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2016] [Accepted: 07/11/2016] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Being able to infer the thoughts, feelings and intentions of those around us is indispensable in order to function in a social world. Despite growing interest in social cognition and its neural underpinnings, the factors that contribute to successful mental state attribution remain unclear. Current knowledge is limited because the most widely used tasks suffer from two main constraints: (i) They fail to capture individual variability due to ceiling effects and (ii) they use highly simplistic, often artificial stimuli inapt to mirror real-world socio-cognitive demands. In the present study, we address these problems by employing complex depictions of naturalistic social interactions that vary in both valence (positive vs negative) and ambiguity (high vs low). Thirty-eight healthy participants (20 female) made mental state judgments while brain responses were obtained using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Accuracy varied based on valence and ambiguity conditions and women were more accurate than men with highly ambiguous social stimuli. Activity of the orbitofrontal cortex predicted performance in the high ambiguity condition. The results shed light on subtle differences in mentalizing abilities and associated neural activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- L Deuse
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Medical Faculty, RWTH Aachen University, 52074, Aachen, Germany .,JARA - Translational Brain Medicine, Aachen and Jülich, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany
| | - L M Rademacher
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Social Neuroscience Lab, University of Lübeck, 23538, Lübeck, Germany
| | - L Winkler
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Medical Faculty, RWTH Aachen University, 52074, Aachen, Germany.,JARA - Translational Brain Medicine, Aachen and Jülich, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany
| | - R T Schultz
- Center for Autism Research, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, 19104, Philadelphia, PA, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, 19104, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - G Gründer
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Medical Faculty, RWTH Aachen University, 52074, Aachen, Germany.,JARA - Translational Brain Medicine, Aachen and Jülich, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany
| | - S E Lammertz
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Medical Faculty, RWTH Aachen University, 52074, Aachen, Germany.,JARA - Translational Brain Medicine, Aachen and Jülich, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany
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Schriber RA, Guyer AE. Adolescent neurobiological susceptibility to social context. Dev Cogn Neurosci 2016; 19:1-18. [PMID: 26773514 PMCID: PMC4912893 DOI: 10.1016/j.dcn.2015.12.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 137] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2014] [Revised: 11/18/2015] [Accepted: 12/19/2015] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Adolescence has been characterized as a period of heightened sensitivity to social contexts. However, adolescents vary in how their social contexts affect them. According to neurobiological susceptibility models, endogenous, biological factors confer some individuals, relative to others, with greater susceptibility to environmental influences, whereby more susceptible individuals fare the best or worst of all individuals, depending on the environment encountered (e.g., high vs. low parental warmth). Until recently, research guided by these theoretical frameworks has not incorporated direct measures of brain structure or function to index this sensitivity. Drawing on prevailing models of adolescent neurodevelopment and a growing number of neuroimaging studies on the interrelations among social contexts, the brain, and developmental outcomes, we review research that supports the idea of adolescent neurobiological susceptibility to social context for understanding why and how adolescents differ in development and well-being. We propose that adolescent development is shaped by brain-based individual differences in sensitivity to social contexts - be they positive or negative - such as those created through relationships with parents/caregivers and peers. Ultimately, we recommend that future research measure brain function and structure to operationalize susceptibility factors that moderate the influence of social contexts on developmental outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberta A Schriber
- Center for Mind and Brain, University of California, Davis, California, United States.
| | - Amanda E Guyer
- Center for Mind and Brain, University of California, Davis, California, United States; Department of Human Ecology, University of California, Davis, California, United States.
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228
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Cremers HR, Roelofs K. Social anxiety disorder: a critical overview of neurocognitive research. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS. COGNITIVE SCIENCE 2016; 7:218-32. [DOI: 10.1002/wcs.1390] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2015] [Revised: 03/23/2016] [Accepted: 03/27/2016] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Henk R. Cremers
- Department of Clinical Psychology; University of Amsterdam; Amsterdam Netherlands
- Department of Psychiatry; The University of Chicago; Chicago IL USA
| | - Karin Roelofs
- Behavioural Science Institute; Radboud University Nijmegen; Nijmegen Netherlands
- Donders Institute for Brain Cognition and Behaviour; Radboud University Nijmegen; Nijmegen Netherlands
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229
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Windels F, Yan S, Stratton PG, Sullivan R, Crane JW, Sah P. Auditory Tones and Foot-Shock Recapitulate Spontaneous Sub-Threshold Activity in Basolateral Amygdala Principal Neurons and Interneurons. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0155192. [PMID: 27171164 PMCID: PMC4865267 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0155192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2016] [Accepted: 04/25/2016] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
In quiescent states such as anesthesia and slow wave sleep, cortical networks show slow rhythmic synchronized activity. In sensory cortices this rhythmic activity shows a stereotypical pattern that is recapitulated by stimulation of the appropriate sensory modality. The amygdala receives sensory input from a variety of sources, and in anesthetized animals, neurons in the basolateral amygdala (BLA) show slow rhythmic synchronized activity. Extracellular field potential recordings show that these oscillations are synchronized with sensory cortex and the thalamus, with both the thalamus and cortex leading the BLA. Using whole-cell recording in vivo we show that the membrane potential of principal neurons spontaneously oscillates between up- and down-states. Footshock and auditory stimulation delivered during down-states evokes an up-state that fully recapitulates those occurring spontaneously. These results suggest that neurons in the BLA receive convergent input from networks of cortical neurons with slow oscillatory activity and that somatosensory and auditory stimulation can trigger activity in these same networks.
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Affiliation(s)
- François Windels
- Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
- Asia Pacific Centre for Neuromodulation, Queensland Brain Institute, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
- * E-mail:
| | - Shanzhi Yan
- Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Peter G. Stratton
- Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
- Asia Pacific Centre for Neuromodulation, Queensland Brain Institute, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Robert Sullivan
- Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - James W. Crane
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Charles Sturt University, Bathurst, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Pankaj Sah
- Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
- Asia Pacific Centre for Neuromodulation, Queensland Brain Institute, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
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230
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Ebisch SJH, Salone A, Martinotti G, Carlucci L, Mantini D, Perrucci MG, Saggino A, Romani GL, Di Giannantonio M, Northoff G, Gallese V. Integrative Processing of Touch and Affect in Social Perception: An fMRI Study. Front Hum Neurosci 2016; 10:209. [PMID: 27242474 PMCID: PMC4861868 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2016.00209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2016] [Accepted: 04/25/2016] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Social perception commonly employs multiple sources of information. The present study aimed at investigating the integrative processing of affective social signals. Task-related and task-free functional magnetic resonance imaging was performed in 26 healthy adult participants during a social perception task concerning dynamic visual stimuli simultaneously depicting facial expressions of emotion and tactile sensations that could be either congruent or incongruent. Confounding effects due to affective valence, inhibitory top-down influences, cross-modal integration, and conflict processing were minimized. The results showed that the perception of congruent, compared to incongruent stimuli, elicited enhanced neural activity in a set of brain regions including left amygdala, bilateral posterior cingulate cortex (PCC), and left superior parietal cortex. These congruency effects did not differ as a function of emotion or sensation. A complementary task-related functional interaction analysis preliminarily suggested that amygdala activity depended on previous processing stages in fusiform gyrus and PCC. The findings provide support for the integrative processing of social information about others' feelings from manifold bodily sources (sensory-affective information) in amygdala and PCC. Given that the congruent stimuli were also judged as being more self-related and more familiar in terms of personal experience in an independent sample of participants, we speculate that such integrative processing might be mediated by the linking of external stimuli with self-experience. Finally, the prediction of task-related responses in amygdala by intrinsic functional connectivity between amygdala and PCC during a task-free state implies a neuro-functional basis for an individual predisposition for the integrative processing of social stimulus content.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sjoerd J H Ebisch
- Department of Neuroscience, Imaging and Clinical Sciences and Institute of Advanced Biomedical Technologies, G. d'Annunzio University of Chieti-Pescara Chieti, Italy
| | - Anatolia Salone
- Department of Neuroscience, Imaging and Clinical Sciences and Institute of Advanced Biomedical Technologies, G. d'Annunzio University of Chieti-Pescara Chieti, Italy
| | - Giovanni Martinotti
- Department of Neuroscience, Imaging and Clinical Sciences and Institute of Advanced Biomedical Technologies, G. d'Annunzio University of Chieti-Pescara Chieti, Italy
| | - Leonardo Carlucci
- Department of Psychological, Health and Territorial Sciences, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, G. d'Annunzio University of Chieti-Pescara Chieti, Italy
| | - Dante Mantini
- Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH ZurichZurich, Switzerland; Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, OxfordUK; Research Center for Motor Control and Neuroplasticity, KU LeuvenLeuven, Belgium
| | - Mauro G Perrucci
- Department of Neuroscience, Imaging and Clinical Sciences and Institute of Advanced Biomedical Technologies, G. d'Annunzio University of Chieti-Pescara Chieti, Italy
| | - Aristide Saggino
- Department of Psychological, Health and Territorial Sciences, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, G. d'Annunzio University of Chieti-Pescara Chieti, Italy
| | - Gian Luca Romani
- Department of Neuroscience, Imaging and Clinical Sciences and Institute of Advanced Biomedical Technologies, G. d'Annunzio University of Chieti-Pescara Chieti, Italy
| | - Massimo Di Giannantonio
- Department of Neuroscience, Imaging and Clinical Sciences and Institute of Advanced Biomedical Technologies, G. d'Annunzio University of Chieti-Pescara Chieti, Italy
| | - Georg Northoff
- The Royal's Institute of Mental Health Research & University of Ottawa Brain and Mind Research Institute, Centre for Neural Dynamics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Vittorio Gallese
- Section of Physiology, Department of Neuroscience, University of ParmaParma, Italy; Institute of Philosophy, School of Advanced Study, University of LondonLondon, UK
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231
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Berryessa CM. Behavioral and neural impairments of frontotemporal dementia: Potential implications for criminal responsibility and sentencing. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF LAW AND PSYCHIATRY 2016; 46:1-6. [PMID: 27039661 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijlp.2016.02.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Individuals in the early stages of the behavioral variant of frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD), a progressive neurodegenerative disorder marked by atrophy to the brain's frontal regions, exhibit severe disturbances to social and moral processing and decision-making after the onset of the disorder. These behavioral impairments, underlain by the neural deficits associated with the disorder, can often lead individuals with bvFTD to criminally offend. As such, behavioral and frontotemporal lobe abnormalities exhibited by offenders with bvFTD potentially represent several complex challenges for the legal system. This paper examines some of the ways in which the behavioral and neural impairments associated with bvFTD may influence issues surrounding the criminal responsibility, specifically legal insanity, and sentencing of offenders with bvFTD in the U.S. legal system. As there is very little literature in these areas concerning bvFTD, the existing academic dialogue on psychopathy, a disorder with similar behavioral symptoms and neural deficits, is used to frame the discussion on these issues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Colleen M Berryessa
- Department of Criminology, University of Pennsylvania, 483 McNeil Building, 3718 Locust Walk, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
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232
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Hampton WH, Unger A, Von Der Heide RJ, Olson IR. Neural connections foster social connections: a diffusion-weighted imaging study of social networks. Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci 2016; 11:721-7. [PMID: 26755769 PMCID: PMC4847692 DOI: 10.1093/scan/nsv153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2015] [Revised: 12/10/2015] [Accepted: 12/14/2015] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Although we know the transition from childhood to adulthood is marked by important social and neural development, little is known about how social network size might affect neurocognitive development or vice versa. Neuroimaging research has identified several brain regions, such as the amygdala, as key to this affiliative behavior. However, white matter connectivity among these regions, and its behavioral correlates, remain unclear. Here we tested two hypotheses: that an amygdalocentric structural white matter network governs social affiliative behavior and that this network changes during adolescence and young adulthood. We measured social network size behaviorally, and white matter microstructure using probabilistic diffusion tensor imaging in a sample of neurologically normal adolescents and young adults. Our results suggest amygdala white matter microstructure is key to understanding individual differences in social network size, with connectivity to other social brain regions such as the orbitofrontal cortex and anterior temporal lobe predicting much variation. In addition, participant age correlated with both network size and white matter variation in this network. These findings suggest the transition to adulthood may constitute a critical period for the optimization of structural brain networks underlying affiliative behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- William H Hampton
- Department of Psychology, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19122, USA
| | - Ashley Unger
- Department of Psychology, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19122, USA
| | | | - Ingrid R Olson
- Department of Psychology, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19122, USA
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233
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Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Neurologists have generally paid relatively little attention to social behavior and its disorders. As a result, many individuals with suspected brain disorders primarily involving changes in social behavior have sought evaluations by psychiatrists or psychologists. This review summarizes recent findings from the growing field of social neuroscience and illustrates the relevance of this knowledge for the neurologist by reviewing contemporary research on frontotemporal dementia and its differential diagnosis. RECENT FINDINGS An explosion of research over the past 10 to 15 years has illuminated specific psychological processes involved in core facets of social behavior and their neural bases. In parallel, knowledge of the genetics, neurobiology, neuroimaging features, and clinical phenomenology of frontotemporal dementia has grown dramatically. SUMMARY As the understanding of specific component processes involved in social behavior and their neural underpinnings deepen, neurologists may lead the way in using this knowledge to provide sophisticated evaluation and monitoring for patients with disorders of social behavior and ultimately may develop new therapeutic options to treat these brain disorders.
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234
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Herrington JD, Miller JS, Pandey J, Schultz RT. Anxiety and social deficits have distinct relationships with amygdala function in autism spectrum disorder. Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci 2016; 11:907-14. [PMID: 26865425 DOI: 10.1093/scan/nsw015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2015] [Accepted: 01/28/2016] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Current neural models of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and anxiety disorders suggest hyperactivation of amygdala in anxiety, but hypoactivation of amygdala in ASD. The objectives of this study were to (i) test the hypothesis that amygdala activity measured by functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) represents a hybrid signal of opposing social functions and anxiety symptoms, and (ii) determine whether longstanding findings of decreased amygdala activation in ASD apply only to those individuals with ASD and low levels of anxiety. During fMRI scanning, 81 youth with ASD and 67 non-ASD control participants completed a face recognition paradigm that elicits robust amygdala activation. Only individuals with ASD and low anxiety levels (a subsample of 28 participants) showed decreased amygdala activation relative to controls. In the ASD group, anxiety symptoms were positively correlated with amygdala activity across the full ASD group, whereas core ASD symptoms (including social deficits) were negatively correlated. Results indicate that hypoactivation of amygdala in ASD, a suggestive finding first reported nearly 20 years ago, can be masked by comorbid anxiety-thus bringing enhanced clarity to this line of work. Amygdala activity represents a hybrid signal of emotion and social processes that cannot be reduced to either alone.
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Affiliation(s)
- John D Herrington
- Center for Autism Research, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Department of Child Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, and
| | - Judith S Miller
- Center for Autism Research, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Department of Child Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, and
| | - Juhi Pandey
- Center for Autism Research, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
| | - Robert T Schultz
- Center for Autism Research, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Department of Child Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, and Department of Pediatrics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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235
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Kent P, Awadia A, Zhao L, Ensan D, Silva D, Cayer C, James JS, Anisman H, Merali Z. Effects of intranasal and peripheral oxytocin or gastrin-releasing peptide administration on social interaction and corticosterone levels in rats. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2016; 64:123-30. [PMID: 26658172 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2015.11.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2015] [Revised: 11/17/2015] [Accepted: 11/20/2015] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The intranasal route of drug administration has gained increased popularity as it is thought to allow large molecules, such as peptide hormones, more direct access to the brain, while limiting systemic exposure. Several studies have investigated the effects of intranasal oxytocin administration in humans as this peptide is associated with prosocial behavior. There are, however, few preclinical studies investigating the effects of intranasal oxytocin administration in rodents. Oxytocin modulates hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis functioning and it has been suggested that oxytocin's ability to increase sociability may occur through a reduction in stress reactivity. Another peptide that appears to influence both social behavior and HPA axis activity is gastrin-releasing peptide (GRP), but it is not known if these GRP-induced effects are related. With this in mind, in the present study, we assessed the effects of intranasal and intraperitoneal oxytocin and GRP administration on social interaction and release of corticosterone in rats. Intranasal and intraperitoneal administration of 20, but not 5 μg, of oxytocin significantly increased social interaction, whereas intranasal and peripheral administration of GRP (20 but not 5 μg) significantly decreased levels of social interaction. In addition, while intranasal oxytocin (20 μg) had no effect on blood corticosterone levels, a marked increase in blood corticosterone levels was observed following intraperitoneal oxytocin administration. With GRP, intranasal (20 μg) but not peripheral administration increased corticosterone levels. These findings provide further evidence that intranasal peptide delivery can induce behavioral alterations in rodents which is consistent with findings from human studies. In addition, the peptide-induced changes in social interaction were not linked to fluctuations in corticosterone levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pamela Kent
- University of Ottawa Institute of Mental Health Research, 1145 Carling Avenue, Ottawa, ON K1Z 7K4, Canada; Department of Psychology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5, Canada
| | - Alisha Awadia
- University of Ottawa Institute of Mental Health Research, 1145 Carling Avenue, Ottawa, ON K1Z 7K4, Canada; Department of Psychology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5, Canada
| | - Leah Zhao
- University of Ottawa Institute of Mental Health Research, 1145 Carling Avenue, Ottawa, ON K1Z 7K4, Canada
| | - Donna Ensan
- University of Ottawa Institute of Mental Health Research, 1145 Carling Avenue, Ottawa, ON K1Z 7K4, Canada; Department of Psychology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5, Canada
| | - Dinuka Silva
- University of Ottawa Institute of Mental Health Research, 1145 Carling Avenue, Ottawa, ON K1Z 7K4, Canada; Department of Psychology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5, Canada
| | - Christian Cayer
- University of Ottawa Institute of Mental Health Research, 1145 Carling Avenue, Ottawa, ON K1Z 7K4, Canada; Department of Psychology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5, Canada
| | - Jonathan S James
- University of Ottawa Institute of Mental Health Research, 1145 Carling Avenue, Ottawa, ON K1Z 7K4, Canada; Department of Psychology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5, Canada
| | - Hymie Anisman
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5, Canada
| | - Zul Merali
- University of Ottawa Institute of Mental Health Research, 1145 Carling Avenue, Ottawa, ON K1Z 7K4, Canada; Department of Psychology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5, Canada; Institute of Neuroscience, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON K1S 5B6, Canada.
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236
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Mears D, Pollard HB. Network science and the human brain: Using graph theory to understand the brain and one of its hubs, the amygdala, in health and disease. J Neurosci Res 2016; 94:590-605. [DOI: 10.1002/jnr.23705] [Citation(s) in RCA: 82] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2015] [Revised: 11/24/2015] [Accepted: 12/04/2015] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- David Mears
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology, and Genetics; Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences; Bethesda Maryland
| | - Harvey B. Pollard
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology, and Genetics; Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences; Bethesda Maryland
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237
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Basolateral amygdala lesions abolish mutual reward preferences in rats. Neurobiol Learn Mem 2016; 127:1-9. [DOI: 10.1016/j.nlm.2015.11.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2015] [Accepted: 11/08/2015] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
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238
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Arentsen T, Raith H, Qian Y, Forssberg H, Diaz Heijtz R. Host microbiota modulates development of social preference in mice. MICROBIAL ECOLOGY IN HEALTH AND DISEASE 2015; 26:29719. [PMID: 26679775 PMCID: PMC4683992 DOI: 10.3402/mehd.v26.29719] [Citation(s) in RCA: 99] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2015] [Revised: 11/18/2015] [Accepted: 11/23/2015] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Mounting evidence indicates that the indigenous gut microbiota exerts long-lasting programming effects on brain function and behaviour. OBJECTIVE In this study, we used the germ-free (GF) mouse model, devoid of any microbiota throughout development, to assess the influence of the indigenous microbiota on social preference and repetitive behaviours (e.g. self-grooming). METHODS AND RESULTS Using the three-chambered social approach task, we demonstrate that when adult GF mice were given a choice to spend time with a novel mouse or object, they spent significantly more time sniffing and interacting with the stimulus mouse compared to conventionally raised mice (specific pathogen-free, SPF). Time spent in repetitive self-grooming behaviour, however, did not differ between GF and SPF mice. Real-time PCR-based gene expression analysis of the amygdala, a key region that is part of the social brain network, revealed a significant reduction in the mRNA levels of total brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), BDNF exon I-, IV-, VI-, IX-containing transcripts, and NGFI-A (a signalling molecule downstream of BDNF) in GF mice compared to SPF mice. CONCLUSION These results suggest that differential regulation of BDNF exon transcripts in the amygdala by the indigenous microbes may contribute to the altered social development of GF mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tim Arentsen
- Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Henrike Raith
- Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Yu Qian
- Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Hans Forssberg
- Department of Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
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239
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Goerlich-Dobre KS, Lamm C, Pripfl J, Habel U, Votinov M. The left amygdala: A shared substrate of alexithymia and empathy. Neuroimage 2015; 122:20-32. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2015.08.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2015] [Revised: 07/21/2015] [Accepted: 08/05/2015] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
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240
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Van den Stock J, Hortensius R, Sinke C, Goebel R, de Gelder B. Personality traits predict brain activation and connectivity when witnessing a violent conflict. Sci Rep 2015; 5:13779. [PMID: 26337369 PMCID: PMC4559660 DOI: 10.1038/srep13779] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2015] [Accepted: 08/05/2015] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
As observers we excel in decoding the emotional signals telling us that a social interaction is turning violent. The neural substrate and its modulation by personality traits remain ill understood. We performed an fMRI experiment in which participants watched videos displaying a violent conflict between two people. Observers’ attention was directed to either the aggressor or the victim. Focusing on the aggressor (vs. focusing on the victim) activated the superior temporal sulcus (STS), extra-striate body area (EBA), occipital poles and centro-medial amygdala (CMA). Stronger instantaneous connectivity occurred between these and the EBA, insula, and the red nucleus. When focusing on the victim, basolateral amygdala (BLA) activation was related to trait empathy and showed increased connectivity with the insula and red nucleus. STS activation was associated with trait aggression and increased connectivity with the hypothalamus. The findings reveal that focusing on the aggressor of a violent conflict triggers more activation in categorical (EBA) and emotion (CMA, STS) areas. This is associated with increased instantaneous connectivity among emotion areas (CMA-insula) and between categorical and emotion (EBA-STS) areas. When the focus is on the victim, personality traits (aggression/empathy) modulate activity in emotion areas (respectively STS and postcentral gyrus/ BLA), along with connectivity in the emotional diencephalon (hypothalamus) and early visual areas (occipital pole).
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan Van den Stock
- Laboratory for Translational Neuropsychiatry, Department of Neurosciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,Old Age Psychiatry, University Hospitals Leuven, Herestraat 49, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Ruud Hortensius
- Brain and Emotion Laboratory, Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Oxfordlaan 55, 6200 MD Maastricht, the Netherlands
| | - Charlotte Sinke
- Brain and Emotion Laboratory, Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Oxfordlaan 55, 6200 MD Maastricht, the Netherlands.,Department of Psychiatry &Mental Health, University of Cape Town, J-Block, Groote Schuur Hospital, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Rainer Goebel
- Brain and Emotion Laboratory, Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Oxfordlaan 55, 6200 MD Maastricht, the Netherlands
| | - Beatrice de Gelder
- Brain and Emotion Laboratory, Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Oxfordlaan 55, 6200 MD Maastricht, the Netherlands.,Department of Psychiatry &Mental Health, University of Cape Town, J-Block, Groote Schuur Hospital, Cape Town, South Africa
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241
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So N, Franks B, Lim S, Curley JP. A Social Network Approach Reveals Associations between Mouse Social Dominance and Brain Gene Expression. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0134509. [PMID: 26226265 PMCID: PMC4520683 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0134509] [Citation(s) in RCA: 91] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2015] [Accepted: 07/09/2015] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Modelling complex social behavior in the laboratory is challenging and requires analyses of dyadic interactions occurring over time in a physically and socially complex environment. In the current study, we approached the analyses of complex social interactions in group-housed male CD1 mice living in a large vivarium. Intensive observations of social interactions during a 3-week period indicated that male mice form a highly linear and steep dominance hierarchy that is maintained by fighting and chasing behaviors. Individual animals were classified as dominant, sub-dominant or subordinate according to their David’s Scores and I& SI ranking. Using a novel dynamic temporal Glicko rating method, we ascertained that the dominance hierarchy was stable across time. Using social network analyses, we characterized the behavior of individuals within 66 unique relationships in the social group. We identified two individual network metrics, Kleinberg’s Hub Centrality and Bonacich’s Power Centrality, as accurate predictors of individual dominance and power. Comparing across behaviors, we establish that agonistic, grooming and sniffing social networks possess their own distinctive characteristics in terms of density, average path length, reciprocity out-degree centralization and out-closeness centralization. Though grooming ties between individuals were largely independent of other social networks, sniffing relationships were highly predictive of the directionality of agonistic relationships. Individual variation in dominance status was associated with brain gene expression, with more dominant individuals having higher levels of corticotropin releasing factor mRNA in the medial and central nuclei of the amygdala and the medial preoptic area of the hypothalamus, as well as higher levels of hippocampal glucocorticoid receptor and brain-derived neurotrophic factor mRNA. This study demonstrates the potential and significance of combining complex social housing and intensive behavioral characterization of group-living animals with the utilization of novel statistical methods to further our understanding of the neurobiological basis of social behavior at the individual, relationship and group levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nina So
- Psychology Department, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, United States of America
- Doctoral Program in Neurobiology and Behavior, Columbia University, New York, NY 10025, United States of America
| | - Becca Franks
- Psychology Department, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, United States of America
- UBC Animal Welfare Program, 2357 Main Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Sean Lim
- Psychology Department, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, United States of America
| | - James P. Curley
- Psychology Department, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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242
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Felix-Ortiz AC, Burgos-Robles A, Bhagat ND, Leppla CA, Tye KM. Bidirectional modulation of anxiety-related and social behaviors by amygdala projections to the medial prefrontal cortex. Neuroscience 2015. [PMID: 26204817 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2015.07.041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 267] [Impact Index Per Article: 29.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
The basolateral amygdala (BLA) and the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) modulate anxiety and social behaviors. It remains to be elucidated, however, whether direct projections from the BLA to the mPFC play a functional role in these behaviors. We used optogenetic approaches in behaving mice to either activate or inhibit BLA inputs to the mPFC during behavioral assays that assess anxiety-like behavior and social interaction. Channelrhodopsin-2 (ChR2)-mediated activation of BLA inputs to the mPFC produced anxiogenic effects in the elevated plus maze and open field test, whereas halorhodopsin (NpHR)-mediated inhibition produced anxiolytic effects. Furthermore, activation of the BLA-mPFC pathway reduced social interaction in the resident-intruder test, whereas inhibition facilitated social interaction. These results establish a causal relationship between activity in the BLA-mPFC pathway and the bidirectional modulation of anxiety-related and social behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- A C Felix-Ortiz
- Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.
| | - A Burgos-Robles
- Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.
| | - N D Bhagat
- Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; Program in Behavioral Neuroscience, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
| | - C A Leppla
- Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.
| | - K M Tye
- Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.
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243
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Piretti L, Carnaghi A, Campanella F, Ambron E, Skrap M, Rumiati RI. The neural network associated with lexical-semantic knowledge about social groups. Cortex 2015. [PMID: 26211435 DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2015.06.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
A person can be appraised as an individual or as a member of a social group. In the present study we tested whether the knowledge about social groups is represented independently of the living and non-living things. Patients with frontal and temporal lobe tumors involving either the left or the right hemisphere performed three tasks--picture naming, word-to-picture matching and picture sorting--tapping the lexical semantic knowledge of living things, non-living things and social groups. Both behavioral and voxel-based lesion-symptom mapping (VLSM) analyses suggested that social groups might be represented differently from other categories. VLSM analysis carried out on naming errors revealed that left-lateralized lesions in the inferior frontal gyrus, amygdala, insula and basal ganglia were associated with the lexical-semantic processing of social groups. These findings indicate that the social group representation may rely on areas associated with affective processing.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Fabio Campanella
- Neurosurgery Unit, S.Maria della Misericordia Hospital, Udine, Italy
| | | | - Miran Skrap
- Neurosurgery Unit, S.Maria della Misericordia Hospital, Udine, Italy
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